http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4638240.stm

Last Updated: Monday, 23 January 2006, 05:08 GMT


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US Havana messages outrage Castro


By Stephen Gibbs
BBC News, Havana



The slogans appeared on the US mission in Havana last week

Cuban President Fidel Castro has condemned the US for broadcasting illuminated messages on the building of its mission in Havana.

The US says the messages, including quotes from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, are an attempt to break Cuba's "information blockade".

President Castro said it was a gross provocation and a US attempt to break off all relations with Cuba.

He called for a mass protest on Tuesday outside the US interests section.

Exiled militant

In a three-hour live television address, President Castro launched a fierce attack on the US administration, describing it as being run by a bunch of bandits.

He said that his long-term ideological enemy was in no position to talk about human rights.

The large scrolling display appeared last week outside the building housing the US interests section, carrying messages such as "everyone has the right to free thought".

US diplomats say they are only attempting to launch a dialogue with the Cuban people.

A massive march of hundreds of thousands of people outside the building is expected on Tuesday.

That protest will also focus on the case of Luis Posada Carriles, the Cuban exile militant who is being held in the United States on immigration charges.

Mr Posada Carriles, a former CIA operative, has been accused by Cuba and Venezuela of assassination plots against President Castro and the bombing of a Cuban airliner in 1976 in which 73 people died.

The Cuban president described him as the worst terrorist in the western hemisphere and accused the United States of trying to protect him.
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Well this really is taking the piss, a neon display on human rights in cuba, america is hardly the one to talk about human rights at the moment, what with them torturing muslims on third world europe soil, not that i disagree with there torturing, i just think you should not take the high ground, when you are playing in the mud too.

How would america like it if cuba had a neon display in america, calling bush the village idiot, or that there is more intelligence running around in some cow shit on bushe's farm, than there is in georges brain.

Castro is a twat, always was, always will be, and as long as america keepings shaking his cage, his people will rally around him, keeping the loony tunes in power, i think they should revert back to there exploding cigar assassination attempts, at least we can get a laugh from that.

haha...the american government trying to teach someone else human rights...

that's fucked up.

Bite me Spurious.

I don't want to spoil the taste of freedom, clockwood...sorry.

well if they think its ok, then maybe we should light up niagra falls with something about the rights to privacy and democracy

Originally posted by spuriousmonkey:
haha...the american government trying to teach someone else human rights...

that's fucked up.

At least the U.S. does not torture its own people in order to continue a dictatorship. Torture to control people and torturing in an attempt to find out information that could lead to the defense of ones country are two different levels.

spurious:

haha...the american government trying to teach someone else human rights...

That's exactly what I thought.
One of the five countries in the world which can still legally execute children, and they are trying to dictate human rights to Cuba?!

If America were a European country, it would not be allowed to join the EU because of its continuous human rights violations.

towards;

and i suppose:

a constant fear that you could be abducted from the street and locked away for an indefinate amount of time without trial. during which time you may be subjected to daily torture.

is not using torture to scare people into displaying an image that their government is perfect?

americas torture is used just as much to control people as any other country that may use it. even more so that combined with this fear they spread, is the knowledge that they may illegally abduct you when you arent even in that country, in order to do so. if that is not global terrorism then what is

In Cuba, everything is legal. Castro could demand tomorrow that a hundred children be skinned, sodomized, and hung from meathooks in the middle of Havana and it would be done. Nothing is illegal for him.

1. what does that have to do with anything in this thread

2. so its ok to sodomise and kill hundreds, just as long as you dont skin them or put them on meathooks after they are dead? look at the actions your military carries out on a daily basis, under the command of your government(the president is the commander in cheif of the military is he not?)

Hey. When someone tries to say America is less civilized than Cuba, the place my ancestors and relatives once fled from, I take it personnally.

And I presume by killing hundreds a day you are referring to the normal and unavoidable result of war. As for the sodomization part, WTF?? Damn, those are some busy soldiers... ;)

i wasnt saying it was less civilised, just pointing out the obvious in that all torture is the same, and america is hypocritical to denounce other countries for human rights abuses.

EDIT: i was referring to the sodomy and torture that go on every day in your 'POW' camps... the war is also immoral and illegal, but that is not what im talking about.

And yet somehow you profess to be morally and ethically superior, untouched by sin and the only man worthy of judging others. And Americans are supposed to be the arrogant ones.

If he isn't supporting a government that supports torture he surely has the right to judge a person who is supporting a government that supports torture.

he isn't claiming he is without sin.

America needs to take down the neon signs.

Yeah. Neon is kinda tacky.
Shoulda stuck with standard, non-luminescent billboards.

I thought the standard was a bomb down the chimney?

Originally posted by Vslayer:
and i suppose:

a constant fear that you could be abducted from the street and locked away for an indefinate amount of time without trial. during which time you may be subjected to daily torture.

is not using torture to scare people into displaying an image that their government is perfect?

americas torture is used just as much to control people as any other country that may use it. even more so that combined with this fear they spread, is the knowledge that they may illegally abduct you when you arent even in that country, in order to do so. if that is not global terrorism then what is



I have no fear of being locked away without trial. Padilla is an excellent example of what happens when the government tries to stretch its limits, the court eventually shuts them down. Padilla will go to trial.

