[Marxism] On Walter and Cubaphilia

[Eli Stephens <elishastephens@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I'm not, and never have been, for kicking people off the list short of outright 
support for, say, U.S. aggression in Iraq and Afghanistan, Israeli aggression 
in Palestine, etc., or an outright defense of capitalism as a superior system 
to socialism. Walter's response to my post about the latest U.S. butchery in 
Pakistan, wasn't a defense of imperialism per se, but an attempt to divert 
attention from it ("sure, Obama did a bad thing, but look, he just did a good 
thing too!"). That remark was quite inappropriate (and insulting), but in and 
of itself hardly warranting expulsion (not that I'm suggesting that it was just 
that one remark that broke Louis' back). Repeated remarks *of that type* 
definitely would, in my opinion.

A word about the accusation of "Cubaphilia." Walter probably would describe 
himself as such, and Fred just did too, but in my opinion that's a very 
incorrect term in general. An "Anglophile", for example, doesn't necessarily 
endorse British foreign policy. A person is an Anglophile (as we just read 
about Ilan Pappe, for example) because they like the British people, British 
culture, etc. A "Cubaphile" likewise has nothing necessarily to do with 
revolutionary socialism. As for me, I like Cuban music a lot, find the food 
so-so, and the people perfectly nice but no nicer than the people of any other 
country.

I pay attention to Cuba for two reasons (well, probably more). One, because the 
achievements of the Cuban revolution are an inspiration, both real and 
potential, to people in my country and around the world, and a key tool in 
increasing the understanding of, and attractiveness of, socialism. The second 
is that there are more Marxists, more revolutionary socialists, in Cuba, than 
in any other country in the world except (arguably, and please let's not change 
the topic) China. Furthermore the Marxists in Cuba have had the experience, 
unlike anyone on this list, of actually leading a successful revolution, and 
then leading a socialist state for 50 years. This gives their opinion a bit 
more weight than mine!!!

Louis stands accused of posting too much of what various Cubans, mostly Fidel, 
have to say, and he definitely does. But there's plenty of posting on this list 
of the opinions of non-Marxists, be they Robert Fisk, Alexander Cockburn, Ali 
Abunimah, etc. (if any of those ARE Marxists, please don't jump on me; you know 
what I mean, and you know there are plenty of non-Marxist articles posted 
here). Is the posting of the opinion of *Marxists* like Fidel any less 
desirable?

What Walter needs to realize a bit more, I would say, is that, although they 
are Marxists, the Cubans are not Americans (or British or Australian or 
whatever other nationality the readers of this list are), and their prime focus 
is on maintaining their own revolution and at most helping it to extend 
throughout Latin America. It is *us* who need to focus on extending the 
revolution in the rest of the world, and as such, that's where our thoughts are 
or should be focussed. The second thing to realize about Cuban opinion is that 
the Cubans aren't *just* Marxists, or revolutionary socialists, they are also 
in charge of a *state*. That puts certain constraints on them. *We* are free to 
call for "U.S. out of Guantanamo" (not just the prison), but until now, the 
Cubans have judged that the needs of their *state* are such that they should 
put that perfectly just demand on the back burner (although, in case you missed 
it, just two days ago Raul *did* call for U.S. out of Guantanamo, but that was, 
if not a first, the first time they have voiced such a demand in a long time).

Should we listen to the Cubans? Very much so. Should we give their opinions 
infinite weight, particularly when it comes to judging the political situation 
in our own countries? We would be fools to do so.


Eli Stephens
 Left I on the News
 http://lefti.blogspot.com


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