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Thread: Ozzie Guillen in Trouble
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04-13-2012, 08:41 AM #1
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- Mar 2011
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Re: Ozzie Guillen in Trouble
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.