Missed Point on Cuba

Ah Michael, as I sit here smoking my Bolívar Belicosos Finos, blowing second hand smoke at the keyboard; I need to remind you of a few things. First, we do recognize Cuba as a nation state, we just do not recognize its government. I've never understood our reticence, since the Cuban government is such a shining beacon of liberty that is admired by those Americans that would wish the same for our citizenry. Can you say Michael Moore, Sean Penn, and the entire Congressional Black Caucus.

Obama promised to maintain the embargo against Cuba as leverage - to promote political and economic change in Cuba. This is an great use of our power. A trade embargo is designed to make it hard for an entire country to function. Change is then forced by civil momentum, not war. It is working, but the hardships experienced are real, but only partially caused by our actions.

Now I realize that it has always been trendy for the vacuous left to extol the virtues of the incredibly successful Cuban experiment. But before you do you should reach out to such groups as the Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba (FHRC) a non-profit NGO, created to inform and enlighten and support pro-democracy activists on the Island. The FHRC provides a voice for Cuba's oppressed citizens. Citizens who oppose Fidel's, and mis-guided Americans, campaigns that wax poetic about his despotic regime.

Or you can really make a difference by participating in the Adopt a Dissident Program.

This program allows you to help activists in Cuba who have been fired from their jobs for political motives and have no way of providing for their families. Adopt a Dissident is perfect for those who want to help rather than spout leftist talking points. As a sponsor you receive information pertinent to the dissident. You will be free to establish direct communication with the dissident as desired - unless, of course, they have been physically terminated.

Or you could read the award winning blog written by Yoani Sánchez. The blogger who has received international acclaim for detailing the absurdities of daily life in Cuba. A recipient of Columbia University's Maria Moors Cabot Prize, which recognizes outstanding reporting on Latin America and the Caribbean. From her blog - desdecuba.com/generationy, she shows that American leftists and hip students are supporting a regime of torture and repression.

She once said, ``I am part of the counterculture, maybe one thing we all have in common is that we don't wear Che T-shirts, like ignorant American kids who consider themselves counterculture do,'' she says. ``In Cuba, Che represents the government and mass murder. In Cuba, only tourists and members of the Young Communist League wear Che shirts.''

So Michael, I do support the normalization of relations with the people of Cuba...but not the government of Raul, Che, Fidel, Sean, and Moore. That recognition is forthcoming when Cuba makes a few changes. Daniel Petry

@Daniel/jcrdan

Interesting, that you plainly see that there exists two Cuban entities, The People of Cuba, and "the government of", and yet you would completely be blinded to the idea that any progress could be made with the latter, preferring to instead support policies which may harm the former. I think the applicable cliche here is, "throwing out the baby with the bathwater".

Oh, and you should probably use less sarcasm in public comments, as it doesn't often travel well in print.

equus_posteriori, an appropriate call sign in this case. I prefer to use my real name. And I'm not blinded by ignorant ideology, just very experienced.

The effects of an embargo are always used to force a change, it's unfortunate but necessary impact is on the general population.

As for my "sarcasm" I want to thank you for the compliment. What did you find so very enjoyable, Che' - a mass murderer, or "a shining beacon of liberty"?

I have a sarcastic haiku for you equus_posteriori:

Manipulative truths
Victoriously twisting intelligence
A tornadoes tasteful sarcasm

And have you ever tried a Bolívar Belicosos Finos? You should, they are magnificent. Daniel Petry

Haiku FAIL, my young friend Petry:

Rhythmic units of 5 / 7 / 5.

If I may:

"Manipulate truth.
Twist and wind intelligence
Your sarcasm blows."

Good posts Daniel. Thanks for tweaking their noses. Not enough of that here in Santa Barbara.

Darn, binky...it's those bloody 17 moras, they'll get you every time.

Here I was thinking about that lovable little curmudgeon Che', "....this is a revolution! And a revolutionary must become a cold killing machine motivated by pure hate." Certainly a lovely man that Ernesto "Che" Guevara.

He is so cute on all those t-shirts and little hats with a red star. Daniel Petry

@jcrdan

Political change has more often than not, come at the end of a sword, to good or bad ends.

For your "experience", you obviously have an arthropod in your rectum about Che Guevara. I will admit to having only minimal knowledge of the man, but what I've read covered a little bit of both views--that he was a hero, *and* a bloody killer. I have not researched enough, to form an opinion of him.

As for modern-day Cuba, I hope that Raul Castro will be a "lesser evil" than his brother, and one day Americas and Cubas will be able to freely interchange culture and ideas--hopefully, as soon as during his "reign" (assuming Fidel is no longer in the picture). The embargo of the island hasn't ever really seemed to do anything, and certainly less and less each year, as they have "gotten used to it".

Personally, I just think that a certain group of Americans have never forgiven Castro, for simply choosing Communism, over Capitalism, regardless of how he treats his people.

Also, I have had two cuban cigars in my life, and I'm sure one was fake. If they were more available, I might be able to form a better opinion on them as well, but as it is, I have tended to prefer cheaper cigars, and smoked them while doing "dirty" work. I avoid pretense of airs when it comes to smoking, and for a time quit them in the 90's, when cigars came en vogue.

[Aside, my "handle" was chosen for a reason, and as far as using "your real name", that doesn't mean anything to me at all. Maybe, you could post your Social Security number, and mother's maiden name, if you want to live dangerously.]

