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Benny Johnson, a Trump supporter and chief creative officer of conservative activist Charlie Kirk's Turning Point USA, recently traveled to Cuba.
While there, he went to a local supermarket and took pictures of the shelves, which were stocked with single brands of each product.
Disgusted by this for some reason, Johnson wrote:
"I just returned from Cuba. What would your supermarket would look like on socialism? This is the fanciest 'supermarket' in Havana."
"Notice anything odd? Aisles are filled with goods having NO VARIETY AT ALL. No competition No choice No hope."
I just returned from Cuba. What would your supermarket would look like on socialism? This is the fanciest “supermar… https://t.co/E88ZI70DxV— Benny (@Benny)1568946143.0
For Johnson, having only one brand to choose from was akin to a catastrophe.
But many were quick to point out the "dystopia" he was trying to scare Americans with wasn't actually so bad.
Looks like this nerd has never been to Aldi. https://t.co/EPvllXgy98— Lee J. Carter (@Lee J. Carter)1569096432.0
i would rather abolish homelessness than have 700 different branded varieties of chopped tomatoes but that’s just me https://t.co/gwWTy6K4mT— jack🚩 (@jack🚩)1569100495.0
There are more important things than brand variety...like healthcare maybe?
when u trade free healthcare and education for 10 different types of dr pepper https://t.co/NCtb6qIENS— neri (@neri)1569096190.0
In Venezuela, shortages of basic products are bad. But in this Cuban store, the exact opposite of shortages are ...… https://t.co/5F3uoxNBWA— Vincent Bevins (@Vincent Bevins)1569135133.0
Having only one brand won't be so bad if it means the planet survives.
Not only is this supermarket stocked, but all Cuban produce is 100% organically grown using cutting edge organic fa… https://t.co/UgEs5UgPT1— d h h (@d h h)1569141940.0
In USA you can chose the brand of your insulin. But if you can't afford the price of any brand, you just die. https://t.co/so2sEA885v— · Hibai Arbide Aza · (@· Hibai Arbide Aza ·)1569100899.0
Choosing between JIF and Skippy Peanut Butter isn't an important moment for most people.
Straight up horny imagining a world where pointless consumerist choices aren’t important https://t.co/08vTlaxTZU— Dan Sheehan (@Dan Sheehan)1569102592.0
In capitalism you'd have unaffordable healthcare and housing but at least you'd get to choose between 10 varieties… https://t.co/mSWocJaeZT— Omid Siahmard (@Omid Siahmard)1569117937.0
What is freedom to Johnson?
Different kinds of 'things' to buy!
@bennyjohnson @BernieSanders @AOC I need 34 different brands of canned tomatoes to feel free— Bяyan (@Bяyan)1569093831.0
@bennyjohnson @BernieSanders @AOC If you don't have 15 types of nearly identical processed corn/wheat products in d… https://t.co/VteLKFZZum— Ben Norton (@Ben Norton)1569176780.0
Choosing which cereal to buy shouldn't be how people express their individuality.
@BenjaminNorton @bennyjohnson @BernieSanders @AOC Quite strange how so many of us in the West see product choice as… https://t.co/hNxp4jps4q— ⱤØ฿ ⱤłⱠɆɎ (@ⱤØ฿ ⱤłⱠɆɎ)1569177556.0
It's also worth noting that Cuba's communist government is not what politicians like AOC and Bernie Sanders (both of whom Johnson called out in his tweet) have in mind for America. The Cuban government has put itself at odds with most of the world, resulting in embargoes which have greatly reduced the amount of imported goods that would add Johnson's beloved variety.
Other countries who adopt "socialist" policies like medicare-for-all look very little like Cuba.
@bennyjohnson @BernieSanders @AOC You do know that France is also socialist, right? Ever been to the Marché Bastil… https://t.co/LKGzO6VCgb— Haden Ware (@Haden Ware)1569098407.0
It's also important to remember how little choice Americans actually have at the end of the day.
@drmistercody @bennyjohnson @BernieSanders @AOC America has 6 companies that own everything, lobby for loosened reg… https://t.co/3EIMHMccau— Bingus (@Bingus)1569109939.0
@bennyjohnson @BernieSanders @AOC hate to break it to you https://t.co/61Uro9jVEP— ☀️👀 (@☀️👀)1569149107.0
The libs were 100% officially OWNED.
@bennyjohnson @BernieSanders @AOC Posting photos of well stocked shelves full of reasonably priced goods to own the libs.— Jon 🚩 (@Jon 🚩)1569098279.0
@bennyjohnson @BernieSanders @AOC I already commented, but I just can't stress enough how deep the rot is in this c… https://t.co/WamrxopKpf— Radical Centrist (@Radical Centrist)1569189344.0
As is often the case in these arguments, a lot of important context was ignored by Johnson.
@bennyjohnson @BernieSanders @AOC Americans: embargo trade with Cuba making it difficult for them to engage in glob… https://t.co/AFZNmlYgZj— Erin the Reply Bi 🔥⬇️🍎🐝 (@Erin the Reply Bi 🔥⬇️🍎🐝)1569118057.0
@bennyjohnson @BernieSanders @AOC Imagine thinking that having ten different flavors of Cheerios is more important… https://t.co/6tK9UM9XoS— Saint Sean 🌹 (@Saint Sean 🌹)1569215203.0
Please pray for Benny Johnson, who's stranded in Cuba without access to 19 of his favorite 20 brands of bread!
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