Americans on work brigades in Cuba more determined to defy U.S. policies a

[Judi Lynn]

Americans on work brigades in Cuba more determined to defy U.S. policies against communist island

VANESSA ARRINGTON, Associated Press Writer
Friday, July 16, 2004
(07-16) 01:56 PDT HAVANA (AP) --

They have been coming to Cuba for decades, building schools, pruning citrus trees and helping with the sugar harvest to show support for the communist island.

But this year's visit by members of Brigada Venceremos, a group of American activists in its 35th year, has added significance: It's a direct challenge to new U.S. rules tightening restrictions on travel to Cuba.

"The Cubans need to see that solidarity has not stopped," said Bonnie Massey, a 23-year-old high school counselor from New York City. "We're very firm on our stance. We have the moral law on our side."

The activists don't know what to expect when they return to the United States by way of Canada next week. But they say they are ready to defend what they believe is their constitutional right to travel.
(snip/...)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/07/16/international0456EDT0454.DTL

[Judi Lynn]

1. Mexico, Cuba to reestablish diplomatic relationship

Posted on Thu, Jul. 15, 2004

Mexico, Cuba to reestablish diplomatic relationship

By SUSANA HAYWARD

Knight Ridder Newspapers


MEXICO CITY - Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Ernesto Derbez will travel to Cuba Sunday in an effort to mend troubled diplomatic relations that caused the two nations to withdraw their ambassadors earlier this year.

Derbez will meet with his counterpart, Foreign Minister Felipe Roque, during the one-day whirlwind visit, though Mexican officials cautioned that quick results weren't guaranteed.

"It's a step in the right direction, but we still have a lot of ground to cover," Miguel Hakim, Mexican undersecretary of Latin American and Caribbean affairs, said Tuesday in announcing the trip.
(snip)

Cuban President Fidel Castro has called Fox a "lackey" of the Bush administration. He embarrassed Fox in 2002 by releasing audiotapes of Fox telling Castro that he wasn't welcome at a U.N.-sponsored summit in Monterrey in 2002, for fear that Castro would clash with President Bush. "You eat and leave," Fox told Castro.
(snip/...)

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/world/9163995.htm?ERIGHTS=8869774422736412123kansascity:&KRD_RM=9pprrsxutyvutsutuqvxpppppp

[donsu]

2. kick

nt

[Mika]

3. Why kick this thread?

DUsers don't care about this.

The Dem party doesn't care about this.

Its not helpful for a Dem win to point out that the Dems own policy is inane.

As a matter of fact Mr Kerry supports the trade embargo on Cuba and travel sanctions on Americans.

This is his/the Dem party Cuba policy platform.

Kerry's stated policy on Cuba:
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/8848574.htm

Under a Kerry administration Cuba will remain under US sanctions

Under a Kerry administration we will still be travel banned unless our travel is deemed politically worthy by US gov jackboots



Mr Kerry, Tear down the wall!

[donsu]

8. I kicked it because it is important

and I hoped other people would see it

[Mika]

9. True. It helps to point out how corrupt Dems are on this, too.

It helps to draw the parallels of repuke and Dem party platforms regarding their combined failed, unjust and illegal policies against Cuba AND American citizens.

Both parties ignore the will of the US people, as well as the majority of Cuban immigrants.


It is important, but not for a Kerry win, because this story only highlights the failure of the policy that Kerry has stated he will continue.

---

Kerry's stated policy on Cuba:
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/8848574.htm

Under a Kerry administration Cuba will remain under US sanctions

Under a Kerry administration we will still be travel banned unless our travel is deemed politically worthy by US gov jackboots

Mr Kerry, Tear down the wall!

[nodehopper]

11. thanks, donsu!

[nodehopper]

10. I'm a DU-er and I care about this

I just woke up and wouldn't have seen this if it hadn's been kicked.

Why are you speaking for me?

[Mika]

13. Pay attention

I "kicked" this thread from page 5 yesterday afternoon (post #3).

