Castro and the Cubans

I'm not sure aid would have been forthcoming anyway, but it's good to see Castro has the best interests of his people at heart (please note my sarcasm):

Cuban President Fidel Castro has said he would not accept any aid from the United States to repair damage caused by the hurricane.

"We won't accept a penny from them," the communist leader said Monday on state television.

This quote summed up Castro for me. He rules a country just rich enough to keep himself and his cronies living in luxury while the rest of the country suffers. After his countrymen suffer from Ivan, he preemptively refuses any aid from the one source Cuba could get the most from, the United States. Hopefully, for the sake of the Cubans affected by Ivan, US Cuban nationals will be allowed to send money and aid to their relatives and friends on the island.

I think studying Castro in a college was a turning point for me. Up until that time, I tried to tow the Donk line. I had bought into the myth-liberals were compassionate, for the poor, minorities, the working man, etc, etc. Still, many of my professors made me bristle at how far left they were. Then I had the opportunity to study with Professor Seth Meisel. He leaned left, but he allowed more debate in his classroom than any professor I ever had. As we studied and debated Castro, I was astounded at how many people supported this dictator who obviously had no regard for his people what so ever. He brought literacy to the island, they would say. The fact that he used literacy to indoctrinate made no difference. He ended corruption in the Cuban government created by US influence, they'd shout. Never mind that Castro has lived a very good life while everyday Cubans live in squalor. It was at this point I began to question if I really was a Donk, because my beliefs did not seem to be falling in line with my 'peers'.