Fidel Castro: I Take Responsibility For Cuba's Persecution Of Gays

[WillParkinson]

Fidel Castro: I Take Responsibility For Cuba's Persecution Of Gays

Calling it a "great injustice," today Fidel Castro told a Mexican newspaper that he accepts responsibility for Cuba's persecution of its gay citizens, thousands of whom were rounded up and placed in internment camps during his regime.

Castro said that the revolutionary government's actions represented "a great injustice – a great injustice! – whoever committed it. If we committed it, we committed it. I am trying to limit my responsibility in all that because, of course, personally I don't have that type of prejudice." The interviewer paraphrases him as saying that "everything came about as a spontaneous reaction in the revolutionary ranks that came from the nation's traditions. In the old Cuba, blacks were not the only ones discriminated against; there was discrimination against women and, of course, homosexuals." Was the Communist Party to blame, the interviewer asks. "No," Castro responds. "If anyone is responsible, I am. True, at that time I couldn't concern myself with the subject. I was deeply and mainly involved in the October Crisis, the war, the political issues. But in the end, if responsibility must be assumed, I assume mine. I'm not going to blame others," Castro says.

Many will likely credit Castro's niece Mariela for today's statement as she has led Cuba's burgeoning LGBT rights movement in recent years. Havana has staged gay pride parades for the last two years.

http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2010/08/fidel-castro-i-take-responsibility-for.html

[xchrom]

1. Very interesting. Nt

[unblock]

2. that's a classic "look how big i am" way of "taking responsibility" while dodging it all the while

"it's not remotely my fault, i had nothing to do with it, but i was in charge, so i'll graciously permit others to falsely point their fingers at me!"


i HATE it when bosses and political leaders do this sort of thing!


if it was your fault, JUST SAY SO. don't hedge. THAT'S accepting responsibility.

[LeftinOH]

3. -old man trying to get his legacy in order before he croaks.

[MNBrewer]

4. "I am trying to limit my responsibility in all that"

Well... that pretty much says it all.... even though he was the dictator. his word was law... so... poor old Fidel

[David Zephyr]

5. Well, homosexuals were brutalized in Cuba for decades and decades.

While there is much that one can admire that Fidel did, and while I can appreciate the complete, justifiable paranoia that the U.S. pushed him into, and while I understand the context of what was going on at that time (Iran in 1953, Guatemala in 1954, Viet Nam from the 1950's up to the 1970's, the Bay of Pigs in 1961, Dallas 1963, Salvador Allende in 1973, and so much more, there is still no glossing over the stark and horrible fact that homosexuals were brutalized for decades under Castro's rule.

Fidel Castro and Che Guevara brilliantly overthrew the horrific puppet government of Fulgencio Batista only to find themselves and the Cuban people isolated and their revolution in peril. To say they had their hands full is an understatement.

Still, anyone who doubts the cruelty dealt to homosexuals all those many years by Fidel's government should begin by simply reading "Before the Night Falls" by Reinaldo Arenas. Read the book, read his words. Yes, there's a very good film, too, but the book will tear your heart out and is only one camera lens, one single story of what my GLBT sisters and brothers endured.

Our GLBT community is always last in line when liberation comes. And we are always first to be sacrificed by those recently liberated themselves. This is no "news" to anyone of us who are considered "queer" by the tribal cultures that still haunt this planet.

Still, I admit that in my life, it is rare for anyone own up to such great harm done to our community. Fidel's confession doesn't make it better, doesn't clean the slate, but clearly his statement is big deal. He was wrong to have done what he did.

"If anyone is responsible, I am. True, at that time I couldn't concern myself with the subject. I was deeply and mainly involved in the October Crisis, the war, the political issues. But in the end, if responsibility must be assumed, I assume mine. I'm not going to blame others," Castro says.

If only more barbaric heterosexuals could muster the decency to utter the same words Fidel did, the world would be, could be better.

Thanks, WillParkinson, for posting this.

[mitchtv]

6. Good post,David

although inadequate,(Fidel's) I think of all the American DA's who ran in the Gays every election season. Many still around, with less sensitivity than Fidel. We just ousted one here this last june