He could go and stay. Then he'd be with his family there all the time. --s

Scott,

It's not that simple. He's an American. Born here in the USA. He is my best friend. While I may not agree with his opinion, I respect it.

OMG. I don't know why but I guess I hadn't read the restrictions that closely. I thought the only major change was that visits could only be every 3 years instead of yearly. I just did my research and found the official documents. Like your friend, I too will not meet my family in the immediate future. All I have left is an aunt and my cousins. My family is already small and essentially that is half of my entire family. I was giong to visit them this year for the 1st time with my sister but she wasn't able to go so we were going to try to go next year.

She went a couple of years on an acedmeic visa as an artist. I have no recourse like that. I am so upset. I mean, I really am about to cry knowing I won't have a chance to meet the only family I have left. Here in the US I only have a sister and a mother and 3 half-siblings since both grandparents and my father passed away already. My father was an only-child and my mother only has one sister - the one in Cuba.

Mi corazon se esta rompiendo. I don't think my mother knew the restrictions were so tightened either because she hasn't told me anything.

By the way, I do understand why the restrictions were tightened... but instead of a blanket denial, couldn't a case-by-case review have been better?

Sorry - one more comment.

1) I was born in the US. I do appreciate all the sacrifices my family made. I do agree with the embargo but I feel there could have been a better solution to curtail the abuses by other Cubans as they traveled back and forth than by preventing me from possibly ever meeting my family.

2) Ten years ago I was a poor college student. Only until the past 2 years have I had the resources to visit. Please remember some of us are a younger generation and it wasn't really by choice that I had to wait this long.

I really believe we will witness a dramatic change in Cuba within the next year or so. This month Venezuelans have the referendum, if Chavez is removed from power, Castro's economy will be in dire straits.

No American tourist dollars coming in, no US dollars in remittances from exiles and no more free oil. Something's gotta give.

HI Val!
Happy Anniversary to you and Maggie.
Many, Many ,Many more to come!!!
Yamy Choy

Agreed. If Chavez goes down, Castro won't be far behind.

They're both going down. They can't fight the future.

Speaking of the future, I don't know where the anniversary clue came in, but I second it.

Happy anniversary, Maggie and Val. Eleventy-two more years at least!

Sincerely,

Jerome and Catherine

Manny,

Im all for allowing Americans to travel to Cuba when and only when Cubans are allowed to travel to the US. Every single dollar that goes to the island ends up in Fidels pocket. Every single one. Are you in favor of economically backing the dictator?

Please do a search on "healthcare" in my site and see how wonderful the Cuban healthcare system is. It is nothing but a ruse. There are Cubans lacking in medical care on the island becuase castro traded their doctors to Venezuela for oil. Look it up.

And as to education, I ask you, what good is the best education in the world if you cant apply it how you want. If you cant use your intellect to formulate your own opinions?

Oh and Manny, your comment abot Cuba being an American brothel is absolutely absurd. Perhaps you should google search the word jinetera so you can inform yourself oif exactly whose brothel Cuba really is.

You are truly a pathetic sheep man, following your little herd to oblivion, bah bah bahing, without taking the timne to shut up and listen or stopping to think.

Dont like the views expressed here? Your browser has a back button doesnt it? USE IT.

Val: You missed the dis from Manito....." it will revert to being a brothel of the United States."
Manito: Please refresh my memory.....Just exactly when was Cuba a "brothel" of the United States.
As to your assertion that you can freely move about the world, that is pure drivel. I am speaking from a personal point of reference. Showing up at a border does not mean you will gain entrance, as in the case of Cuba. Or any number of other nations around the world.

Manny Garcia,

But they are always talking about Castro this and Castro that, they listen more to what Castro has to say on everything than the Cubans on the Island do.
They are totally reactionary and won't take the initiative.
They only react, that's the only trick they seem to know.
They will tell you that the embargo is the ONLY weapon that they will use no matter it work or not, Because Castro said that he did not like it.
They are single minded and naive that they can control something without actually putting there hands on it, like if they have some sort of remote control, But there is not
and if we don't get in there and force the other side to react to us, nothing will ever change.
These people expect for thier non action to have some reaction, but they should all go back and reread Newton.
Its actions that have reaction, and I want to be on the action side not the reaction.

Madtom

But they are always talking about Castro this and Castro that, they listen more to what Castro has to say on everything than the Cubans on the Island do.

Keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer.

They are totally reactionary and won't take the initiative.

typical leftist whining shit Tom. PROPOSE A SOLUTION, if not, STFU.

They only react, that's the only trick they seem to know.

You know, you are a hypocrite Tom. The other day it was all "we we we" when talking about Cuban-Americans. Now its they they they. Like I said before, provide a solution to the problem. Show me, with hard data, how lifting the embargo will work.

They will tell you that the embargo is the ONLY weapon that they will use no matter it work or not, Because Castro said that he did not like it.

The embargo was secondary. A full scale invasion was primary. Thanks to your Democratic wuss of a President, aka JFK, it failed.

