Sickening...

Oh, Lawdy-mercy. The nice white ladies are going to save their brown and black "family members." George W. Bush's travel ban? - he sure has been president a long time.

Vile, vile, vile.

Also contact the Office of Foreign Assets Control and report them at:
Email: ofac_feedback@do.treas.gov

Contacts
Compliance Hotline (202) 622-2490
Licensing Division (202) 622-2480
Cuban Violation Hotline - OFAC Miami (305) 810-5170
OFAC Fax-on-Demand Service (202) 622-0077

Sorry Val, I didn't see that you already had the contacts listed, the words "blind rage" experienced first hand.

I am thinking, I am thinking.

(A) I want to nail these people to a cross of mojitos and join everyone by informing the State Department and other entities, of what they plan to do.

(B) If we do that, will it give them MORE COVERAGE to their cause than just keeping mum about it...

I can't hesitate. I'm off to write some emails.

And I hope, should these hevas land or take off via MIA, that a contingent of Cubanos in exile will have great big signs saying:

"Hey, talk to me, I'm Cuban too. Or do you only talk to Cubans you think are Communists?"

Idiotas comem*erdas.

Cheers,
Victoria

Just called - twice. Spoke with Tiffany - Dana wasn't around. I asked if we were going to be able to visit with Dr. Biset and the other disidents jailed without trial and adopt them as well. She asked me if that was a real question - I said yes, I would like to add visiting the Cuban Jails as part of the agenda for the trip. She hung up on me - I called back and told Tiffany that they're a bunch of hipocritas and they made me sick. OK - I'm so freaking encojenada right now.

Did they mention that they will need $50 bills to bribe aduana officials not to process their passports? They catch you here, it is three months in jail before the trial. Wonderful thing; Napleonic law.

im gonna duck and cover right about now.. since you are "new to this" heres a word of advice.. most people are pretty set on their opinion regarding travel/ restrictions to cuba.. dont bother because at this point, neither side seems to be willing to the arguments of the other..

new to this;
You are no longer "new to this". I suggest you change your name.

I would have no trouble having them travel to Cuba if it were to help the Cuban people. That is not the case. They want to prop Castro and drink mojitos while turning a blind eye to the brutality of the regime. This is SICKENING.
When the people of Cuba has the same rights as those who are visiting, then your argument will carry some weight.

Take a quick look at Codepink's webpage and the "Somos Familia" graphic. Any wild guesses as to which woman represents the Cuban? Like those 80's Benetton ads, no? And the fists in the air...priceless. Such concern, such heroism, what wonderful tans they will get. Revolting.

All commies when presented the facts do the "Duck and Cover" or become physical. When I gave the facts to a pastors for peace operatives(mentioned that a family member was imprisoned and tortured by castro regime)many could not respond and some wanted to get physical. the code pink commies, like other groups, really do not care about the suffering of the Cuban people. My question to them: If communism is so great, what are you doing living here? My second question to them using a Jesse jackson ryhme:

"If Cuba is so great, why do they all want to vacate?"

Alfredo,

Very well said...They can't match up on a debate about the absolute failure and atrocities of their system, so they resort to misinformation, or attempted intimidation.

Dance, drink, see the beaches - and never have to lay your eyes on one single typical Cuban. Gee, what a way to see another country.

All of those people will come back and say how wonderful Cuba is, how the people have it made there, how it's paradise. They could visit a Disney-built "Cubaworld" or "Cubaland" and they'd never know the difference.

I remember some Code Pinkers outside the White House with "Drop Toys not bombs" and the classic "War is not the answer" signs.

so I went over and asked the girl holding the sign "So what is the answer?" The woman had no clue.

The Russians dropped "toys" during their Afghan war - I guess that must've been the answer.