It was a sarcastic commentary on the way DU's Cuba threads either sink like a stone, are locked, or are "dissappeared".

It did light a fire under yer ass, didn't it? :evilgrin:

on edit: Thanks for caring about Cuba/US issues. I care very much about this also. :hi:

[nodehopper]

15. never mind

read it before had coffee. Brain slow. Hi.

I have a lot of problems with Cuba and with the frequent non-critical reification of Cuba by the American Left, but I have even more problems with the US policies on the subject.

[Judi Lynn]

4. 200 Americans Set to Defy Cuba Travel Ban July 19

200 Americans Set to Defy Cuba Travel Ban July 19: Challenges Will Take Place at Border Crossings from Canada and Mexico

NEW YORK - July 15 - On Monday morning, July 19, more than 200 U.S. citizens will proclaim their constitutional right to travel, as they return home from Cuba. The U.S. travel ban, which denies Americans the right to see Cuba for themselves, has been in effect for more than forty years - lifted briefly by Pres. Jimmy Carter - and has recently been tightened by the Bush Administration.

One hundred members of the Venceremos Brigade and the African Awareness Association will cross from Ft. Erie, Ontario into Buffalo, New York at 8:30 am on July 19. Over one hundred members of the Pastors for Peace Friendshipment Caravan will cross into McAllen, Texas from Mexico on that same morning. All three groups have traveled to Cuba without a "license" because they are opposed to the travel restrictions and do not accept the US government's right to stop them from traveling to Cuba.

The Venceremos Brigade arrived in Cuba on July 4 and has spent nearly two weeks in Cuba, working in both Santiago de Cuba and Havana provinces, and traveling across the island. The Brigade is a diverse group from around the US with members ranging in age from 16 to 73, and from many ethnic and racial backgrounds. They are united by their desire to see Cuba for themselves and are willing to risk draconian fines and harassment at the border to stand up for their right to travel. The Brigade has traveled to Cuba yearly since 1969, and has sent over 8000 people who have worked and traveled in Cuba.

"I'm going to Cuba to become more acquainted with Cuba's struggles," said Diego Iniquez a 17-year-old Cuban American Brigadista from New Jersey. "I believe their struggle is one of inspiration to the world's impoverished masses. This is why everyone should see Cuba first-hand and leave the propaganda about their reality at home. We do this challenge in defiance of the US laws because our moral laws tell us to do so."
(snip/...)

http://www.commondreams.org/news2004/0715-02.htm

[Mika]

5. Tens of thousands "defy the ban" every year

Of the over 200,000 Americans who go to Cuba every year, only about 100,000 to 150,000 per year are Cuban-Americans. How many stories were posted on LBN here at DU on the charges and fines levied on Americans who have gone to Cuba, including grandmothers who had gone there on cycling trips and Americans who visited their relative graves or spread cremation ashes in Cuba?

I'm glad that they are making a public stink about the travel sanctions, but WHERE THE FUCK IS THE DEM PARTY ON THIS?

Right here..

Kerry's stated policy on Cuba:
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/8848574.htm

Under a Kerry administration Cuba will remain under US sanctions

Under a Kerry administration we will still be travel banned unless our travel is deemed politically worthy by US gov jackboots

Mr Kerry, Tear down the wall!

[pinerow]

6. That is the major disappointment I had with Bill Clinton;

I felt sure he would lift the embargo in his second term, and then I woke up.

[struggle4progress]

7. kick

:kick:

[davsand]

12. My husband went to Cuba with Venceremos several years ago.

He says it was an awesome experience and wants to go again someday. Frankly, I'd consider going with him this next time simply because I think it is about time the US pulls its head out of its collective backside when it comes to Cuba.

I never cease to be amazed that we give China and several other nations "preferred trade" status, but somehow Cuba is the ONE place Americans aren't even supposed to freaking visit--let alone trade with. Do these guys supporting the ban have a clue WHY this whole ban even began? Do they REALIZE that our policies have contributed to the problems rather than helping to solve them?

