It’s funny how you admit Castro is “heartless” and “ruthless,” yet later you state that “he is interested in having his people living” and “knowing how to read.” The only thing Castro is interested in is propaganda and looking good before the world. Make no mistake about it. Cuba has two health care systems: the one for foreigners and tourists paying cash and the miserable one for actual Cubans, where you have to bring your own medical supplies to the hospital and too bad for you if you don’t have any.

Why do you think Castro had to bring in a doctor from Spain for his own condition, if Cuba’s medical system is so good? By the way, before Castro took over, Cuba had a decent health care system in place. It wasn’t perfect but just about anybody–including the poor–had access to health care.

And the education/indoctrination. You’re darned straight all they do is indoctrinate in Cuba. And then you foolishly compare this to the Pledge of Allegiance in the United States? First of all, at least in most school systems in the U.S. that I am aware of, nobody is forced to recite the Pledge of Allegiance and your failure to do so will not result in retaliation from the state or your teachers. In Castro’s Cuba, if you fail to go to one of those highly televised rallies that show thousands of people, the government starts keeping a close eye on you and everything you do. If they even THINK you might be against the government, they will throw you in prison as a “pre-social danger,” whatever the hell that means. That doesn’t happen in the U.S., my misguided friend.

And second of all, the Pledge of Allegiance is two minutes long and takes place at the start of the school day. In Cuba, indoctrination is all day long.

And as to why U.S. citizens aren’t as knowledgeable as other people are, you’d have to point to an unbiased study to find real, measurable reasons. I have my own theories–it’s a combination of our geographical isolation from a lot of the rest of the world, an educational system (controlled mostly by liberals and leftists) that focuses on politically correct indoctrination at the expense of learning the basics, and a culture that places a high value on being entertained. Unfortunately, too many kids would rather play video games or watch TV than read a book, and too many parents let that happen.

For the record, I speak two languages fluently, and I have some level of knowledge on six others (this includes knowledge of the Cyrillic alphabet). And I consider myself a conservative. I support Bush for the most part, especially on the issue of the War on Terror. But I do not agree with him on everything.

Let me wrap up this long comment by basically saying that giving Castro credit for his supposed “good deeds” (which upon real inspection turn out not to be so good after all) of health and education is tantamount to saying “at least under Mussolini the trains ran on time.” And as a parting note, I ask you, why have so many Cubans risked their lives to leave Cuba since Castro took over? This didn’t happen before Castro. And you don’t see Americans leaving en masse to other countries, risking their lives in the process. For that matter, why do you think so many of your own Mexican neighbors come to the U.S., legally and illegally, in some cases also risking their lives?

Please be a little objective. Castros’ regime has not been all bad. The word ‘regime’ should be taken into consideration here, since I believe he is/was a dictator. Please read on before flaming me… and if you do, please have some proof of your statements.

He is a heartless dictator. BUT he has brought some good upon his people… Education, for instance. And health. The guy might be a ruthless communist dictator, but he is interested in having his people living (hence health) and knowing how to read (hence education). Imagine what it would be if the US would have the same literacy rate as Cuba? I mean check the Southern states… check the projects in NO… People in Cuba are not content, but they know WHY they feel that way… In the US they just follow Mr Bush’ ideas… and we know that he isn’t the brightest sheep in the flock. He has brought what NO US presidents have brought to the american people. Despair and helplessness.

Please let anyone in the US point out where Cuba is on a world map. Or any other ‘known’ country… better yet… let them point out 8 countries in Africa. Or Asia. Or Europe… and I promise 90% won’t be able to do that. At the same time, tell any cuban citizen to point out any country in the world… and they will probably get it right… at least the continent.

People bitching about education/indoctrination in Cuba are dead wrong. Indocrination is just as bad in the US… I mean, pledging allegiance to the flag, bla bla bla? That IS indoctrination. In short words I would like the US to say goodbye to ‘GOD’ in its’ ‘Pledge for Allegiance’. I would also like the US to ban people from owning firearms and using the Constitution to protect them whenever they kill anybody. Especially innocent people.

As a background, I am Swedish, living in Mexico (born here, actually). I speak 5 languages fluently and I DO know how to point out at least 95% of all the countries in the world on a map. I am not a socialist, and not a conservative. I hate communism, but see myself as a liberal.