"The Birthday"

By Fidel Castro Ruz: my comments after his 8-14-16

It was published on August 12, 2016, the day before his 90th birthday. The translation is a bit choppy. Bear with it. Fidel’s thoughts come through clearly. Fidel: “I wish to express my deepest gratitude for the signs of respect, greetings and gifts I have received in these days, that give me strength to reciprocate through ideas trasmitiré militants of our Party and the relevant bodies.” “Tomorrow I will fulfill 90 years. I was born in a territory called Biran in eastern Cuba. That name is known, although it has never appeared on a map.” “Given their good behavior was known to close friends and, of course, for a place of political representatives and inspectors who were around any typical of countries around the world neocolonized commercial or productive activity.” “On one occasion I accompanied my father to Pinares de Mayari. I was eight or nine years. How he liked to talk as he left the house Biran! There was the owner of the land where sugar cane, pasture and other agricultural crops are planted. But in the Pinares de Mayari I did not own but tenant, as many Spaniards, who were owners of a continent under the rights granted by a Papal Bull, whose existence did not know any of the peoples and human beings on this continent. Transmitted knowledge were already largely treasures of humanity.” “The height rises to about 500 meters, sloping hills, rocky, where vegetation is sparse and sometimes hostile.” “Trees and rocks obstruct traffic; suddenly, at a certain height, a large plateau that calculation extends approximately over 200 square kilometers, with rich deposits of nickel, chromium, manganese and other minerals of great economic value starts. Of that plateau is extracted dozens of trucks daily large pine and quality.” “ Note that I have not mentioned gold, platinum, palladium, diamonds, copper, tin, and others parallel have become symbols of the economic values of human society, in its present stage of development requires.” “A few years before the triumph of the Revolution my father died. Before, he suffered enough.” “Of his three sons, the second and the third they were absent and distant. Revolutionary activities are either fulfilled their duty. I had said he knew who could replace me if the opponent was successful in its phase-out plans. I almost laughed at the Machiavellian plans of US presidents.” “On January 27, 1953, after the treacherous coup Batista in 1952, a page of the history of our Revolution wrote: college students and youth organizations, with the people, made the first March of the Torches to commemorate the centenary of birth of José Martí.” “He had already reached the conviction that no organization was prepared for the fight we were organizing. It was total confusion from political parties that mobilized masses of citizens, from left to right and center, sickened by the politicking that reigned in the country.” “At 6 years a full of ambitions teacher, who taught in the public school of Biran, convinced the family that I had to travel to Santiago de Cuba to accompany my older sister would enter a convent school in good standing. Include me was a skill of the teacher's own schoolhouse Biran.” “She splendidly treated in Biran house where he fed at the same table with the family, was convinced of the necessity of my presence. Definitely I had better health than my brother Ramon, who died in recientes- months, and was long schoolmate. I will not be extensive, only were tough years of hunger that stage for most of the population.” “I was sent, after three years at Colegio La Salle de Santiago de Cuba, where I was enrolled in first grade. They spent almost three years without ever take me to a movie.” “Thus began my life. Maybe I write, if I have time, about that. Excuse me that he has not done so far, I just have ideas of what can and should teach a child. I believe that the lack of education is the greatest damage that can be done.” “Humankind today faces the greatest risk of their history. Specialists in these areas are the most to do for the inhabitants of this planet, whose number rose from billion at the end of 1800, seven billion at the beginning of 2016. How many will our planet within a few years?” “The brightest scientists, who now number several thousand, are those who can answer this question and many others of great importance.” “I wish to express my deepest gratitude for the signs of respect, greetings and gifts I have received in these days, that give me strength to reciprocate through ideas trasmitiré militants of our Party and the relevant bodies.” “The modern technology have allowed scrutinize the universe. Great powers like China and Russia can not be subject to threats to impose the use of nuclear weapons. They are people of great courage and intelligence.” “Mankind is faced with the greatest danger in its history. We must preserve peace around the world and must not let any power believe it has the right to kill millions of human beings.” “I believe that (Obama’s) speech lacked apologetic words for the killing of thousands in Hiroshima when he visited Japan, though he knew about the effects of the bomb. The attack on Nagasaki was equally criminal.” “That's why you have to hammer on the need to preserve peace and (assure) no power (be allowed) the right to kill millions of people.” He scoffed at plots of US presidents to eliminate him. Hundreds of attempts failed. A web site (www.fidelcastro.cu) was launched in his honor, including his biography, speeches, articles and much more in 8 languages. Former Cuban Five US political prisoner Gerardo Hernandez said “Fidel put Cuba on the map. Without him and the Revolution, we would have been just another small island among other islands” - dominated by imperial America. Vladmir Putin telegrammed birthday greetings to Fidel, wishing his “dear friend” a “happy birthday, good health, longevity, vitality and prosperity,” adding: “In Russia, you have a lot of respect as a renowned leader who dedicated his entire life to the Cuban people.” He stressed Fidel’s “personal contribution to the development of friendship and cooperation between our countries.” “I am confident that these relations will continue to develop fruitfully in the future, contributing to regional stability and security.” The White House web site mentions nothing about Fidel’s 90th birthday - no congratulations or outreach of any kind. In his weekly Saturday, August 13 address on Fidel’s birthday, Obama’s topic was “providing a better, cleaner, safer future for our children” - ones he’s arguably harmed more grievously than any of his predecessors at home and abroad. On August 11 - 14, John Kerry commented on South Korea’s independence day, Liechtenstein’s national day, Chad’s national day and Pakistan’s independence day - nothing about Cuba, no congratulatory outreach to Fidel on his 90th birthday. US media gave him scant coverage. The New York Times ignored his memorable day altogether. So did the Wall Street Journal. The Washington Post used an AP story on the occasion instead of its own. World leaders and others were more gracious, including Putin, China’s Xi Jinping, Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro with him in Havana, Bolivia’s Evo Morales, Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega, South Africa’s ruling African National Congress, Colombia’s FARC, among other well-wishers. This writer among them, wishing Fidel long life, good health and vibrant spirit for many more years to come. Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III." http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.

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