This photo says all the Cubans would like to say these days but are forced to keep silent.
I don’t know if you saw the ridiculous AP story about Cuba yesterday. Made my blood boil. One paragraph in particular really me dio rabia:
“There are, of course, hundreds of dissidents and political prisoners on the island of 11 million who abhor the system and feel a desperate need for rapid change. But most Cubans would not list political repression among their most immediate concerns.”
Well of course not. Most Cubans are not going to tell a reporter that they are concerned about political repression because they don’t want to become one of the “hundreds of dissidents and political prisoners.” How blind could that reporter be? Or maybe their most immediate concerns — not noted in the article — are things like food and medicine.
At least, according to the reporter, Cubans enjoy “safe streets, a rich and accessible cultural life, a leisurely lifestyle to enjoy with family and friends.” Uh huh.
Does anyone know if there are, out of all the anti-castro groups, any of them ready to invade? ..or are we all to sit here like vieja chismosas? Waiting to see what happens?
That’s a really cool photo, but that caption saying most Cubans love all things American because, among other things, they “ride in vintage Detroit cars”… shit – like they have much choice.
Just more examples of the MSM turning something tragic into a novelty.
Hey, we didn’t earn the title of cubano comierda for nothing. When it all comes down to it, it’s all bark, and no bite….that’s why we’re here, and they’re over there. Where’s Bush’s committment to a free Cuba? Shouldn’t he be enacting the special recommendations of his “panel” at this critical time in history–cutting all travel to Cuba, stopping remittances, signing the Helms-Burton provision, or at least exerting some other additional pressure on Raul. Instead Rice sends a message to Cuba via Radio Marti, that’s not heard by anybody. Maybe it’s too early to call Bush out on this…
Felix Ricardo Dittos from me
Camaguey Dittos from me
As for the article mentioned there is a slight contradiction. fidel is just now able to carry a conversation? How then did he generate that handover of power statement if he could not speak?
Hmmmm????
“Cubans enjoy a leisurely lifestyle to enjoy with family and friend.” This is hilarious. Not having a job does lead to a leisurely lifestyle.
Hey Camaguey, bet you didn’t know that the 1996 Helms-Burton Act stipulates that a U.S. President may not lift the trade embargo as long as Fidel, Raúl or anyone they have appointed are in power. This denies the President important discretion and reduces the possibility that the U.S. could promote peaceful change through economic engagement with a post-Fidel Cuba.
well the latest out of Cuba is that fidel will be back to work in a few weeks. Looks like W missed another opportunity to comethrough for Cuba.
If Cuba is not free by the next election then I will sit out the election. Call me what you may, but I feel that my party has sat out on what is most important to me and I am doing the same back.
I hope that perhaps we could start some moevement to sit out the next election and not sell our souls for another 4 years of nothing! Pardon me but I am frustrated.
I agree 100% with pototo. But it shouldn’t be a surprise to us when we look back on his foreign policy track record. Just look at his policy regarding the rest of Latin America, North Korea, Iran, and one word, IRAQ. And someone before mentioned something negative about Bob Menendez in one of their comments…let me just say he’s a great Senator, who doesn’t make false promises that he can’t deliver, which is more than I can say about the entire South Florida consitutiency, i.e., Balart family, Ros, and Menendez.
Yes Felix Ricardo, there are anti-castro/commie military training groups independantly run in south Flordia. The F-4 Commandos and the Alpha 66 who train in the Everglades are probably the most popular.
They are probably iching for the US government to give them the green light and the proper weapons and funding, but I find that highly unlikely.
Oh, for Christ’s sake. Military commandos?
Its a new war folks. Its all about information.
lets be pragmatic, OK? if there havent been large scale military raids on Cuba up to now, there sure wont be any in the near future.
You wanna fight?
Spread the word.
Contrary to what the MSM & Carlos Lage say, I don’t think that the idea of fidel being back in “weeks” is “the latest out of Cuba”-that’s what the original statement on Monday said, that he’d be out for a few weeks. Lage is just parroting the official line, nothing new. IMHO, it was b.s. on Monday, and it’s still b.s. I don’t think he’s coming back, and if he does, it won’t be for long.
Just one more opinion.
P.S., the woman with the bandana is my hero. Tiene huevos, that’s for sure.
Reina Picara,
Engagement? Engagement with raul castro? Give me a break lady. It’s people like you that say Israel should negotiate with Hezbollah. How can you negotiate with a regime that has broken every promise it’s ever made?
