Fidel!

I just watched the movie, Fidel!--about none other than Fidel Castro (insert Claire saying, "Elion can stay) and was reminded of why I like Fidel. So much so that while we were in Cairo I suggested we start a religion with him as the mascot since he's such a nice guy that he'll attend your birthday party. Now, I'm obviously joking about the religion thing (just in case some of you are taking me seriously about this--sometimes I'm a little bit afraid that people take me seriously when they shouldn't. I mean, can't you hear the dripping sarcasm that is in my head but doesn't always come out in my voice?) but I am intruiged by Fidel Castro. Anyway, there's something fascinating about a revolutionary, you know? Che has the same sort of appeal--but he's more famous because he's dead and Castro is still the dictator or whatever you want to call it of Cuba. But at the beginning of the revolution in Cuba, Fidel was this articulate, energetic, idealistic young man who was defeated many times, but still believed that the revolution should go on and would inevitably succeed. And Cuba must be such a cool place. All you have to do is listen to the music. I wanna go there. . . . I don't know much about what Fidel is up to now, but I suspect that I don't like him now as much as I like the young Fidel. And of course, the situation is anything but one-sided. Castro did some pretty despicable things in order to keep the revolution going. I wish we learned more about Cuba in school. Seems we're missing out. So who wants to go to Cuba with me?