They are single minded and naive that they can control something without actually putting there hands on it, like if they have some sort of remote control, But there is not
and if we don't get in there and force the other side to react to us, nothing will ever change.

Naive? Hahahahahaha. Look whos talking about naive. "if we dont get in there" and what? What are you gonna do once youre there Tom? You gonna chant Fuck Fidel in Havana? you gonna building a McDonalds you cant own or run? What? Tell me. Im waiting to hear.

These people expect for thier non action to have some reaction, but they should all go back and reread Newton.

Non action? Heh. Indeed.

Its actions that have reaction, and I want to be on the action side not the reaction.

Hop on flight and get it done. We nonaction folks will wait for your "all clear."

Seriously man, start your own blog for your inane commentary. And take Manny with you.

"Keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer"

Yes Val, But your not supposed to believe it.

"typical leftist whining shit Tom. PROPOSE A SOLUTION, if not, STFU."

I have many times, I have said that we should treat Cuba like we treat
China, That way we have a voice. But you are right in that there is the
Marine option, and I would vote of it too, but, when looking to use the US
Marines I first have to think about my first priority, My country the USA.
And If you ask me, no matter how mush the Cuban in me would love to say go
of it, the gringo in me knows that we have other more important things to do
first. So I think that for now the Marine option is off the table. I don't
come to that conclusion easy Val, But I believe it to be the truth.

You want hard data, just look at China 40 years ago and compare to China
today. Then compare Cuba 40 years ago to today, I see China policy working
and Cuban policy as failing. What do you see val?

"Hop on flight and get it done. We nonaction folks will wait for your "all
clear" "

That door is closed to me Val, It's closed to all of us, open the door, and
they will come though it.

Seriously Val I come here to talk to other Cubans that are actually
interested in the subject. I had to go to Iraq to find a Cuban blog, and as
far as I know this is the only one.
I might use some "they" language when talking about those things that
clearly divide the community, but I don't consider anyone here an enemy, and
I welcome any response that I generate.

You know, I believe that we should present A united front to our enemies. So
I would never violate the embargo as long as it stands as the will of the
majority, But that don't mean I have to like or believe in it.

Madtom

Sadly, I have to say that our policies with China aren't working either. If you have kept an eye on Newsmax over the past few years there have been a number of articles pointing to the expansionistic and imperialistic goals of Communist China. It was only 4 years ago that their reckless pilot damaged and caused one of our planes to have to land in China, and the airmen on that plane were held prisoner. China does alot of sabre rattling. They are getting bolder and bolder with their threats to Taiwan. Let's also consider the extremely negative impact that China has had on American industry. This is hardly the picture of a successful strategy.

On another note it is sad that folks can't get back to Cuba to see their families. It always seems like the cure for getting rid of evil is costly. I hope that Castro's regime and any other totalitarian regime that would try to follow his demise will be short-lived and that the Cuban people can live lives that are at least as free as ours here in the US. May it come quickly.

Madtom: You can "return" to Cuba from here six days a week......$380.00 plus taxes.

Bill,

Well, I have never been to Cuba so I don't see anyway that I might "Return" there. And I can't believe $380 is all it cost anyway, from here in Miami people pay considerably more. But even if it where free I would not travel to Cuba for pleasure as long as there is a regime there.
I don't have any humanitarian excuses either, I know I have some cosines and ant's, but I have never even seen them. My grandfather had a few small properties but these where given to other families, so for me there is nothing there, maybe cheep prostitutes. But from what I hear Aid's is running rampant across the island so I would not recommend that activity to anyone.

Madtom

JED,

Well I don't read rags like newsmax. Taiwan just had an election!! and Hong Kong is demanding that they get to elect their parliament and had a huge demonstration with 50,000 people marching down the street, add to all that the Internet so people can communicate, and I see the communist fighting an up hill battle from here on.
I never said that China was a paradise. But all that new industry is building a middle class, not the dirt poor and not the filthy rich but a middle class, and they are our best hope that China will reform it's political institutions.
Last night I seen a report that China now has 350 million TV's and the WTO allows for foreign media ownership.
I think they said that MTV and Niclodian where already there starting new channels.
Now compare all that to Cuba, 0- Internet 0 media 0 middle class 0- demonstration for political reform.
I would say China is light years ahead.

Madtom

Most of my family is still in Cuba as well (cousins my age and younger, several aunts and uncles, and many more who have passed on and I'll never have the opportunity to meet). We have very infrequently corresponded and I'm sorry that I don't have them in my life. All that said, I'm of the same opinion as Val. I still hold out hope on the embargo.

Hi Patty,

They say that hope burn eternal.
But the longer we wait the better the chance of some unimaginable catastrophe taking it's toll.
Look at Russia today. A successes with the embargo may not be as nice in real life as it seems on paper.
Real life rarely is.

Madtom

Val,

Why did you move this important thread off the front page for BlogCuba day?

Madtom

I would like to amend my comments so far with this.
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20040822/D84KD1LG0.html

Yet another example of how Asia is slowly but surly moving in the right direction. The Asian people are working and looking towards a better future.
And they are stepping forward.

Madtom