Go back to your whiskey bottle.
I agree with Pototo. The Republicans are not doing us any favors lately, that’s for sure.
La Reina Picara,
“This denies the President important discretion and reduces the possibility that the U.S. could promote peaceful change through economic engagement with a post-Fidel Cuba.”
What are you talking about? Are you even on this planet?
To all those bashing the Republicans. Be careful what you wish for. The Democratic party, the only real alternative has leadership that likely would have lifted all sanctions and made things even worse.
I agree that the Republicans should have done more.
That said, the alternative would be the equivalent to shooting yourself in the foot.
Not the I agree with Reina Picara, but we must recognize that our government’s Cuba policy has been a failure for the past 40 some odd years. We find ourselves in a situation, now we’re pledging our full support for the opposition in Cuba, the very same opposition that has called on the exilio and Bush to ease some of the restrictions–pleas that have been ignored. Spread the word? Every avenue is either blocked by Fidel or Bush.
Mario and Pototo, you think the dems are going to give you any favors? Like I said a few days ago…if y’all want the dems to take over the House, then you’ll have Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, the san fran limo liberal; and the head of the ways and means commitee of the house…none other than Charlie “I love fidel more than alice walker does” Rangel….
And who will be the head of the judiciary committee? None other than John Conyers
and the senate? the majority leader will be Mr. Reid? And the arms services leader will be Carl Levin and Ted Kennedy
Biden will be the leader of the forein relations committee
and Leahy and Kennedy in charge of the judiciary committee.
If the above doesn’t frighten the beejeesus out of you . . . especially knowing that Pelosi will be 3rd in line to the presidency . . . then you’re either a masochist, a flaming liberal, a resident of Berkely California; the editorial board at the NYT and WASH Post; tripping on LSD and secretly wish to return to the 1968 convention in Chicago; Babs streisand, cindy “pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered” sheehan; etc. etc. etc.
heaven forbid the dems taking the white house in 2008 . . . as bad as bubba was, he is right wing extremist compared to the lot that is leading the Dems today. . .
Mike..i was in no way saying that the dem’s would be doing any better. It just seems to me that now that the cold war is over, Cuba means nothing to anyone. I can guarantee you that if Cuba had oil instead of sugarcane, this administration would have been in there like flies on shit. However, where it stands Cuba has nothing for GW to line his suit with. So here we are wondering what, if anything, will be done to get that hijo de puta good and gone.
interesting point Mario. There is some low grade crude oil discoveries in Cuba and Cuba stole all the US refineries . . . I say we have an interest there…
but I don’t think we’ll see anything happen anytime soon. The bay of pigs was the opportunity and it was blown . . . if only nixon had won the 1960 election…where would we be today….
The lady in the picture has more huevos then most men in Cuba. Its my humble opinon that most people in Cuba are happy with the money that their family members in the U.S. give them, con su botellita de ron, su musicita y la querida. In other words they are not pushing for change from within.
Eric, I find that statement rather offensive as it reminds me of an experience. In college I signed up for a class called “Social change” thinking that it had to do, well social change. My first day of class (this was 1982) I get there and the prof. tells us the class is called “Socialist change” (damn abbreviations) and that we would be focusing on Cuba. He tells us all about a trip he had taken to Cuba and then proceeds to tell us that those that left Cuba were the elite who would no longer be able to afford good liquor, good cigars, and women. Then it was time for us to all stand up one by one and introduce ourselves.
When it came to me, I stood up and said, “My name is Mario, I am a sophomre, I was born in Havana Cuba. My father smokes cigarettes but not cigars, he does not drink at all, and I’m pretty sure he’s quite happy with my mom. And you sir can go fuck yourself!” The class applauded. I walked out and went straight to the registrars office to drop the class. About ten students followed me.
While I agree that more change must be pushed from within, I cannot imagine what 47 years of oppression and fear have done to the people of Cuba. We are dealing with a generation that does not know much of anything else. I hope you can understand why your statement was offensive. We must figh to never be the niggers of castro’s revolution. Believing that, makes us just that.
