Cuban Reality
There are two scenes in Sicko of which I would like to make you aware. The first is in the UK, where Mikey interviews a British doctor. The doctor lives in a gorgeous house, and drives a brand new Audi. The second is on Mikey’s disgusting propaganda visit to visit Cuba, where the finest doctors on the island were shown giving first-rate “free” medical care to 9/11 victims.
I just received the following email from a Cuban who, for reasons which will become apparent, will remain nameless.
This is what a doctor in Cuba drives (I left the ones out with her family and the ones with the license plates).
What car was the UK doctor in “Sicko” driving again?
Regards,
[Redacted]
The email contained three attached images of a beat-up old white car. I was going to post them when I received a second email from this same person.
By the way, I just wanted to make it clear that I prefer that these photographs not be posted on your sites as my wife is scared that someone from the government will recognize the car. That’s how bad things are over there.
This is a picture of a Yugo, a car which was available in America for a short time about 20 years ago.
This car is similar in quality, size, style, and most likely age, to the pictures the original emailer sent over. (NOTE: This is NOT the original picture. This is a Yugo I found through Google. The doctor’s car was not a Yugo, but it reminded me of the car in the original picures.) Astonishing, isn’t it. I can’t even post photos of a nondescript car owned by one of Cuba’s doctors because of the fear of what El Presidente will do in retribution.
So, healthcare is free in Cuba. And all the people have to do to get it is live under a brutal communist dictatorship.
Update: Here’s one more from the Cuban.
i’m sorry about that, lee. you have to understand that the island is only so big and there are only so many doctors driving those types of cars. someone living here (or someone who has cable access in the island that’s with the government) could see this and you never know.
thanks for all you do.
Ah, a communist police state. Michael Moore’s idea of paradise.
Comments
Unless the doctor’s car isn’t actually a yugo, but just simply in the same class as one. (Which might be a contradiction. Is the class containing Yugo an identity class?).
Perhaps he drives a Cubo.
I know how that Cuban doctor feels. Up until a few months ago I drove a 96 Nissan with 380,000kms on it. I met a guy in the Dominican from Germany who was about the same age as me, and made about the same amount of money (comparitively) doing the same work. But he drives a brand new BMW M3! Pretty much my dream car! And he gets something ridiculous like 8 weeks vacation since he started at his company! We definitely need a new world order.
If you want Lee, Ill send you a pic of my old Altima, you can post it if you want. I dont care anymore.
;)
Perhaps he drives a Cubo.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!![/B]
Sethery.... dude.... you totally owe me a new pair
of underwear, now.
Yikes.... bad code again. How is it that I am always the one who does this?!?
Dammit.
Better?
Sorry about that.
Originally sent to LEE
Dear Lee,
After reading your post on Cuba I tried to post a reply. However after registering it makes me wait for admin approval so I am sending this to you.
The state of the Cuban economy can be more closely tied to the actions of the United States Federal government and the fall of the Soviet Union than the expense of it’s healthcare system. As is implied in your post.
Cuba became an ‘evil empire’ to the US after they overthrew one brutal dictatorship and replaced it with a less brutal one. The US then did everything possible short of trying to directly overthrow or kill Castro.... OH WAIT! They did that a few times and failed. :)
Anyway the USSR (CCCP) approached Cuba and offered to buy everything the struggling nation could produce in exchange for letting the soviets put some military installations on their island. [Now lets be realistic here, the US did the same all over the world too.. and they had strike capability from northern Canada, Alaska and Hawaii]. What was a poor nation to do but take help from the only ones willing to offer it?
Anyway, come the early 90’s the USSR is in trouble, they have been beaten by the US and can no longer afford to buy things from Cuba. In December of 1991 the USSR fell.
Cuba was broke and getting more so all the time. So who can buy things from Cuba… Well in 1996 Helms Burton came along with the helms burton act to make sure that it was NOBODY! The act tries to impose US law on non-us citizens by punishing those who do business in Cuba.
Also if think Castro is some stupid crazy dictator, check out his bio on wikipedia.
Don’t resort to Moore like half truths to prove a point.
Regards,
Jason
p.s. Who I am: I am a Canadian business man; my primary customers are American and European. I am an active member of the army reserves and have been for 4 years. I am a libertarian and an atheist. I can’t stand the public healthcare system in Canada and count my blessings I live in Alberta where I can elect private healthcare. I love the US and want to retire in southern California. Finally, you are not smarter than I am. Irrespective of what your profile says.
Give me a break! The story this “Cuban” is giving you is bunk. It’s amazing that he can’t keep it straight for 8 sentences!
If this doctor exists, they are not intelligent (which would say more about the Cuban medical system than anything else, if this doctor person actually exists). We’re suppose to believe that “Lucifer” might go after her if a picture of her CAR is posted on the internet.
What is the basis for this fear?
1. Is the car is such poor condition that Fidel would become insanely embarrassed and retaliate against this supposedly non-imaginary doctor?
2. Would Fidel retaliate against the doctor for ANY photo, be it of her car, house, garden, or shoes, if they were in poor condition?
3. Is there some law that says that no photos of anything in Cuba can be put on the web?
1. I doubt it. Anyone who thinks otherwise should check out the documentary “Yank Tanks”.
2. Yeah right.
3. Why have internet access in your country if people aren’t allowed to use such a fundamental part of it? Go check out www.<anything>.cu for more information.
Where does the “Cuban” live?
...That’s how bad things are over there.
Over there.
...someone living here…
Well, are you here or there? Personally, this is a mistake I never make! I live in the USA, I never refer to the USA as “there”.
That’s hilarious up4debate! Watch out for people over there… no here… no, there! You never know. (Dum Dum Dum!)If you want Lee, Ill send you a pic of my old Altima, you can post it if you want.
