Cuba & Cruising...the politics

[camaraderie]

This thread is being established in off topic for those who wish to comment on the politics & law & moral issues surrounding cruising to Cuba. It will allow us to maintain an "in-topic" Cuba FACTUAL thread without mucking it up with our personal views.

[camaraderie]

This is a post by WindMagic that I have moved here from the "in-topic" thread. Kindly address any comments to WindMagic rather than myself.

I'm all about doing whatever you want, but I would not go to Cuba ...

It's obvious why people want to go there. I'm sure it's a great place to visit for the very reasons that nobody goes there. Since it has been isolated from the United States it hasn't picked up a lot of our culture over the past decades, so that makes it more foreign place that is set apart from the U.S., an interesting destination. Authentic food, dance, even people's attitudes are different there, I'm sure it's a fantastic destination.

However, deciding to go to Cuba is essentially thumbing your nose at all of the people who do their best to try to change policy within Cuba. Until Cuban's themselves want to change policy towards Cuba I won't go against their wishes, I will continue to try to support their efforts.

Not to get too political, but ... imagine your own home state in the U.S. is taken over by a dictator who takes over the state and imposes his own will. Now imagine people start disappearing in the middle of the night, maybe some of your own relatives, and the world isolates your state because it becomes such a problem child that nobody wants to play with it anymore. Your economy falters, your states people become oppressed, etc, until it gets to the point that some of your family starts to do whatever they can to leave and get to another state to live. Some succeed, some die. Now, image all the states around your state have strict laws in place not to trade with your state because they are trying to force your leader to change his ways and stop killing people and things. Your leader resists, and this goes on for years and years. Some of your family has left and lives in other states and they work to try to change things for the better in your state, working against your leader. BUT THEN SOME REDNECKS IN THE SURROUNDING STATES WHO DON'T EVEN COME FROM YOUR STATE START SAYING ... HEY, WOW, WE WANT TO GO THERE AND EXPERIENCE THE GREAT CULTURE OF THIS STATE THAT IS UNCHANGED FROM 40 YEARS AGO. IT IS UNSPOILED AND WE HEAR THEY MAKE GREAT FAJITAS THERE.

It's obviously an interesting destination, but I'd never go there, not until the Cuban people themselves get their lives back ...

[wind_magic]

Thanks Cam!

[Cruisingdad]

Oh boy, I see a long night of moderation ahead of me... BARTENDER!!!!

[Robby Barlow]

Originally Posted by wind magic

... imagine your own home state in the U.S. is taken over by a dictator who takes over the state and imposes his own will. Now imagine people start disappearing in the middle of the night, maybe some of your own relatives, and the world isolates your state because it becomes such a problem child that nobody wants to play with it anymore. Your economy falters....

Hell for a second there I thought somebody was talking about GWB!
Sorry my mistake...maybe!

[TSteele65]

The US embargo of Cuba hasn't worked, and won't work. The only thing that will change Cuba is Castro's funeral.

And to the Cubanos in FL: you're not getting **** back, so just drop it.

Oh yeah - I'd love to cruise to Cuba.

[CapnHand]

I apologize in advance for cluttering up this thread with facts.

I've only been to Cuba once for two weeks with my family. The impressions I have from being there are that it is a great place with wonderful people and I'd love to return (so I probably will).

Compared to what I've seen of other Caribbean islands, the Cubans are more honest, better educated, harder working and happier. They have less crime, better education and an overall better quality of life than their neighbouring islanders.