Comments on: Cuba Libre III: WAITING FOR GO … RBACHEV http://blog.psaonline.org/2008/09/01/waiting-for-go-%e2%80%a6-rbachev/ Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:45:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Chris Balducci http://blog.psaonline.org/2008/09/01/waiting-for-go-%e2%80%a6-rbachev/comment-page-1/#comment-1239661 Chris Balducci Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:38:49 +0000 http://blog.psaonline.org/?p=598#comment-1239661 I think Julio Calabaza is a recent immigrant from Cuba who likely grew up hearing nothing but anti-U.S. and anti-Cuban exile propaganda from the Castro government. As you know, when you tell a big lie long enough, people will start to believe it. There are likely many in Cuba who think like him - disliking the Castros but suspicious about the exiles who left many years ago, who they have been told intend to return to Cuba, dispossess the natives, and recreate their privileged lifestyles at the expense of the Cuban majority. I don’t see how that can be done, when most of those who left Cuba in the late 50s and early 60s as adults, the ones who supposedly benefited from the Batista regime, are dead. Remember that Canada, Great Britain, and other democracies traded with Cuba throughout the years of the U.S. embargo, and continue to do so, without any threat to the Castro dictatorship. Remember all the support that the Soviet Union gave Cuba over the years, much more than the United States ever did. Don't blame the U.S. embargo for the Cuban people's suffering. By the way, the Soviets dominated Cuban life in a way America never did. I have often read that Batista was "right-wing". Doesn't part of that mean "anti-Communist"? How is it that the Cuban Communist Party supported him during much of his regime? I would like to add that any exiles who are filled with bitterness and hatred toward the Castros and anyone else in Cuba you are estranged from should let it go. By holding onto them, you are not only being self-destructive but giving the Castros and others a victory over you. Do the Christian thing and take that victory away by forgiving them. God bless you. I think Julio Calabaza is a recent immigrant from Cuba who likely grew up hearing nothing but anti-U.S. and anti-Cuban exile propaganda from the Castro government. As you know, when you tell a big lie long enough, people will start to believe it. There are likely many in Cuba who think like him – disliking the Castros but suspicious about the exiles who left many years ago, who they have been told intend to return to Cuba, dispossess the natives, and recreate their privileged lifestyles at the expense of the Cuban majority.
I don’t see how that can be done, when most of those who left Cuba in the late 50s and early 60s as adults, the ones who supposedly benefited from the Batista regime, are dead.
Remember that Canada, Great Britain, and other democracies traded with Cuba throughout the years of the U.S. embargo, and continue to do so, without any threat to the Castro dictatorship. Remember all the support that the Soviet Union gave Cuba over the years, much more than the United States ever did. Don’t blame the U.S. embargo for the Cuban people’s suffering. By the way, the Soviets dominated Cuban life in a way America never did.
I have often read that Batista was “right-wing”. Doesn’t part of that mean “anti-Communist”? How is it that the Cuban Communist Party supported him during much of his regime?
I would like to add that any exiles who are filled with bitterness and hatred toward the Castros and anyone else in Cuba you are estranged from should let it go. By holding onto them, you are not only being self-destructive but giving the Castros and others a victory over you. Do the Christian thing and take that victory away by forgiving them. God bless you.

]]> By: Julio Calabaza http://blog.psaonline.org/2008/09/01/waiting-for-go-%e2%80%a6-rbachev/comment-page-1/#comment-1234741 Julio Calabaza Wed, 03 Sep 2008 14:20:42 +0000 http://blog.psaonline.org/?p=598#comment-1234741 One day Cuba would be free of Castro and his regime. When that happens people like Moneo and Henry Gomez would think of themself as Hero. In many ways they will think that the Victory over Castro had many things to do with them. I have news for them. People in Cuba hate Castro, most of them at the very least, but they also hate those whom for years have done nothing other than support an embargo that did nothing for them. The only thing the Embargo have done is make el Difunto Mascanosa a very rich person. The only thing the Embargo have done is gurantee Lincon Diaz Ballart a seat in Congress as well as Ileana Ros. One day Cuba would be free of Castro and his regime. When that happens people like Moneo and Henry Gomez would think of themself as Hero. In many ways they will think that the Victory over Castro had many things to do with them.
I have news for them. People in Cuba hate Castro, most of them at the very least, but they also hate those whom for years have done nothing other than support an embargo that did nothing for them. The only thing the Embargo have done is make el Difunto Mascanosa a very rich person. The only thing the Embargo have done is gurantee Lincon Diaz Ballart a seat in Congress as well as Ileana Ros.

