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Cold War has been over for 20 years, shouldnt we move towards normalizing relations with Cuba? Its just not right for a country to be 90 miles off your coast and still be butthurt off something that happened 50 years ago. Communism is no longer a "threat" to America(I never thought it was even when the USSR was around).
Cold War has been over for 20 years, shouldnt we move towards normalizing relations with Cuba? Its just not right for a country to be 90 miles off your coast and still be butthurt off something that happened 50 years ago. Communism is no longer a "threat" to America(I never thought it was even when the USSR was around).
I agree. I'd love to visit Cuba and it really gets me that I can't - not because the Cubans won't allow it, but because my country - the "land of the free" - restricts it. And why, because a small group of very vocal Cuban expats can't get over the fact that Batista's corrupt government was overthrown in the 50s. That attitude hurts everyone - especially the people in Cuba. Let's move on.
I don't think very many Americans support our ridiculous Cuba policies anymore. However, a very small cadre of angry donors do, and that's all it takes to keep the current laws in place. Thankfully, it's easy to jump the embargo, and tens of thousands of Americans do it every year.
I don't think very many Americans support our ridiculous Cuba policies anymore. However, a very small cadre of angry donors do, and that's all it takes to keep the current laws in place. Thankfully, it's easy to jump the embargo, and tens of thousands of Americans do it every year.
I suspect that, over time, the embargo will become more and more meaningless, even if there are no changes to the laws.
Cold War has been over for 20 years, shouldnt we move towards normalizing relations with Cuba? Its just not right for a country to be 90 miles off your coast and still be butthurt off something that happened 50 years ago. Communism is no longer a "threat" to America(I never thought it was even when the USSR was around).
Relations of any kind are a two way street, and the Cuban, er, leadership has had a vested interest in keeping the US as the “ great Satan", just moments away from destroying the island nation were it not for the Leader's valiant efforts. Of course, this attitude w/ it's attendant behaviors plays in very nicely with those here willing to raise the " red menace" line, thus the status quo remains.
FWIW, Cuba is, in my travel experience, the most breathtakingly beautiful island in the Caribbean - ranking alongside any of the Pacific tropics.
Location: On the "Left Coast", somewhere in "the Land of Fruits & Nuts"
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Agreed the whole thang is nuts, although if you know anything about S. Florida's fanatical cuban ''exiles'' (los exilios), who were the upper class that prospered under Batista's oppression (and why Cuba finally had a revolution), then the current Cubans are probably better off by keeping 'em the hell away!
Agreed the whole thang is nuts, although if you know anything about S. Florida's fanatical cuban ''exiles'' (los exilios), who were the upper class that prospered under Batista's oppression (and why Cuba finally had a revolution), then the current Cubans are probably better off by keeping 'em the hell away!
I can assure you that not all anti Castro are former "upper class". I married one, and her entire family, while quite anti Castro, did their level best to support friends and family " left behind" with what little they had at the time. Generalizing either side is, as in most debates, an invitation to inaccuracy and an impediment to real reform.
Location: On the "Left Coast", somewhere in "the Land of Fruits & Nuts"
8,852 posts, read 10,454,406 times
Reputation: 6670
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jayess1
I can assure you that not all anti Castro are former "upper class". I married one, and her entire family, while quite anti Castro, did their level best to support friends and family " left behind" with what little they had at the time. Generalizing either side is, as in most debates, an invitation to inaccuracy and an impediment to real reform.
You are technically correct, not all current cuban refugees are "upper class", since there have been several additional waves of refugees since the first, much more affluent ones (like Rubios family) fled the revolution. In fact, one of the most notorious refugee groups who arrived much later, were the so-called "Marielitos", many of whom were simply released from Cuban prisons, when Castro saw an opportunity to get rid of them. Some were former political prisoners, but many others were some of the most nasty & violent criminals, even by cuban standards... all released onto the Miami streets! In fact Hollywood even made a hit show out of what became of it... Miami Vice!
And not all refugees then were "upper class" either. Revolutions, like all wars, cost a great deal of money, and the Soviets couldn't foot the entire bill, and there were plenty of well off folks looking to change the state of government & threw their support (and $$$) to the Revolution.
Oh, and that article? You do know the NYT had to retrench & retreat afterwards...
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