to push the idea of Cuba as a sex destination. They've been trying it cyclically, alternating with Cuba as a country producing dual-use medical products, a potential biological W.M.D. source, harboring terrorists, etc., etc. These yarns were NOT in play during the previous administrations (outside the reach of the Miami gusano right-wing terrorists/extremists).
I'm trying to avoid over-using my computer until I get transferred to a new one, as my current one is wobbly, and I don't want to lose everything in a crash, so I can't provide links today. I simply had to respond to the very idea the N.Y. Times is distributing this crap.
Americans who have been to Cuba who live in Florida say that MIAMI HAS A GODDAMNED FAR WORSE PROBLEM WITH PROSTITUTION THAN CUBA.
Prior to the revolution in Cuba, Cuba was a complete hell-hole for prostitution, and a "leave destination" for the U.S. Navy. It was called the "Whorehouse of the Caribbean" a LONG time ago, although the Miami hardliners have pretended this has applied to modern Cuba.
On edit: I'm posting some links, after all, as they bring far more authority to this pathetic charge than one lone poster far away from the area in question. It's too important to show the lie up.
I will link one site, with articles about Cuba as a destination written BEFORE the revolution. They are very odd, and should be self-explanitory. I am pleased to say they were discovered and shared years ago with those of us at the old US-Cuba Relations message board at the now defunct CNN message board system, by a man who has been immersed in travel throughout Latin America over decades. We had a good laugh then, completely unaware that right around the corner Cuba would be accused of running the same kind of operation now (!):
SIN - With a Rhumba Beat
Prostitution, Politics, Casinos Cuba 1950
http://cuban-exile.com/doc_201-225/doc0208.htmlREF: Cabaret Yearbook, Winter Resort Number, Volume One, poss 1956, p20]HAVANA The sexiest city in the world -- that's what Havana has been termed by world travelers. In the shadow of the presidential palace, in the capital's narrow ancient streets, there is indeed the open practice of the world's oldest profession. But sex in Havana is not cheap and tawdry. Sex is rather in the beat of city life, in the tropical scent of this vast metropolis, in the cosmopolitan outlook of its people. For Havana is a woman, and fickle female that she is, must be entertained. And so cabaret life is rich and exciting, different from anything found in the U.S. It has a rhythm and gaiety all its own -- all but an hour by plane from Miami.
(snip/...)
http://cuban-exile.com/menu1/%21entertain.html~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SHANGHAI THEATER
WORLD'S RAWEST BURLESQUE SHOW
HAVANA CUBA 1956
More on Shanghai Theater
http://cuban-exile.com/doc_176-200/doc0198.html~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~NIGHT CLUB IN THE SKY
Cubana Airlines' Tropicana Special 1957
NIGHT CLUB IN THE SKY
Patrons of novel high-flying bistro enjoy the show and
drinks while 10,000 feet above ocean on way to Cuba.
http://cuban-exile.com/doc_201-225/doc0201.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If more info. is needed, anyone can find it in a search. More could be done to bring more info. on pre-revolutionary, sex-trade Cuba out for our enlightenment. Don't just let the Bush propaganda machine roll over you without taking the time to do some checking to determine if you're being told the truth or not.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here's an article written when they pushed this story in 2003:October 18 / 19, 2003
Concerned About Prostitution, Mr. President? Try Reno
Bush, Electoral Politics and Cuba's "Illicit Sex Trade"
By NELSON P. VALDES
Fraud and falsehood only dread examination.
Thomas Cooper
On October 10, 2003 President George Bush spoke to about 100 rightwing Cuban exiles at the Rose Garden. There he stated his commitment to bringing about "regime change" in Cuba. At one point during his brief speech he stated that, "A rapidly growing part of Cuba's tourism industry is the illicit sex trade, a modern form of slavery which is encouraged by the Cuban government. This cruel exploitation of innocent women and children must be exposed and must be ended. " He used the accusation as the reason to make travel to the island as difficult as possible.
This article will examine the charge and respond to it by noting that although Cuba is not a serious case of prostitution or illicit trafficking of women and children, the United States is.
First, however, we should be conscious of the lack of clarity in the presidential declaration. The statement conflated prostitution and the trafficking of women and children for sexual purposes, as if they were one and the same thing. The disingenuous phrase "illicit sex trade" suggests that sexual prostitution and the "sex trade" are the same thing, which they are not. Prostitution (or sex work) could be consensual. The world wide trafficking in women and children, using force and coercion, is a profoundly different phenomena.
Moreover, the statement accuses the Cuban government of "encouraging" both. But where is the evidence of government "encouragement"? None was presented by the White House, which apparently wants us to assume that the mere existence of prostitution implies "encouragement." If that is the case, then we would have to say that the US government, and all state and city governments in the United States, encourage prostitution -- and that's not even counting Nevada, where the "oldest trade" is legal!
(snip/...)
http://www.counterpunch.org/valdes10182003.html