]]> By: George L. Moneo http://blog.psaonline.org/2008/09/01/waiting-for-go-%e2%80%a6-rbachev/comment-page-1/#comment-1230771 George L. Moneo Mon, 01 Sep 2008 15:16:13 +0000 http://blog.psaonline.org/?p=598#comment-1230771 In my previous response I outlined eight conditions that we would require to be in place before lifting the economic embargo. These are: 1. That all Cuban political prisoners and prisoners of conscience be released immediately and granted an unconditional amnesty. 2. That all Cubans be allowed to move freely within the country. 3. That the existing system of apartheid-like segregation be eradicated immediately, specifically that all Cubans be treated as equals to their foreign counterparts, such as “prominent scholars and artists” from abroad. 4. That all Cubans be granted access to all sources of uncensored information, whether in broadcast, print, or Internet immediately. 5. That all Cubans be granted the freedom to express their opinions freely without fear of repercussions. 6. That all Cubans be allowed to travel abroad freely. 7. That all Cubans be allowed to live, work, and seek a better life for themselves as they see fit. 8. That all Cubans be allowed to elect their leaders through verifiable, transparent democratic elections as allowed for in Cuba’s last legitimate constitution, the Constitution of 1940. I have used these eight points to debate the wisdom of lifting the embargo without requiring a quid pro quo from the Cuban government. My question is very simple: Why is it that some folks are willing to play with the lives of the Cuban people without holding their captors to account? What is so wrong, so egregious, about demanding the same rights we have for the people on the island of Cuba? Nobody can argue away any of them. They are basic human rights. So I ask again: Is it misplaced admiration for the regime? Is it intellectual laziness? Or is it that most folks just don't give a crap about the millions imprisoned on the island? Why are these eight basic points considered such a "transformation"? We would demand no less. In my previous response I outlined eight conditions that we would require to be in place before lifting the economic embargo. These are:

1. That all Cuban political prisoners and prisoners of conscience be released immediately and granted an unconditional amnesty.

2. That all Cubans be allowed to move freely within the country.

3. That the existing system of apartheid-like segregation be eradicated immediately, specifically that all Cubans be treated as equals to their foreign counterparts, such as “prominent scholars and artists” from abroad.

4. That all Cubans be granted access to all sources of uncensored information, whether in broadcast, print, or Internet immediately.

5. That all Cubans be granted the freedom to express their opinions freely without fear of repercussions.

6. That all Cubans be allowed to travel abroad freely.

7. That all Cubans be allowed to live, work, and seek a better life for themselves as they see fit.

8. That all Cubans be allowed to elect their leaders through verifiable, transparent democratic elections as allowed for in Cuba’s last legitimate constitution, the Constitution of 1940.

I have used these eight points to debate the wisdom of lifting the embargo without requiring a quid pro quo from the Cuban government. My question is very simple: Why is it that some folks are willing to play with the lives of the Cuban people without holding their captors to account? What is so wrong, so egregious, about demanding the same rights we have for the people on the island of Cuba? Nobody can argue away any of them. They are basic human rights. So I ask again: Is it misplaced admiration for the regime? Is it intellectual laziness? Or is it that most folks just don’t give a crap about the millions imprisoned on the island?

Why are these eight basic points considered such a “transformation”? We would demand no less.

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