Quote Originally Posted by cohibasmoker View Post
Lived in Havana for a semester? What's that, 3-4 Months? Hum, at the end of your semester, how did you get home? Did you get on a airplane? Here's a suggestion - why not head back to Cuba and try spending a little more time in county instead of controlled "Havana". Head out of town and perhaps you'll be stopped and checked by some members of the Policía Nacional Revolucionaria, PNR, - you can voice your objections that your 4th Amendment rights are being violated. If your not arrested or beaten, you can talk to some of the folks who have family members incarcerated for life because they tried to voice their "Freedom of Speech". Or folks that had their land taken away from them for the "good" of the Country. Or, family members that were forced into State sponsored prostitution.

Yes, a large majority of Cuban Americans came to this Country in 1980 (Mariel Boatlift) and since that time, the homemade raft is the vessel of choice. So, instead of taking a plane home, try making a home-made raft. If the Cuban Navy doesn't sink your raft or kill you, you just have to navigate the 90 miles of shark infested waters. By the way, if the wind and tide isn't right, we could be swept out to sea and never heard from again. If you are lucky enough to make landfall, you may have a different view on what the Cubans refugees went through to get here and perhaps then, you'll have a better idea as to why they are upset with Mr. Guillen's statements.

I've never been to Cuba nor do I ever wish to go there. I've been a vacationer and owner of property in Key West for the past 20 years and have met my fair share of Cuban refugees and we have shared Mojitos and cigars plenty of times. They are a terrific and proud people and for the ones that got here on the home-made rafts, they have more "b _ _ _ s than most Americans will ever have, especially those Americans who complain that, if its raining on election day, they don't want to vote because they might get wet.

It's about RESPECT !!!!!!!!!!

Just some thoughts - hope I didn't offend.

Jim
I have plenty of perspective on why people are mad with Guillen, I just don't agree with their anger. I traveled all over Cuba when I was there. In fact, I was in contact with a number of families outside of Havana whose relatives I know in the States. Some of whome came to the US on rafts and stolen speedboats. Believe me, I've talked to people who have friends and family that have been arrested or never heard from again. When I traveled to non-tourist areas, I was stopped countless times, had my bags searched, and the only thing that got me out of trouble was the fact that I was a foreigner. It isn't the rosy picture that you seem to think I paint it as, but it isn't the distopian wasteland that many Cuban Americans paint it as. There are a number of misconceptions that people have, largely told to them by the Miami lobby. Yes, there are many Cubans every year that try to leave by raft. No, the Cuban Navy does not shoot them. Cuba has an open policy that if you wanna leave, go. They'll provide no help or no rescue to those wanting to leave. Yes, it is a very cold policy, but the Cuban navy isn't shooting people out of the water as you suggest.

But really, most Cubans leave their country by plane. The US offers 20,000-30,000 migrant visas per year to Cubans. When you consider the population of Cuba, that is a huge number. Most Cubans in the US that have come over in the boat lift or afterward are not as militant as the first generation. But if you talk to many younger Cubans in the US, they all just want to go back, Castro or not (though preferrably not).

You should go to Cuba. So you can see how it really is, but for also how beautiful a place it is. Sure, the government sucks and is oppressive, but the people are still proud and really do with to have more contact with the US. Objectivity, man. So many people lack that perspective in the Cuban debate.