By the way, all of that being said, this picture is amazing and beautiful. This beautiful Afro-Cuban woman seems to be saying, “fidel, I will NOT be your nigger!” Know that I am not using that word to denote color in the least.
somehow, someway, someone chose to read things into my comments such as it would be better than dems. I never said that. What I said is that I am considering sitting this next election out as a protest. Yes there are many issues involved in the coming election, but the ONE that matters MOST to ME is Cuba. With that said I don’t agree that things could get worse regarding Cuba.
1. Cuba has more Latin American influence now than it has in 47 years. (Venezuela, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay, Nicaragua, need I go on?)
2. Cuba’s influence now threatens our oil supply from our #2 supplier
3. We now have a Chinese Communist presence in Cuba with far greater damaging potential than the USSR ever had.
4. Cuba is now developing a relationship with Iran who is developing nuclear capabilities who would not do as Russia and pull the missiles for fear of castro using them, but salivates at the opportunity to use them on the US.
5. Cuba is not any closer to becoming free today than it has in the last 47 years.
6. The US’ best answer to castro thus far is a blimp with an antennae which send signals that cannot be received.
Now tell me it could be worse. I wonder if the secret annex in CACA II is a statement that read “always leave a secret annex so that the Cuban Americans will continue to vote for us in hope that we do something”
I wouldn’t be surprised if the annex reads “gotcha” and no I am not endorsing democrats just in case that is read into this comment as well.
I meant to start the previous with better with dems which I don’t believe
I wonder if pong could draw a political cartoon where the President is saying to Cuba “we’re behind you all the way” and showing the 90 mile gap.
That was a very selfish post of mine as I didn’t even mention how much worse things got for Cubans on the island.
Mario, I did not mean to offend you or anyone else on this blog. I know that there are people in Cuba who are trying to push for change and I applaud them. I have been talking to a few Cubans who have been in the States for only a few years and they reiterate my statement. One of these people told me that ‘in Cuba I was at the beach all day with my girlfriend having a good time without the stress that there is in this country.’ I think the government has brainwashed the Cuban people. Rum is cheap and plentiful over. People drink to forget. As I stated earlier I did not mean to offend you Mario but I believe in Cuba today this is a reality of life.
Eric, I know you did not mean to offend. And, I too, realize that the people of Cuba have been programmed into a very grim reality. But I think we need to resist thinking this way or castro will continue to get his way.
That’s one gutsy lady.
This photo says all the Cubans would like to say these days but are forced to keep silent.
I don’t know if you saw the ridiculous AP story about Cuba yesterday. Made my blood boil. One paragraph in particular really me dio rabia:
“There are, of course, hundreds of dissidents and political prisoners on the island of 11 million who abhor the system and feel a desperate need for rapid change. But most Cubans would not list political repression among their most immediate concerns.”
Well of course not. Most Cubans are not going to tell a reporter that they are concerned about political repression because they don’t want to become one of the “hundreds of dissidents and political prisoners.” How blind could that reporter be? Or maybe their most immediate concerns — not noted in the article — are things like food and medicine.
At least, according to the reporter, Cubans enjoy “safe streets, a rich and accessible cultural life, a leisurely lifestyle to enjoy with family and friends.” Uh huh.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/world/4095066.html
Does anyone know if there are, out of all the anti-castro groups, any of them ready to invade? ..or are we all to sit here like vieja chismosas? Waiting to see what happens?
That’s a really cool photo, but that caption saying most Cubans love all things American because, among other things, they “ride in vintage Detroit cars”… shit – like they have much choice.
Just more examples of the MSM turning something tragic into a novelty.
Hey, we didn’t earn the title of cubano comierda for nothing. When it all comes down to it, it’s all bark, and no bite….that’s why we’re here, and they’re over there. Where’s Bush’s committment to a free Cuba? Shouldn’t he be enacting the special recommendations of his “panel” at this critical time in history–cutting all travel to Cuba, stopping remittances, signing the Helms-Burton provision, or at least exerting some other additional pressure on Raul. Instead Rice sends a message to Cuba via Radio Marti, that’s not heard by anybody. Maybe it’s too early to call Bush out on this…
Felix Ricardo Dittos from me
Camaguey Dittos from me
As for the article mentioned there is a slight contradiction. fidel is just now able to carry a conversation? How then did he generate that handover of power statement if he could not speak?
Hmmmm????
“Cubans enjoy a leisurely lifestyle to enjoy with family and friend.” This is hilarious. Not having a job does lead to a leisurely lifestyle.
