Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Michael Moore and Cuba
"...Cuba is now the world's biggest prison for journalists and President Castro has become the 'Maximum Leader' of predators of press freedom." - Reporters Without Borders "Cuba" page
By now you may have heard that Michael Moore is in trouble for going to Cuba without the proper paperwork to film a "documentary" about how great the Cuban healthcare system is (because we all know that when people get really sick they skip places like Sloan Kettering and the Mayo Clinic in the US to go to Cuba). You may have also seen Fred Thompson's video response to Michael Moore too.

This situation made me think of a post I read from a couple of years ago. Especially this part:
The hideously depressing thing is that Cuba under Battista--Cuba in 1957--was a developed country. Cuba in 1957 had lower infant mortality than France, Belgium, West Germany, Israel, Japan, Austria, Italy, Spain, and Portugal. Cuba in 1957 had doctors and nurses: as many doctors and nurses per capita as the Netherlands, and more than Britain or Finland. Cuba in 1957 had as many vehicles per capita as Uruguay, Italy, or Portugal. Cuba in 1957 had 45 TVs per 1000 people--fifth highest in the world. Cuba today has fewer telephones per capita than it had TVs in 1957.
Castro's government will allow Michael Moore to visit and make a "documentary" (is calling it propaganda too strong?) but they won't allow in the International Red Cross to visit the imprisoned journalists. What does that tell you? And what does that tell you about Michael Moore?

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