We had a lefty houseguest a couple weeks ago, an old school chum of the missus.
She had visited Cuba and said, `They may not have much but they are happy.’
That’s a common meme you know, happy campesinos living in Fidel’s socialist workers’ paradise.
I couldn’t control myself any longer so said, `That must be why Cubans in Florida climb on to those inner tubes and make that perilous 90 mile trip through shark-infested waters back to Kooba: because they want to be happy again?’
We didn’t talk politics any more after that.
“All over Oceania this morning there were irrepressible spontaneous demonstrations when workers marched out of factories and offices and paraded through the streets with banners voicing their gratitude to Big Brother for the new, happy life which his wise leadership has bestowed upon us.”
From Orwell’s “1984”
Happens all the time in Cuba, too. Can’t keep those happy campesinos down!
;^)
The old folks, those who lived through the revolution are very bitter, but know well enough not to show it or say anything to strangers. Ironically, it is the younger generation, the ones that know no better, that most support Fidel.