Upon the passing of one of the world’s most murderous dictators, some in the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement praised Fidel Castro and proclaimed an “overwhelming sense of loss” upon his death.
In a message posted on the BLM page on Medium.com, an unsigned editorial lamented having to “awaken to a world without Fidel Castro” and wails about coming to Castro’s “defense” against “the rhetoric of the right.”
Worse, the BLM message insists that we can “learn” about “freedom and the peace” from Fidel’s brutal regime.
Praising Fidel’s “revolution” that kept his nation’s economy in poverty for decades, the BLM message goes on to claim that humans deserve a series of rights:
Revolution is rooted in the recognition that there are certain fundamentals to which every being has a right, just by virtue of one’s birth: healthy food, clean water, decent housing, safe communities, quality healthcare, mental health services, free and quality education, community spaces, art, democratic engagement, regular vacations, sports, and places for spiritual expression are not questions of resources, but questions of political will and they are requirements of any humane society.
Many of these “rights,” though, are things that Castro denied his own people for nearly fifty years.
BLM goes on to praise Castro for shielding cop killers Assata Shakur and Charles Hill from American justice and thanked him for giving sanctuary to a list of anti-American activists and criminals throughout the decades, preventing them from facing criminal charges in the U.S.
“We are thankful that he provided a space where the traditional spiritual work of African people could flourish, regardless of his belief system,” the message reads.
The BLM message insists that they must “pick up the mantle” of revolution from the brutal dictator who imprisoned, tortured, and murdered an estimated million-plus of his own people.
The message ends claiming that when BLM members are “rooted in collective vision [and] when we bind ourselves together around quests for infinite freedom of the body and the soul, we will be victorious.”
“As Fidel ascends to the realm of the ancestors,” states the BLM message, waxing poetic, “we summon his guidance, strength, and power as we recommit ourselves to the struggle for universal freedom. Fidel Vive!”
The BLM message does not inform readers of all the “benefits” and “freedoms” of life under Castro. For instance, no political party but Fidel’s Communist party was allowed in Cuba during his 47-year reign. People who opposed his reign were spied on, harassed, beaten, imprisoned, and tortured for their beliefs. Hundreds of thousands were murdered in prison, and millions were forced to flee their country to escape Castro’s murderous security forces. Castro also exported his “revolution” to other South and Central American nations to bring them misery, as well. This is what BLM has praised.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com.