Hey Camaguey, bet you didn’t know that the 1996 Helms-Burton Act stipulates that a U.S. President may not lift the trade embargo as long as Fidel, Raúl or anyone they have appointed are in power. This denies the President important discretion and reduces the possibility that the U.S. could promote peaceful change through economic engagement with a post-Fidel Cuba.
well the latest out of Cuba is that fidel will be back to work in a few weeks. Looks like W missed another opportunity to comethrough for Cuba.
If Cuba is not free by the next election then I will sit out the election. Call me what you may, but I feel that my party has sat out on what is most important to me and I am doing the same back.
I hope that perhaps we could start some moevement to sit out the next election and not sell our souls for another 4 years of nothing! Pardon me but I am frustrated.
I agree 100% with pototo. But it shouldn’t be a surprise to us when we look back on his foreign policy track record. Just look at his policy regarding the rest of Latin America, North Korea, Iran, and one word, IRAQ. And someone before mentioned something negative about Bob Menendez in one of their comments…let me just say he’s a great Senator, who doesn’t make false promises that he can’t deliver, which is more than I can say about the entire South Florida consitutiency, i.e., Balart family, Ros, and Menendez.
Yes Felix Ricardo, there are anti-castro/commie military training groups independantly run in south Flordia. The F-4 Commandos and the Alpha 66 who train in the Everglades are probably the most popular.
They are probably iching for the US government to give them the green light and the proper weapons and funding, but I find that highly unlikely.
Oh, for Christ’s sake. Military commandos?
Its a new war folks. Its all about information.
lets be pragmatic, OK? if there havent been large scale military raids on Cuba up to now, there sure wont be any in the near future.
You wanna fight?
Spread the word.
Contrary to what the MSM & Carlos Lage say, I don’t think that the idea of fidel being back in “weeks” is “the latest out of Cuba”-that’s what the original statement on Monday said, that he’d be out for a few weeks. Lage is just parroting the official line, nothing new. IMHO, it was b.s. on Monday, and it’s still b.s. I don’t think he’s coming back, and if he does, it won’t be for long.
Just one more opinion.
P.S., the woman with the bandana is my hero. Tiene huevos, that’s for sure.
Reina Picara,
Engagement? Engagement with raul castro? Give me a break lady. It’s people like you that say Israel should negotiate with Hezbollah. How can you negotiate with a regime that has broken every promise it’s ever made?
Go back to your whiskey bottle.
I agree with Pototo. The Republicans are not doing us any favors lately, that’s for sure.
La Reina Picara,
“This denies the President important discretion and reduces the possibility that the U.S. could promote peaceful change through economic engagement with a post-Fidel Cuba.”
What are you talking about? Are you even on this planet?
To all those bashing the Republicans. Be careful what you wish for. The Democratic party, the only real alternative has leadership that likely would have lifted all sanctions and made things even worse.
I agree that the Republicans should have done more.
That said, the alternative would be the equivalent to shooting yourself in the foot.
Not the I agree with Reina Picara, but we must recognize that our government’s Cuba policy has been a failure for the past 40 some odd years. We find ourselves in a situation, now we’re pledging our full support for the opposition in Cuba, the very same opposition that has called on the exilio and Bush to ease some of the restrictions–pleas that have been ignored. Spread the word? Every avenue is either blocked by Fidel or Bush.
Mario and Pototo, you think the dems are going to give you any favors? Like I said a few days ago…if y’all want the dems to take over the House, then you’ll have Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, the san fran limo liberal; and the head of the ways and means commitee of the house…none other than Charlie “I love fidel more than alice walker does” Rangel….
And who will be the head of the judiciary committee? None other than John Conyers
and the senate? the majority leader will be Mr. Reid? And the arms services leader will be Carl Levin and Ted Kennedy
Biden will be the leader of the forein relations committee
and Leahy and Kennedy in charge of the judiciary committee.
If the above doesn’t frighten the beejeesus out of you . . . especially knowing that Pelosi will be 3rd in line to the presidency . . . then you’re either a masochist, a flaming liberal, a resident of Berkely California; the editorial board at the NYT and WASH Post; tripping on LSD and secretly wish to return to the 1968 convention in Chicago; Babs streisand, cindy “pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered” sheehan; etc. etc. etc.
heaven forbid the dems taking the white house in 2008 . . . as bad as bubba was, he is right wing extremist compared to the lot that is leading the Dems today. . .
