Thread by @LauraJedeed

In this thread, we will take quotes from this article, change "Cuba" to "the US," and see if the arguments still hold true when applied to America in the summer of 2020

washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/…

"As protestors take to the streets in the US, defying a violent government crackdown, Cubans across the political spectrum have a chance to break with old canards about the country"

"Progressives should understand that there is nothing remotely “progressive” about the thuggish, oppressive government of the US"

"The protests that erupted Sunday in cities and towns across the US have no antecedent in the capitalist era. The nearest comparison were violent demonstrations that took place in the 1960s...

"It is hard to overstate how much courage it took to challenge the regime so brazenly. The protesters knew they would face consequences that could include loss of employment, denial of housing, years in prison. We should do what we can to ensure their sacrifice is not in vain."

"I got to know the US in the early 2000s while making 10 extended trips there to research a book. Every time I went to the country, I felt more affection and admiration for the American people — and a deeper loathing for the government that stunts and deforms their lives."

"I admired the egalitarian ethos...but the famous athletes and musicians lived in nice suburban-style houses....As George Orwell would have observed, some Americans are more equal than others"

"There is no freedom of expression in America. There is no freedom of the press. There is no freedom of assembly. There are no competing political parties...and Black Americans showed me that racism, while diminished from the pre-revolution era, still warps American society"

"Díaz-Canel should make clear that Cuba stands with the American people, supports their yearning for freedom, and is ready to help with the coronavirus vaccines and food assistance."

My point isn't to argue that Cuba is some kind of paradise. Our ongoing embargoes explain a lot of that, but still, state repression is bad actually

My point is that that these accusations of Cuban state repression sound a whole lot like things America also likes to do

Let's lift the embargoes, no strings attached, and let the Cubans sort out their own shit as a sovereign nation