re: #49 Justanotherhuman

This guy left Cuba when he was what, 17, 18? He didn’t understand Marxism then, and he doesn’t understand it now. While Marx was an admirer of Darwin’s theory (in fact, both admired each other’s scholarly works but never met), and did mention it in Das Kapital as being a “natural” component of his overall economic theory, it didn’t form the basis for his work, nor did Marx or Engel’s work influence Darwin. They were separate disciplines, and neither intruded on the other.

Cruz’s entire story about what he did in Cuba is, to me, suspect. He no more followed Castro and “fought” with him than I did. What 14 yr old who didn’t know Castro was a communist would have put his life on the line for something he didn’t understand? What parents would have allowed it? I can’t prove he didn’t, but he can’t prove he did, either. It’s just part of the persona he’s invented for himself. People tend to love these stories of swinging from one extreme to another, esp when it’s from left to right.

And BTW, what is this “I am a scientist, there is nothing scientific about evolution”? Cruz earned a BS in math, and as far as I have read, earned no higher degrees. Getting oil on your hands doesn’t make you a “scientist”. This guy really stretches it. A lot.

As far as LGBT rights, I can remember meeting a couple of people who went on the Venceremos Brigades back in the 60s, and returned to relate how the Cuban govt would not allow gays to participate in visiting—they were considered “undesirables”. It was a very conservative attitude in Cuba toward gays, which surprised a lot of people. When Batista was in power, though, everything was wide open—esp if you had plenty of money.

Actually, Darwin got his major inspiration from Adam Smith…