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In the spirit of Hilaryism, i.e., empathizing with the enemy, as far as psychologically possible I offer this precautionary note to 21st century Leftists.

Since it was of such pressing urgency, Obama decided to take a step toward normalizing relations with Cuba. The embargo is a relic of the Cold War so they say. Actually a relic of the Cold War is old time Lefties who have a soft spot in their hearts for Marxist Cuba and the Castro regime. Modern day Leftists have other priorities and Shepard Smith curiously has hit on one.

The Left has always been enamored of despots like Castro and “peoples republics” that inevitably oppressed people in the name of “the people”. In the first half of the 20th century, it was all about Marxism and revolution for the Left. As the world passed them by, the Left in recent times abandoned overthrowing governments and turned their hopes to undermining democracies with issues like the environment. Less about the masses, more about the messes.

I suggest the Left consider this when thinking about normalizing relations with Cuba. Shepard Smith reacted to the news by wondering aloud if we are about to ruin Cuba. The man is on to something, Lefties.

The fear among anybody who’s ever been there or cares at all about the Cuban people as so many of us do, the last thing they need is a Taco Bell or a Lowe’s.
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It’s all one big idea and it all comes together and you wonder are we about to get up in there and ruin that place?

Yes, Lefities, think of that, Cuba could be ruined. Fast food restaurants instead of rationed food. Building supplies instead of decrepit structures. They’ve got such a good thing going there. Classic cars and…I don’t know…other stuff. Shep makes a good point and the Lefties should take a moment before cheering on this Obama initiative.

And then there’s THE ENVIRONMENT!!!

Cuba and the Embargo

When the embargo ends, tens of thousands of pleasure and charter boats from Miami will descend and likely destroy this last piece of paradise.

Gardens of the Queen: Caribbean’s Last Pristine Coral Reefs

Today we met with former President Fidel Castro, who was an early and passionate advocate for protecting the reef.

Castro told us that he had fished and dove the extraordinary reef over its entire 60 mile length. He began by telling us the history of a famous battle that took place on the reef in the War of Independence against Spain when an entire Spanish fleet was sunk by armored American war ships. His father came to Cuba as a Spanish soldier during that conflict.

He also told us about his personal evolution as an environmentalist. He began as an avid marlin and spear fisherman who slaughtered many marine species on the reef, assuming the oceans were infinite and could never be depleted. He next told us of an island rookery covered with Central American pigeons called torcaso palomas which he slaughtered with a shotgun and ate with great relish until he almost died after being poisoned by the toxic bark of the trees in which these pigeons roosted. Shortly after killing the doves he met with marine conservationist Jacques Cousteau. That meeting helped transform Castro into a committed environmentalist. He has committed to preserve 25 percent of Cuba’s waters from extractive fishing as Marine Preserves, while the U.S. lags, preserving less than 2 percent of our coastal waters.

Of course Castro became an environmentalist. Gorbachev became one too after his country fell apart.

Mikhail Gorbachev

Mikhail Gorbachev – Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former President of the USSR – is the Founding President of Green Cross International, which he established in 1993 in response to the 1992 Rio Earth Summit call to create a “Red Cross for the environment”.

A lot of Marxists are environmentalists these days. It’s a better bet than revolution to get where they want to go.

So Lefties, Obama’s Cuba initiative is just a Cold War era reflex by old timers. Sure, Obama knows his way around undermining democracy, but he’s more of an old time Leftie by training. Remember he was raised during the Soviet era. The Soviet Union is kaput. Obama and Putin miss it and at least one wants it to return. The young Leftists know world revolution ain’t gonna happen. The best bet for Marxism today is by way of environmental politics. Get with the program old timers. This Cuba thing is out of date and a bad choice for the 21st century environmentalist movement and probably climate change by extension however you guys always make the connection.

Isn’t it better to let the purity of Marxism remain untainted in Cuba?

UPDATE: More concern about the impact on Cuban ecology.

How a U.S. tourist invasion will test the Cuban experiment

Cuba has made the best of its economic isolation since the revolution, achieving a position in the top category of the UN’s Human Development Index, far in advance of most of its Caribbean neighbours. According to Mathis Wackernagel, of Ecological Footprint fame, Cuba is perhaps the only country on the planet that lives within its ecological means, although this is arguably by necessity rather than choice. For lack of options, Castro emphasized development as meaning improvement in the human condition, not increases in per-capita GNP.

Politically, though, Cuba moved in the direction of all totalitarian states, one of severe repression. Raul Castro has introduced some political change, but once the Castros are out of politics, will Cuba sign on to the world economy, with a McDonalds and a KFC on every corner? Or will Cubans take the opportunity to reinforce their own distinctive approach to sustainable community development?