In cuba its own citizens are tortured for merely speaking out against the government. I think it is pretty obvious from the Bush jokes in the U.S. this is not the case. Castro systematically controls his own people in a dictatorship, and I feel bad for you that you cannot tell the difference.

Is the U.S. taking the high road in ethics when it tortures people it feels are a threat? NO. Is their a difference between the what the cuban government does and what the U.S. does? Without a doubt. It amuses me when you make comparisons.

I have no fear of being locked away without trial. Padilla is an excellent example of what happens when the government tries to stretch its limits, the court eventually shuts them down. Padilla will go to trial.

In cuba its own citizens are tortured for merely speaking out against the government. I think it is pretty obvious from the Bush jokes in the U.S. this is not the case. Castro systematically controls his own people in a dictatorship, and I feel bad for you that you cannot tell the difference.

Is the U.S. taking the high road in ethics when it tortures people it feels are a threat? NO. Is their a difference between the what the cuban government does and what the U.S. does? Without a doubt. It amuses me when you make comparisons.

At the end of the day, torture is torture, there is not good & bad guys torturing, yes our populations agree with torturing terroists, i agree too but once you start down that road, you can no longer say you respect human rights, or lecture other countries on theres in this neon display manner, by al means call cuba evil at the united nations, but dont go in there country ramming this down there throats, that is wrong.

you know damn well the american government would not stand back & let castro have a neon display in america.

Apart from anything else there just encouraging cuban refugees to jump on rafts, coconut shells, bottle tops, in a vain attempt to get to america, you guys dont want them anyway, so why tell them the grass is greener in america.

That's kinda cool, if it wasn't so hypocritical. Almost as good as handing out portable shortwave radios, which we also do.

That's kinda cool, if it wasn't so hypocritical.

Yes but you see, Vincent was knighted for his hypocricy, so being hypocritical is what he does best.:D

cunt

Yes but you see, Vincent was knighted for his hypocricy, so being hypocritical is what he does best.:D
I take it john you take the american side here, or is the sole purpose of your post to insult me, express your views on the thread, jumping in a thread just to insult a member really does not say much for your character does it john.

i lick my mums!!!!!

cunt
You really are a nasty person, my friend, a extremist ready to kill or show violence, to get your point of view across, a bit like robert mugabe, or the burmese junta, if i dont agree with you, you are going to throw tantrums, and no doubt if you were a world leader like mugabe, throw me in jail for daring to disagree with you, you are very childlike john, just like mugabe, the burmese junta, and every other extremist person out there, its your view or no view.

ever heard of wine maturing, you need to do the same, if you want to have a adult conversation, without crying & throwing your dummy at people.

I am extremly sorry, even to you Vincent on the last two post 'i made'. I am in college at the moment, and i left for the canteen, (foolishly) leaving my monitor on, one of my 'colleagues' felt the desire to type in, and post these obsenitys, then log me off. I have now only just realsied what the jerk did, and now you Vincent have qouted them so now i can not delete them.Many thanks.

you are very childlike john

Very childlike hey? By the by what do you term 'knighting' oneself, anything but highly childish?

Your immature, dogmatic preachings have no place here.

I am extremly sorry, even to you Vincent on the last two post 'i made'. I am in college at the moment, and i left for the canteen, (foolishly) leaving my monitor on, one of my 'colleagues' felt the desire to type in, and post these obsenitys, then log me off. I have now only just realsied what the jerk did, and now you Vincent have qouted them so now i can not delete them.Many thanks.



Very childlike hey? By the by what do you term 'knighting' oneself, anything but highly childish?

Your immature, dogmatic preachings have no place here.
Knighted by Her Majesty the Queen at Buckingham Palace, if you have a problem with my knighthood, or your jealous i suggest you take it up with Buckingham Palace officials, if you think my behaviour is not appropiate for a knight of the round table, i can be stripped of my knighthood, if i bring dishonour to queen & country.

what say ye john the baptist, will thoust lay charges against me.

What the fuck is this?

You should be knighted 'bigest piss taker', but thats about it.

Jealous? Now thats a joke i havent heard in a very long while. Tell me, why were you knighted <sarcastic tones> 'SIR' <end sarcasm> vincent?

God dammit, you do make me laugh.

Knighted by Her Majesty the Queen at Buckingham Palace

Sir Vince, this is Prince Phillip. Can you please tell Prince Charles to hurry up home to Buckingham Palace? His dinner is getting rather cold, and he doesn't like his food reheated in the microwave.

What the fuck is this?

You should be knighted 'bigest piss taker', but thats about it.

Jealous? Now thats a joke i havent heard in a very long while. Tell me, why were you knighted <sarcastic tones> 'SIR' <end sarcasm> vincent?

God dammit, you do make me laugh.
I was knighted for my outstanding work for the british empire, as a goodwill ambassador overseas.

I am extremly sorry, even to you Vincent

John i will think about excepting your apology, i will sleep on it for a couple of weeks, then i will let you know my decision on whether or not i forgive you, however if you send me a private grovelling message of an apology, it might speed the forgiveness process up.

Being a knight of the round table, i have to watch what i say, & i can not resort to the gutter tatics you resort too.