From: ez007856@hamlet.ucdavis.edu
Newsgroups: soc.culture.latin-america
Subject: Re: Humanitarian, Cuba, Et Al.
Date: 18 Aug 92 17:28:06 GMT
Organization: Computing Services, UC Davis

In <1992Aug18.112826.1@husky1.stmarys.ca> a Canadian friend writes


>   No.  The torricelli Bill is being opposed because people care more
>about the health of Cubans than AMERICAN politics.  The politics that
>have kept the economic embargo in place for three decades.

>     RE:  #1.  *Sigh*.  Interesting that Political-Economy is only
>achieved when it fits the interests of the USA.  Otherwise, economic
>interests are generally left to their own affair, regardless of the
>impact on people's lives.

Hum.  Well it might also be used to fit the interests of our norhtern 
provinces who do plenty of buisiness with Castro's bloody party.  After all, 
our dessert storm comrades would'nt want to see their investments go up in 
flames in the event a Caucescu type insurreccion surfaces in Cuba.

>        Now.  "Castigate governments with corporations that do business
>with Cuba".  Hmmmm.  Well, I'll forward this off to Ottawa and see
>how much MY GOVERNMENT appreciates a threat of castigation from an
>American stuck in the "we know what's right for the world" mindset.

Ottawa! Well why the hell don't you stick your opinions to our free trade 
partner and quit messing around with a U.S. congressman.  Well, I forgot, thhe 
US has to have its provincial Ottawa government involved in our foreign policy 
decisions just as they were when our government bombed Bagdad.

>LISTEN:  The economic embargo has done more harm to Cubans than anything
>Castro has done in the past 30 years.  Putting pressure on Latin
>American countries to isolate Cuba or face a cutoff of AMERICAID is
>another example of the US's continuing paranoia of socialist ideology.

The same paranoia that has Mr. Yeltsin in power.  The same paranoia that 
brought down the wall...

>IF, 30 years ago, the embargo was not imposed, then we would hve
>seen by now whether Castro's brand of Socialism would have survived
>in the Global economy.  If nothing else, the embargo in fact added
>to Castro's success.. making him a hero in his people's eyes, and
>forcing him to embrace the Communist east, a choice he did not make
>enthusiastically.

If 30 yers ago, the embargo was not imposed, then we would have seen by now 
wheter Castro's missiles  would have worked, whether Nicaraguans would have had 
free elections, whether druglord Noriega would be ruling Panama, whether Mr. 
Bishop would have been murdered by his comrades in Greneda, whether Mr. Allende 
would have had to commit suicide, whether Bolivia would be in the hands of Dr. 
Guevarra, whether thousand of Eritreans and Ethiopians would have had to 
perish.  So, now its time to go back in time and see if Fidel's soviet colony 
would have survived with its free trade while at the same time it 
simmultaneously exported its "revolution" around the world.  But unfortunately, 
we can't turn history back and see if the "real socialist" project is going to 
work.  After all it is Mr. Castro who really opposes free trade when he blocks 
the recent AT&T proposal to modernize his phone system so that that cubans can 
keep in touch with their families abroad, or prevents wealthy Cubans to deliver 
their dollars to their families and not the government of Mr. Castro so that he 
can use them to subsidize cheap vacations for Canadian racists in Caribbean 
beaches.

>        RE:  #2   Allow medicines into Cuba regardless.  Where the
>USA places conditions on it's Third World Aid, Cuba sends it's
>health care workers and volunteers without strings.  Only the
>selfless want to help others, without seeking a PROFIT in the venture,
>as every American has been indoctrinated to do since birth.

Wrong, there is a political toll for those who recieve this kiss of death: 
Cuba wants to simply elimintate is political isolation with "humanitarian" aid. 
 For example when the U.S. embargoed drug kingpin Noriega, Fidel sent 
"medicines" (along with weapons) that nearly poisoned everyone that tried them. 
 So this theory of the Cuban humanitarioan ambulace comes at a price and has 
the clear political goal of setting up further trade to keep Fidel's lifestyle 
afloat.