I have to wonder what reason Kerry has for his opinion on Cuba? Does anyone know what his logic is and why he supports a continued ban?

Laura

[Mika]

14. Kerry/Dem party logic

Money.

On one side - From the wealthy (and some taxpayer funded) extremist anti Castro organizations/PACs.

On the other side - The various agri PACs, shipping PACs, travel PACs, etc


The reason why BOTH parties play the game - keeping the embargo & travel sanctions "on the table" as a hot issue - is to keep the money rolling in to the campaigns who choose to use it as a fundraising issue.

Its a mixed bag that crosses party lines, there are both Dems and repugs on both sides of the issue.


Picture example,

CANF founder and Clinton fundraiser Jorge Mas Canosa & Bill Clinton

[govegan]

16. What can't the Dem party be realistic, like Kucinich?

The party leadership needs to wake up stop living in the past.

As Dennis has said:


Our policy toward Cuba has failed. More than four decades of a unilateral embargo and persistently hostile and aggressive rhetoric and actions from successive administrations have created only misery for the Cuban people and have hurt, not helped, U.S. interests at large.

Common sense dictates that we pursue a policy of normalizing relations with Cuba. We need a president who will work for repeal of the Helms-Burton Act and the immediate lifting of the trade embargo. We must lift not only the trade embargo. We must also lift the travel ban. We must cooperate with Cuba on issues of national security.

It is time to create a new era in Cuban-American relations.

A Kucinich administration would take several steps to restoring a more humane and effective policy toward this important neighbor:

1. Support normal bilateral trade with Cuba. Farm communities throughout the U.S. are being denied a natural market in Cuba, and Americans are being denied products from Cuba.
2. Restore Americans' freedom to travel to Cuba. Our government's travel ban violates the Constitutionally guaranteed freedom of movement.
3. Work to repeal the Cuban Adjustment Act, which has encouraged smuggling and put lives at risk -- and has reinforced arbitrary and unequal immigration policies.
4. Support increased national security cooperation with Cuba.

[Mika]

17. Please define "failed"

I'm in on DK's Cuba platform. :thumbsup:

But, I always get a little nervous when we use terms like "failed policy". Failure for who? What would comprise a success?

BTW, :hi:

[govegan]

21. Well, I meant to say

The party leadership needs to wake up AND stop living in the past.

The US Cuba policy has failed because it was bootless to begin with. It was defined under many erroneous assumptions about Castro, communism/socialism, Cuba, democracy, monopoly-capitalism, neofascism, etc.

Possibly there was a time when some of the assumptions could have made some sense, but that was long ago. That is why the party leadership needs to stop living in the past.

As Kucinich says in point four: Support increased national security cooperation with Cuba.

What a concept! Security in cooperation. Recognition of common humanity. :wow:


I would comment more, but have work to do today.

:hi:

[Judi Lynn]

19. So glad to see your post, govegan. Kucinich has done his homework,

hasn't he? He speaks from a position of knowledge of US/Cuban relations.

Most people haven't taken the time to find out what has happened in the last 50 years, and have NO awareness of Cubans altogether, but they STILL take time to spew a lot of emotional fact-challenged rhetoric, based entirely on the propaganda meals so thoughtfully prepared for them.

[davsand]

18. Playing games...

I realize a lot of people did suffer under Castro. Some of his policies have been awful--but have they been any worse than some of the other restrictive leaders in any other dictatorship? (For that matter, have they been any worse than some of the things the US would do if Ashkkkroft and Co. had total power?)

I know the scars run deep, but surely they have got to see sooner or later that the one way to change the situation is to open trade and travel. Is it really beyond comprehension that being a good international neighbor might just change things for those who live there? Seems to me, that most other regimes have fallen under the weight of exposure to less restrictions and support from outside.

They have all played games with Cuba for so long that they have lost sight of any real goal except that of punishing the people there for being oppressed.

