MLB Manager Gets Suspended After Making Comments on Fidel Castro (Hugo Chavez, racist)
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I've always respected Ozzie Guillen's candor, and his Castro comment just makes me like Guillen even more. Being in Miami and understanding that city's powerful Anti-Castro element, Guillen could have exercised some self-censorship. But that's never been his style.
The Anti-Castro folks conveniently ignore the positive transformation that took place in Cuba after the revolution. Under Batista, Cuba was a notoriously corrupt US puppet state. The vast majority of the nation's people lived in abject squalor, with little access to education or medical care.
After the revolution, Cuba developed the best education and health care systems in Latin America. Even today, the literacy rate in Cuba is higher than that in The United States, and the infant mortality rate is lower.
Yes, Castro became a dictator, and in doing so, disappointed many who believe in political freedom. That's a big flaw. However, on the spectrum of historical world leaders; hundreds have engaged in far more malevolent behavior than has Castro, and few have done as much to improve the lot of their citizenry.
Guillen has every right to declare his respect for Castro. Those who disagree can likewise speak out. Ironically, the inability of people in Cuba to enjoy that basic right of free speech will always be remembered as the most glaring failure of Castro himself.
What is this? Fidel isn't even relevant. The Cold War has been over for over 20 years. Hell, Fidel Castro hasn't been a threat to the US since the missile crisis.
You can say something like that anywhere else in US, and no one cares, but you cannot say it in Miami without stirring up outrage. The club has the right to fire him for offending the fans, and I think a five game suspension is not enough. They should have fired him. The new Marlins stadium sits in Little Havana of all places, and this will cost them some fans for sure.
[quote=robbobobbo;23793915]I agree the man should be able to voice his opinion freely and that his opinion of Castro shouldn't result in punishment, but let me ask you: back in the 1950s, 1960s, or even 1970s, what do you suppose would happen to almost any employee who said something like "I love Castro, he's great"?
If you knew your history, you would know the USA backed Castro in his revolution to overthrow Batista. So if you said you loved Castro in the 50s and early 60s, you would have been in the majority. But when he sought additional aid from Russia, the US turned its back on him and placed an embargo on Cuba and alienated him forever. If we had stood strongly behind him he probably never would have asked Russia for help and Cuban cigars and rum would still be available for our "legal" consumption.
How many of you here who are still working think you should have the right to publicly criticize your boss and have nothing happen because of it? If you went on national TV and said, "My boss is a moron," would you still expect to have a job come Monday morning?
Or, if you went on national TV and ticked off a bunch your company's customers, would you expect nothing to happen to you?
This isn't a free speech issue, it's not an issue of government or even Major League Baseball. It's an issue between an employer (the Marlins) and an employee (the manager). His comments hurt business and he got laid off.
I agree the man should be able to voice his opinion freely and that his opinion of Castro shouldn't result in punishment, but let me ask you: back in the 1950s, 1960s, or even 1970s, what do you suppose would happen to almost any employee who said something like "I love Castro, he's great"?
If you knew your history, you would know the USA backed Castro in his revolution to overthrow Batista. So if you said you loved Castro in the 50s and early 60s, you would have been in the majority. But when he sought additional aid from Russia, the US turned its back on him and placed an embargo on Cuba and alienated him forever. If we had stood strongly behind him he probably never would have asked Russia for help and Cuban cigars and rum would still be available for our "legal" consumption.
The US certainly didn't back Castro or the Cuban Revolution. Our government was an ardent supporter of Fulgencio Batista. Aside from the atrocities Batista perpetrated on his own people, he allowed US corporate interests and organized crime to use Cuba as a safe haven.
The revolution started brewing in the early fifties, and was indigenous to Cuba. It's safe to assume that US intelligence agencies were aware of much of this, however, the abdication of Batista clearly took the United States government by surprise.
After the revolution, Castro attempted to obtain US support. Any assistance to the new government was summarily rejected by The US. After being turned away by The United States, Castro sought assistance from The USSR. The Soviets were only too happy to find A North American proxy during the "Cold War".
What is this? Fidel isn't even relevant. The Cold War has been over for over 20 years. Hell, Fidel Castro hasn't been a threat to the US since the missile crisis.
Castro was never a threat to you. Not ever. Not in this universe, and not in any multiple or parallel universes that theoretically may or may not exist.
Historically...
Mircea
Quote:
Originally Posted by camaro69
..and we've lost our Freedom of Speech.
While I don't agree with what Ozzie said, as an American I will defend it. But it appears that the PC Police and Thought Police have won.
We have hit that slippery slope and have lost. Society as we know it is gone.
You didn't lose anything at all.
Apparently you don't seem to be able to grasp the concept.
The 1st Amendment protects you only from your government.
The 1st Amendment does not protect you from:
1] your children
2] your spouse
3] your family
4] your friends
5] your neighbors
6] your employer (unless your employer is the government)
7] your co-workers
8] your employees
9] your bosses, supervisors, managers et al
10] the average Jane or Joe in the street.
11] corporations, businesses, enterprises
12] for-profit or non-profit groups
13] any other non-government entity
As an employee, you are bound by the Master-Servant relationship, and you must do or comply with the rules of your Master.
If you don't like it, then you are free to be your own Master and make your own rules anytime you are so inclined to do so.
You can say something like that anywhere else in US, and no one cares, but you cannot say it in Miami without stirring up outrage. The club has the right to fire him for offending the fans, and I think a five game suspension is not enough. They should have fired him. The new Marlins stadium sits in Little Havana of all places, and this will cost them some fans for sure.
ESPN had folks out in front of the stadium protesting demanding their money back for tickets and calling for old Ozzie to get fired. I don't think he'll make it through the week myself. I doubt this is what they had in mind when they opened the new stadium and brought in Reyes, Buehrle and Zambrano.
ESPN had folks out in front of the stadium protesting demanding their money back for tickets and calling for old Ozzie to get fired. I don't think he'll make it through the week myself. I doubt this is what they had in mind when they opened the new stadium and brought in Reyes, Buehrle and Zambrano.
No, this is not what they had in mind. The Marlins should have fired him immediately. The 1st amendment does not protect people from losing their jobs due to stupid comments. This thing is all over the national news and it irks the local anti-communists even more seeing the team is not firing him even after all the attention.
Castro was never a threat to you. Not ever. Not in this universe, and not in any multiple or parallel universes that theoretically may or may not exist.
Mircea
So, his allowing the Soviets to station nuclear missiles there wasn't a threat to us?
Really?
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