Thursday, June 19, 2008
A Hungry World and a Skinny Fidel
The world just got another glimpse at the former Cuban President, Fidel Castro. (And I do mean former! For fuck sakes, Associated Press get it right…the man is not the current leader of anything).
Cuban President Raul Castro met with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to discuss pressing issues ranging from energy consumption to increasing agricultural production for the poor of the Americas. (Here’s a window into the chat).
Cuba’s agricultural system has long been praised as a model of sustainability, what with using local-level organics and basic non-petrochemical inputs. But now with the energy crisis well underway and food prices going up and up, Cuba is thinking about bringing its under-used land into an export-driven system that, through the ALBA agreement, would get food to needy regions of the Americas.
But with this exchange in Havana what did the western press focus on? That Fidel was a little skinny. His beard was whiter. And that there were green on the trees all around. Then a mention on brave new energy policy, a little tidbit about the food plan, and then back to Fidel’s tummy trouble.
Is Western society so perplexed by the cult of personality that we continue focus on how the former Cuban president looks and feels, while the current Cuban President and the current Venezuelan President discuss innovative strategies to feed the poor?
How in fuck’s name is the part of the Americas north of the Rio Grande going to possibly survive another generation when our media habits clearly feed the obsession with personality rather than exposing broader social crisis that actually impact our lives?
Cuban President Raul Castro met with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to discuss pressing issues ranging from energy consumption to increasing agricultural production for the poor of the Americas. (Here’s a window into the chat).
Cuba’s agricultural system has long been praised as a model of sustainability, what with using local-level organics and basic non-petrochemical inputs. But now with the energy crisis well underway and food prices going up and up, Cuba is thinking about bringing its under-used land into an export-driven system that, through the ALBA agreement, would get food to needy regions of the Americas.
But with this exchange in Havana what did the western press focus on? That Fidel was a little skinny. His beard was whiter. And that there were green on the trees all around. Then a mention on brave new energy policy, a little tidbit about the food plan, and then back to Fidel’s tummy trouble.
Is Western society so perplexed by the cult of personality that we continue focus on how the former Cuban president looks and feels, while the current Cuban President and the current Venezuelan President discuss innovative strategies to feed the poor?
How in fuck’s name is the part of the Americas north of the Rio Grande going to possibly survive another generation when our media habits clearly feed the obsession with personality rather than exposing broader social crisis that actually impact our lives?
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