Mike..i was in no way saying that the dem’s would be doing any better. It just seems to me that now that the cold war is over, Cuba means nothing to anyone. I can guarantee you that if Cuba had oil instead of sugarcane, this administration would have been in there like flies on shit. However, where it stands Cuba has nothing for GW to line his suit with. So here we are wondering what, if anything, will be done to get that hijo de puta good and gone.
interesting point Mario. There is some low grade crude oil discoveries in Cuba and Cuba stole all the US refineries . . . I say we have an interest there…
but I don’t think we’ll see anything happen anytime soon. The bay of pigs was the opportunity and it was blown . . . if only nixon had won the 1960 election…where would we be today….
The lady in the picture has more huevos then most men in Cuba. Its my humble opinon that most people in Cuba are happy with the money that their family members in the U.S. give them, con su botellita de ron, su musicita y la querida. In other words they are not pushing for change from within.
Eric, I find that statement rather offensive as it reminds me of an experience. In college I signed up for a class called “Social change” thinking that it had to do, well social change. My first day of class (this was 1982) I get there and the prof. tells us the class is called “Socialist change” (damn abbreviations) and that we would be focusing on Cuba. He tells us all about a trip he had taken to Cuba and then proceeds to tell us that those that left Cuba were the elite who would no longer be able to afford good liquor, good cigars, and women. Then it was time for us to all stand up one by one and introduce ourselves.
When it came to me, I stood up and said, “My name is Mario, I am a sophomre, I was born in Havana Cuba. My father smokes cigarettes but not cigars, he does not drink at all, and I’m pretty sure he’s quite happy with my mom. And you sir can go fuck yourself!” The class applauded. I walked out and went straight to the registrars office to drop the class. About ten students followed me.
While I agree that more change must be pushed from within, I cannot imagine what 47 years of oppression and fear have done to the people of Cuba. We are dealing with a generation that does not know much of anything else. I hope you can understand why your statement was offensive. We must figh to never be the niggers of castro’s revolution. Believing that, makes us just that.
By the way, all of that being said, this picture is amazing and beautiful. This beautiful Afro-Cuban woman seems to be saying, “fidel, I will NOT be your nigger!” Know that I am not using that word to denote color in the least.
somehow, someway, someone chose to read things into my comments such as it would be better than dems. I never said that. What I said is that I am considering sitting this next election out as a protest. Yes there are many issues involved in the coming election, but the ONE that matters MOST to ME is Cuba. With that said I don’t agree that things could get worse regarding Cuba.
1. Cuba has more Latin American influence now than it has in 47 years. (Venezuela, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay, Nicaragua, need I go on?)
2. Cuba’s influence now threatens our oil supply from our #2 supplier
3. We now have a Chinese Communist presence in Cuba with far greater damaging potential than the USSR ever had.
4. Cuba is now developing a relationship with Iran who is developing nuclear capabilities who would not do as Russia and pull the missiles for fear of castro using them, but salivates at the opportunity to use them on the US.
5. Cuba is not any closer to becoming free today than it has in the last 47 years.
6. The US’ best answer to castro thus far is a blimp with an antennae which send signals that cannot be received.
Now tell me it could be worse. I wonder if the secret annex in CACA II is a statement that read “always leave a secret annex so that the Cuban Americans will continue to vote for us in hope that we do something”
I wouldn’t be surprised if the annex reads “gotcha” and no I am not endorsing democrats just in case that is read into this comment as well.
I meant to start the previous with better with dems which I don’t believe
I wonder if pong could draw a political cartoon where the President is saying to Cuba “we’re behind you all the way” and showing the 90 mile gap.
That was a very selfish post of mine as I didn’t even mention how much worse things got for Cubans on the island.
Mario, I did not mean to offend you or anyone else on this blog. I know that there are people in Cuba who are trying to push for change and I applaud them. I have been talking to a few Cubans who have been in the States for only a few years and they reiterate my statement. One of these people told me that ‘in Cuba I was at the beach all day with my girlfriend having a good time without the stress that there is in this country.’ I think the government has brainwashed the Cuban people. Rum is cheap and plentiful over. People drink to forget. As I stated earlier I did not mean to offend you Mario but I believe in Cuba today this is a reality of life.
Eric, I know you did not mean to offend. And, I too, realize that the people of Cuba have been programmed into a very grim reality. But I think we need to resist thinking this way or castro will continue to get his way.