>Money is less important than Lives.  Repeat that several times.
>With any luck, it will stick and you may see things a little more
>clearly in the future.  Pardon my self-righteous manner, but
>the attitude displayed within your message is one that provokes
>my temper whenever I hear it.  Unfortunately, It's heard all too
>often.  Get a Life.

Canadian Money is less important than Cuban Lives (said Fidel). Canadian Money 
is less important than Cuban Lives (said Fidel). Canadian Money is less 
important than Cuban Lives (said Fidel). Canadian Money is less important than 
Cuban Lives (said Fidel).Canadian Money is less important than Cuban Lives 
(said Fidel).  Enough repetitions?  Well now, open the whorehouses for our 
Canadian tourists!  Destill rum from sugar for our Canadian tourists!  Take the 
beaches away from the Cubans for our Canadian tourists! Canadian Money is less 
important than Cuban Lives (said Fidel).

>If you agree simply write a letter or call your Senator, and let him know what

>you think about the Bill.

>Indeed.  Write a letter.  Ask that the bill be revoked/opposed/etc.
>Cuba deserves the right to self-determination.  U-S intervention
>prior to Castro's takeover was quite enough, thank you.  Leave well
>enough alone, allow Cuba to trade internationally, or is the concept
>of an OPEN MARKET too alien to you?  Sarcasm intended.

How dare you meddle into the internal affairs of our government!  Canadian 
intervention during the Castro regime has been quite enough, thank you.  Leave 
well enough alone, allow the Cuban people to travel at ease,  or is the concept 
of HUMAN RIGHTS to alien to you? Sarcasm intended.

>By the way.  Consider this point... Why is it that only the USA stands
>against Cuba?  Why have other countries refused to tow the line and
>join the economic blockade?  I hate to break this to you, but it's
>not because the U-S is morally superior to the rest of us. It is
>in fact because the rest of the world is not blinded by the American
>Ego.  For once, just once, consider your position, think about
>whether or not you are in fact right.

Well here's a possible answer: The U.S. "stands alone" (I dont think so: Mr. 
Yeltsin seems to be behind our government) because the U.S. hasn't invested in 
Cuba since the moment it had the decency to harbor Cuban exiles who have been 
persecuted for the past 30 years or so, including the Mariel exodus (who by the 
way weren't treated so good in our northern provinces).  Since there is  no 
"economic" interst at stake our government has a free hand when it come to 
applying pressure on Castro.  However, obviously there are security matters at 
stake (remember the missiles) and I'm sure that if Kim Il Sung would have found 
its way to say, Greenland, our northern province would be aking for our sweet 
intervention just as happend during the cold war an the fear of strategic 
bombers coming in from across the Arctic.  But what the hell, I'm wrong and 
your rigt!

>And look at the exiled Cuban community in Florida for what they are...
>the elite of a country who've been stripped of their social power and
>their wealth, so that the majority of Cubans could benefit.  The greater
>good is always the better good.

Nice stereotype, but you forget something...Mariel.  What about that "elite" 
which Castro called the "scum" of his land and which were willing to die in a 
prison riot that return to that wealth sharing Cuban where the majority 
benefits.  Sarcasm intended.  As to the greater good is always the better good: 
 this policy seems to be alien to Cuban shores, where the Communist party elite 
enjoys the "best" hospitals the "best" schools and the most privileges (they 
can even travel and live for some time abroad (see Silviio Rodriguez).  So if 
Castro is so worried about the good of the many, why doesn't he allow Cubans to 
travel freely back and fourth from Florida?

>Canada stands firm in it's support of Cuban self-determination.  We do
>and will continue to trade with that beautiful country full of friendly
>people.  Not 'godless communists waiting to attack our shores'.

Good for you and your government,  but let us practice our self-determination 
too and not ratify our "free" trade agreement with Ottawa until they  amend 
their honeymoon with the butcher of Havanna, a city which by the way is full of 
godless communists who have a good record when it comes to waiting to attack 
our shores, which happen to be 90, and not 1,000 miles away.

>Some times you people just turn my stomach.

Ibidem

Edelmiro Salas