@ equus_posteriori.

I understand that identity thieves, and hackers exist, but my guess is that most people choose a fake name so they may not be held accountable for their actions or their words. I wonder how many people would actually have the courage to say those words to the face of the individual they are writing about. My guess is none. A moniker is the sign of a coward.

I have no interest in your sophomoric, high schoolish, Days of our Lives alter ego. I list my full name because I would never hide behind a fake identity. As I said...yours is appropriate...a "horses ass".

As for Cuba, I actually know quite a bit about the Castro regime and especially Raul. Far worse than his brother. Just not as dynamic. That said, your post reeks of the typical small minded cutesy attitude one hears from pseudo intellectuals who spend their lives sitting on the sidelines judging those that really stand and try...win or lose they try to make a difference.

Too bad that when I gave you some excellent resources that would broaden your knowledge on the Cuban situation, you ignored them. Not surprising.

And I have always found a fine cigar to be a singular vice that is best enjoyed with experience not because of some trendy fad.

P.S. Yoani Sanchez, was detained and beaten along with two fellow bloggers by Cuban secret police this past Friday. Perhaps you can lend your strong sense of moral superiority to assisting her and her compatriots. Eh? Daniel Petry

@jcrdan

Actually, I read through some of the Sanchez blog posts (was there more than one "resource"? I either missed it, or misunderstand that a plural is 'more than one'), and was only as impressed as I could be, considering that I realize that she's not the only oppressed individual in the world. I realize that sounds somewhat insensitive, but the world has many evils, and many that suffer.

". . .my guess is that most people choose a fake name so they may not be held accountable for their actions or their words.". . . "I have no interest in your sophomoric, high schoolish, Days of our Lives alter ego. I list my full name because I would never hide behind a fake identity. As I said...yours is appropriate...a 'horses ass'."---You completely miss the point, which I will not go into detail about, but will say that you are hold an opinion based on an absolute, and allow your vehemence to overcome your ability to interpret character.

Daniel, you appear to be somewhat learned, but like most of us in America, also seem to lack any actual wisdom--"intelligence" actually being too vague a concept to quantify. I will give you points for being able to have something of an online "discussion", without being as whole-heartedly argumentative and trollish as some, but, and please take this a suggestion--and NOT an attack--you really need to separate your logic from you ad hominem attacks.

Get over it!
Blacks need to get over slavery, jews WW2, and Cubans over Castro.

The US supports many shady nations that do bad things. Cubans live very poor and ghast!!!! don't have ipods or much of the useless consumer products most of the world just has to have. Cubans are generally happy and are literate, many own homes and they have healthcare so in many respects are farther ahead of most in the US.

Let Cuba be open and a regular nation. There will be growing pains but Varadero beach is precious and La Habana has so much history and culture.

Daniel, I got your points and those resources are eye opening. It is a shame that people like equus_posteriori are so enamored with dictators. Too bad "horses ass" was blinded by his apparent inability to read, you obviously hit a nerve in his thin skin. His attempted, and yes, sophomoric insults, aside; I say keep throwing it back in these turkey's faces.

@ equus_posteriori

Here’s what you missed, "...you should reach out to such groups as the Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba (FHRC) a non-profit NGO, created to inform and enlighten and support pro-democracy activists on the Island. The FHRC provides a voice for Cuba's oppressed citizens. Citizens who oppose Fidel's, and misguided Americans (re Santa Barbarans), campaigns that wax poetic about his despotic regime."

Next time I will make sure to bullet point an item for your consideration.

As for my ability to divine character, I can only judge your character by your opinions. Saying that someone is using an ad hominem attack is so over used that it becomes tiring. Suffice it to say that I find both your presentation and your arguments false. If that was not the case then you might be accurate.

As for “like most of us in America” – I have a visceral reaction. I detest political correctness, a term, by the way, coined appropriately by Stalin. I believe that the intolerance, self-regard, abusive nature, and intellectual territoriality of a leftist is because they know on some deep level that their ideas do not stand up to rational argument.

Theirs is a belief system grounded on emotion, not on facts and certainly not justified by experience. So they simply cannot afford to accord their opponents the status of moral equals. Conservatives must be attacked, and dismissed, as evil or stupid or “like most of us in America”.

They are blithely unaware of conservative views, and always distorted. We are reduced to a caricature, so as to flatter their own smug sense of moral and intellectual superiority. Daniel Petry

A minor point, because I know that no matter how much I write, Daniel, you and your #1 follower Perez won't attempt to see beyond yourselves: When you said "resources", I caught the one about Mrs. Sanchez's blog because it was something one could read for research. Your mention of the FHRC was, ". . .you should reach out to such groups", which I read as a call to action, and not an example of a "resource". If you had written the research the group, it would be another matter. In any case, thanks for the clarification.

One thing that I've never heard discussed per the embargo on Cuba: Why is it that the embargo has such an effect on them? The logical answer would be that for whatever reason Cuba depends much more on the U.S. for trade than it does on all the other countries of the world combined. Why is this? I'm not trying to make a point, I'm just asking the question.

@billclausen

Wikipedia has some details (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Stat...), but always consider the source. . . .

The first half of the article is history, while the last half is "critiques", so it leans towards 'anti-embargo'. However, a test of Googling "positive effects" of the embargo did not yield much results--at least, in the top returns--so I am not convince there are any of note.

Thank you for the link EQ.