The United States Should Normalize Relations with Cuba

Today's resolution states Resolved: The United States should normalize relations with Cuba. I am in negation of the resolution by saying that the relations with Cuba are normal. I would like to define a few terms before I enter the debate. The word negate: to prove false Through the definition of the word negate we can see I am meeting the criteria of the debate round and negating the resolution by saying that the relation with Cuba are already normalized. Normalized: Normalization is a process whereby behaviors and ideas are made to seem normal through repetition to the point where they appear natural. Contention 1) Repetition Repetition is The act or process or an instance of repeating or being repeated. History shows us the repetition of our relationship being bad and good thus meeting the criteria of the definition of normalized in the debate, also allowing me to negate the resolution by stating the relations with Cuba are already normalized. Bear with me as I go through a brief history of Cuba and the United States. On April 10 1869, the first constituent assembly prepares for the first Constitution of the Republic of Cuba and elects Carlos Manuel as the first president. President Grant and his cabinet refuse to recognize the new Cuban government even after House votes and wins 98 to 25 to recognize it. In 1872, President Grant rejects a proposal that offers Cuban independence and the abolition of slavery. In 1880 The U.S. is Cuba's largest trading partner. 83% of Cuban exports were sold to the U.S. 1890s. U.S. newspaper baron William Randolph seeds his newspaper with phony stories about atrocities in Cuba to incite America to intervene in Cuba. In January 1899 the American military takes control over Cuba and will rule until 1902, only to regain Cuba in 1906-1909. In 1903, Gauntanimo bay is opened and Cuba is paid $2,000 in gold coin for it. In 1906 when the Cuban president is accused of election fraud the U.S. intervenes and sends in 2,000 marines and 5,600 army soldiers to occupy the country under the command of William Taft. In 1925 the United States controlled over ï¿½ of the sugar produced in Cuba. In 1962 U.S. spy planes began flying over Cuban airspace to photograph the island. Cuba turns to the USSR for support. Thus we enter the Cuban Missile crisis. Where the U.S. forces a naval Quarantine of Cuba. In 1963 Kennedy prohibits travel to Cuba and makes financial and commercial transactions with Cuba illegal. In 1966 Lyndon Johnson signs a law that allows 120,000 Cubans to immediately apply for permanent residency within the United States. In 1994 the United States tightens its immigration laws against Cuba. In 2002 George Bush vetoed any easing of the sanctions against Cuba. As you can see policy towards Cuba is repetition and looks to be normal through the eyes of a normal citizen looking back at history. The actions of sanctioning Cuba do appear natural as several presidents enact such a movement. Therefore relations with Cuba are already normal and do not need to be normalized. (cubanet.org) (www.historyofcuba.com/cuba.htm) (www.globalexchange.org/index.html) Cuba, A Concise History for Travelers, by Alan Twigg, Penguin Books, Toronto, 2000) Contention 2) Natural The definition of the word natural is something that is unthinking (or as if by) instinct; such as "a cat's natural aversion to water"; Human Nature is to be resistant to change or resistant to those who speak out against you. (psychologytoday.com) Since the Cuban Revolution succeeded in ousting the corrupt puppet Batista regime in 1959, succeeding U.S. administrations have done all that they could to undermine the Cuban government. During the 1960s, such interventions were not limited to the failed Bay of Pigs invasion of 1961, but also included a covert military operation that carried on through the mid-1960s. This accompanied economic sanctions and other efforts to isolate the Cuban government. The historic hatred of the Cuban government by various U.S. presidents and their Congressional supporters has less to do with the fact that the Communist Party of Cuba is in power than another fact. A small, Western Hemispheric country, made up largely of Black and Brown people, chose to stand up to the United States, throw the Mafia out of the country, and insist that their country be treated with respect by their northern neighbor, which had for more than half a century, interfered in the internal affairs of their country. If this is not the reason, then nothing else makes sense. So by acting by their natural instincts to be disdainful toward those that rebuke or refute us, the United States has indeed already normalized relations with Cuba. And the resolution is negated. Conclusion As the saying goes why fix something that isn't in need of fixing? In this case it is our relations with Cuba. I have shown why I negate the resolution and strongly urge an Negative Ballot on the Resolution that The United States should normalize relations with Cuba.