Laura

[Mika]

20. Hi Laura

I've been to Cuba many times (legally), including during the 1997-98 elections. Cuba is democratic. I know it runs totally contrary to what you've probably heard. It was the same for me before I had actually been there a few times to see it for myself.

Its very easy to follow the US's "party line" regarding Cuba (after all, its been part of a lifelong barrage of anti commie propaganda for most of us), but some personal responsibility is necessary before we can assume anything for or about the Cuban people or their country or their REAL system of government (as opposed to the propaganda we hear in the US) - That personal responsibility is educating ourselves. Hard to do with a media and travel ban isn't it? Cubans are 100% capable of taking care of their own political system, and they have proven their ability to overthrow even the worst of the worst US supported & armed, blood soaked murderous dictator - Batista. Cubans (not just Castro) have proven much much more - as evidenced in their parliamentary system, friendly and charitable relations worldwide, education system stats & health care stats recognized internationally.

Cubans aren't oppressed, unless you consider the lack of a corporate controlled government & society to be oppression. All that it takes to feel that Cubans are oppressed is to not go there and to believe US propaganda.

As for many Cuban-Cubans that I know, they consider Americans to be oppressed by the lack of democracy (as exemplified by the 2000 selection and the 2002 mid-terms).

A little info for your perusal,

Here are some of the major parties in Cuba. The union parties hold the majority of seats in the Assembly.

http://www.gksoft.com/govt/en/cu.html

* Partido Comunista de Cuba (PCC) {Communist Party of Cuba}
* Partido Demócrata Cristiano de Cuba (PDC) {Christian Democratic Party of Cuba} - Oswaldo Paya's Catholic party
* Partido Solidaridad Democrática (PSD) {Democratic Solidarity Party}
* Partido Social Revolucionario Democrático Cubano {Cuban Social Revolutionary Democratic Party}
* Coordinadora Social Demócrata de Cuba (CSDC) {Social Democratic Coordination of Cuba}
* Unión Liberal Cubana {Cuban Liberal Union}

Plenty of info on this long thread,
http://www.democraticunderground.com/cgi-bin/duforum/duboard.cgi?az=show_thread&om=6300&forum=DCForumID70


http://www.poptel.org.uk/cuba-solidarity/democracy.htm

This system in Cuba is based upon universal adult suffrage for all those aged 16 and over. Nobody is excluded from voting, except convicted criminals or those who have left the country. Voter turnouts have usually been in the region of 95% of those eligible .

There are direct elections to municipal, provincial and national assemblies, the latter represent Cuba's parliament.

Electoral candidates are not chosen by small committees of political parties. No political party, including the Communist Party, is permitted to nominate or campaign for any given candidates.

--

Representative Fidel Castro was elected to the National Assembly as a representative of District #7 Santiago de Cuba.
He is one of the elected 607 representatives in the Cuban National Assembly. It is from that body that the head of state is nominated and then elected. Raul Castro, Carlos Large, and Ricardo Alarcon and others were among the nominated last year. President Castro has been elected to that position since 1976.

http://www.bartleby.com/65/do/Dorticos.html

Dorticós Torrado, Osvaldo

1919–83, president of Cuba (1959–76). A prosperous lawyer, he participated in Fidel Castro’s revolutionary movement and was imprisoned (1958). He escaped and fled to Mexico, returning to Cuba after Castro’s triumph (1959). As minister of laws (1959) he helped to formulate Cuban policies. He was appointed president in 1959. Intelligent and competent, he wielded considerable influence. In 1976 the Cuban government was reorganized, and Castro assumed the title of president; Dorticós was named a member of the council of state.

The Cuban government was reorganized (approved by popular vote) into a variant parliamentary system in 1976.

You can read a short version of the Cuban system here,
http://members.allstream.net/~dchris/CubaFAQDemocracy.html

Or a long and detailed version here,
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0968508405/qid=1053879619/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/102-8821757-1670550?v=glance&s=books

[davsand]

22. Thank you for the links.

I'll do some homework now.

Laura