Ok, Cuban Americans, where do we go from here?

[peruban]

I was mostly raised by the Cuban side of my family and was warned by those who lived though the revolution and its aftermath that sometimes it happens in government that they come in the middle of the night with a loud, resounding knock.

They demand for you and threaten your loved ones so they can then take you and the other "insurgents". Then you get two options, at least during the revolution you did. You are either with them or against them, sound familiar? Those who were considered politically benign went to infamous prisons. Others included Catholic faithful, Priests, Jews, Moors, Jehovah's Witnesses, Homosexuals, and any other political dissidents. Those considered politically subversive were, how can we say? - "mass graved".

I'd like to discuss this more, does anyone want to exchange?

[Warren Stupidity]

1. Irish american here but how about we normalize relations?

Isn't it about time?

[peruban]

3. That's the ideal, isn't it?

How, though?, do we normalize a 45 year embargo on "stolen trade". There is still much apprehension for what were originally legimitately and mob controlled casinos, resorts, and black market businesses that were taken over under the wing of "la revolucion". The cross global market never panned out except for immigration between communist nations (ever wonder why there are so many blond haired blue eyed Cubans?).

So Cuba has to accept that its support system is its nearest neighbors - The Ex-Soviets, Venezuela, and maybe Canada (financially, maybe).

I hope Raul Castro has a moment of enlightenment and tries to sit with Obama and help work out a Caribbean Tourism Agreement in much the same way we have a NAFTA.

This may be naive but I hope BO encourages more unity in S.America as it it is supposed to be, by Bolivar's dream.

[awoke_in_2003]

5. I, for one,

would like to open up an auto parts store there. That place is like a museum of '50s vintage automobiles.

[peruban]

7. funny, practical, and a good business deal. n/t

[kwenu]

2. I'd like to be able to travel to Cuba. I'm sure many Cubans would too.

[peruban]

6. I've spoken to many older expatriates.

They don't seem to lament the homeland. It's strange, it's like the revolution broke their love of the land.

Many expatriates feel more Spanish immigrant than native Cuban. I find there are three types of Cubans, as far as racist modicum goes:

- European looking races - mostly decedent from Iberian stock, Cuba was the last Spanish colony in the Americas, they sent the conquistadors and Spanish administrators.
- Brown Indian Races - Interbred with Spanish stock, brown and native looking peoples. "Conquered" but actually interbred and adapted.
- African decedents - Primarily freed slave decedents, frequently interbred and uninhibited in social accomplishments.

This describes most of Cuban populace - except maybe Andalusian Gypsy's which we can make another thread.

Look, I'm just trying to be honest here, thee are more racist considerations in S.America than there are in here, the enlightened U.S.of A.

Anyhow, from what I've gathered by the old guys who still talk about Cuba they say the mountains may still be there but that the land has been raped and over cultivated. After the bay of pigs it kind of sounds of like they're talking about Vietnam. They insist it was a Civil War and I believe them. It really was father and bullet against son.

These Ideological issues will not fade with the life of the current dictator. Fidel will die, he has proclaimed Raul his predecessor. Raul is weak, he is no Castro. Those of you who do not speak Spanish may never have heard one of Castro's speeches.

IF I may say something about Castro's speeches; he is eloquent, he is practical, he speaks of national ideas, he proposes solutions (though they come from the mind of a meglomaniaciacal control freak), and he always tries to reassure the country that he leads it on the right course, despite contrairian opinions from most open critics and market economies around the globe. The biggest surprise is that there ae still patriots left in Cuba.

[peruban]

8. Surprisingly not.

When you speak to older Cubans, those who were born there and lived through the revolution - they really don't ever want to go back. Think about it, their strongest memories are chopping cane for sugar or wood for charcoal.

What would you want to remember?

My grandmother never wants to go back, and neither does her brother who served as a general in the Cuban military.

[babylonsister]

4. What do you think about open borders finally, and people can

work the rest out? Is that untoward?

How about the US being involved in making Cuba better, finally? OK, maybe not better, but perhaps for the people it would be? And Cuba is hurricane-land. I haven't heard a word about the latest Paloma; that was late and brutal. Any word?

Cuba tried to help us during Katrina, and I won't ever forget that. Period.

I'd inject some bucks there if it was legal. :shrug:

[Enthusiast]

9. The U.S.A. should simply normalize relations

with Cuba. No strings attached. Continuing with this stupid policy is counterproductive. It could be an economic boon to both countries. Cuba could flourish with American tourism.

What justification is there to have normal trade relations with Russia and China but not Cuba?