Posted by Sethery on 06/21/2007 at 12:30 PM (Link to this comment | )
Unless the doctor’s car isn’t actually a yugo, but just simply in the same class as one. (Which might be a contradiction. Is the class containing Yugo an identity class?).
There was a east German car that was a step under (these names are phonetic, I don’t know the right way to spell them) called a ‘trubundt’… total pos… had that black non-slip plastic they roll out on factory floors on the ground and I think parts of the body were made out of paper (since animals could eat through it to get to food in the car)… Then there was a Russian car that was a step or two (but only that much) above called a ‘lada’… actually in the sort of the 60s VW bug quality range I guess…
Cuba became an ‘evil empire’ to the US after they overthrew one brutal dictatorship and replaced it with a less brutal one.
Wow, you actually regurgitated the exact words Moore used in Sicko. Bravo.
Trabants, Yugos, Ladas, Skodas all driven by the prole masses burned gigantic holes in the ozone. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trabant
The car has come to be regarded with affection as a symbol of the more positive sides of East Germany. The Trabant was celebrated even by Bono with 3 images to be found in U2’s “Achtung Baby”
Of course the noble red party apparatchiks got to drive the sleek ZIL limos.
I hear fried Cuban cardboard tastes the best, Its vegetarian and from 100% recycled stock.
It’s easy to quote Moore when he’s calling it like it is… what can I say; even Moore can’t lie about everything.
The US does believe that Cuba is an ‘evil empire.’
No I don’t. I think Castro is a vainglorious, delusionial, contrarian, egotistical, world-weary tyrant who has deprived entire generations of Cubans of most everything in a selfish, failed attempt to show us all his prole Commie shit is somehow supposed to rule. I dislike those who lip-coddle his and asswipe terrorist Che’s foreskins.
That aside, it appears pretty much everyone has forgotten Castro’s offer to send doctors and medicine into New Orleans post-Katrina:
HAVANA, Cuba (CNN)—Cuban President Fidel Castro has offered to send help to the United States in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
At a nightly roundtable program on state-run television Friday, the Cuban leader said his nation was ready to send 1,100 doctors and 26 tons of medicine and equipment.
“Others have sent money; we are offering to save lives,” he said.
Castro—an enemy of U.S. President George W. Bush and frequent subject of condemnation from the White House—said he would not comment on the U.S. government’s response to the tragedy because “this is not the time to kick an adversary—while he’s down.”
Did we accept his offer? Did that make us regal in the eyes of Castro’s rabid fans?? Did Moore not gloat when Jim was down?
After a massive earthquake in Bam, Iran, in December 2003, the United States sent aid—even though the United States has no diplomatic ties with Iran.
Did we mention afterward how badly Iran sucks without healthcare and all?
It bears repeating that The noble sage El Hefe himself proclaimed: “This is not the time to kick an adversary—while he’s down.” when America was sick.
“This is not the time to kick an adversary—while he’s down.”
- El Hefe Fidelio Castro
What did Michael Moore do when Jim was down?
What did Michael Moore do when Jim was down?
Why, I believe he extended a friendly helping hand, and then lauded his own humanitarian gesture in a mass-marketed movie. Just like I do when I help someone. I like to proclaim it to as many people as possible.
I helped an old lady reach a top shelf at the store last week.
Someone better fucking knight me for that shit, for it proves I am made of awesome.
Hahaha! It’s like when Philip Morris donated water to… some area, I think after a hurricane, maybe Andrew. They spent something like $100,000 on the actual “aid” and something like $2 million advertising that fact. It makes me sick! Hmmm… I might have the company, disaster, and numbers wrong, but the point is still the same. Here’s a link that’s about a similar topic at the very least… Philip Morris Puts Up Good Citizen SmokescreenWhy, I believe he extended a friendly helping hand, and then lauded his own humanitarian gesture in a mass-marketed movie. Just like I do when I help someone. I like to proclaim it to as many people as possible.
What is the basis for this fear?
You know what, Hirudin? It’s really difficult for me to believe there are people like you in this world that are this ignornant. Do you know what Fidel Castro did to Dr. Hilda Molina, a former deputy of the Cuban National Assembly who supported Castro and the founder of the neurosurgery center in Havana? Look it up on the Internet and read the letter she wrote to the United Nations Human Rights Commission.
Geezzzz, how can anyone be so ill-informed!
Thinkers simply know that if we had people like Moore in office, Katrina would never have happened, and if we embraced Castro’s genius we’d all have free healtcare.
Posted by Hirudin on 06/23/2007 at 10:44 PM (Link to this comment | )
They spent something like $100,000 on the actual “aid” and something like $2 million advertising that fact. It makes me sick!
Me too btw… some of their ad campaigns they’d spend even less on the charity action in question with millions on the advertising about it…
But nobody takes smokers to task for supporting the System.
You know what, Hirudin? It’s really difficult for me to believe there are people like you in this world that are this ignornant. Do you know what Fidel Castro did to Dr. Hilda Molina, a former deputy of the Cuban National Assembly who supported Castro and the founder of the neurosurgery center in Havana? Look it up on the Internet and read the letter she wrote to the United Nations Human Rights Commission.
Geezzzz, how can anyone be so ill-informed!
You got me, I had no idea who that person is/was. I still don’t know anything about that person, but I have a feeling that the 2 people are COMPLETELY unrelated.
I did take your advice however, and looked them up on the internet. Here’s the end of the second sentence from the Wikipedia entry…
“has been a critic of the Cuban government since the early 1990s”
Which I think is a far cry from “here’s a car I drive”.
I may be ignorant, but I’m not an idiot.
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I think he is asking you not to post a picture of a yugo at all.