To my knowledge (correct me if I'm wrong...) the US also bans travel to Iran, Iraq, Liberia, Libya, North Korea, Serbia and Sudan. If the real issue is "THEIR constitutional freedom to travel", why aren't these morons protesting travel bans to any of these other countries?
It's sickening... their transparent selfishness and stupidity is just overwhelming. It doesn't faze them that their adopted Familias don't have the freedom to travel without permission in their own country.

You know why I think they should be stopped before they start? Think of the impression they are going to leave with innocent Cuban people who have only fidel's word for it about what America is. They see this pink freak show and they are going to think fidel understated the depravity of this country. They are going to think Americans are gross. They won't know that these are an extremist fringe of society. They may well think WE'RE ALL LIKE THAT! Stop them before they start!

You know, what troubled me most was the tone in the first paragraph. I had vision of these woman dressed in pink throwing peanuts and candy (and toothpaste?) at the natives. It was one of the worst condescending, arrogant paragraphs I read on this type of eco tourism.

@Tati, Alfredo, Max, et.al.

It is absolutely pointless to try to discuss the Cuban issue with the likes of the CodePink people. Such people are fixated on a shared view of the world that is not open for debate. It is that shared view that provides the basis for the individual to fit into the larger group.

David Horowitz, in a recent article in FrontPage magazine, hit the proverbial nail in the head when he wrote:

One great virtue of this left – and I use this term in its broadest sense to mean all missionaries of change in this life -- is its quest for connection. But the revolutionary communities it seeks to create are different from communities that are traditional and organic. Because they are connected through an idea – through a vision of the future to come – they are knit together by the perception of a common enemy that is holding the future back. Whether that enemy is patriarchy or capitalism or reason itself, doesn’t really matter.

Where in the Constitution is there a "right" to travel anywhere?

The constitution's guarantees:
Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Not necessarily travel to rogue contries that support terrorism and suppress the rights of its citizens.

I don't think the freedom to leave the US is specifically spelled out, it was probably considered too basic to even mention. But that wouldn't include the freedom to go anywhere you want (what if they don't want you?).

It makes sense to restrict travel to an enemy state, but if you're determined you can always go indirectly anyway, even if you can't necessarily "get there from here".

Has anybody ever been prosecuted for traveling to Cuba?

I find this sickening beyond disgust, there are just no words for this. I have written everyone and their mother regarding this "bofetada" of this pink freaks. I applaud you who called and seriously asked if they would visit the dissidents, and I too noticed the conveniently colored Cuban in the graph with the fists. These women have no clue and they need to be stopped. This lack of respect not only for the trials and tribulations of those in Cuba, but to their families here in the states is atrocious.

Trying to restrain from profanity, I agree that this codpink freaks are unas comemierdas and I would add hijas de puta as well. Where were they when the dissidents were jailed? or attacked in the streets? are they going to give Fidel one of those pink shirts to wear????????

That is a hideous image, Daniel. And so true!

Since these "pinkies" are so off-reality, and likely kinda low in the IQ scale, why not give them "friendly" suggestions of things to do in Cuba...such as creative ways of bribing officials etc etc - the kind of things that might get them in trouble there - bet if a few of them got thrown in the slammer down Havana way, it might give them enlightenment such as Paul experienced on the road to Damascus...

Meantime, stay safe, y'all in the infamous Cone of Wilma. Gotta go and start "paneling" the bunker. Por si acaso.

I think we should all go. Pack our suitcases full of banned books. Ask everyone we meet on the island about freedom and democracy. Ask them about opposition parties. Show them pictures of our houses and cars, all bought with our middle-class wages which we are free to use as we see fit. Wander off from the view of the minders and talk to real people. I think that would open the eyes of the CODEPINK pollyannas to the reality of what Cuba is better than any ranting.

*sigh*
You know, I want to go to Cuba too, but not while castro the commie still strangles the island and all the people. I want to visit the free Cuba, the true Pearl of the Caribbean where her own free citizens enjoy living and working in paradise minus the oppressive dictatorship.

Codepink should have to travel on leaky rafts across the Straits of Florida the way Cuban citizens do. If they really want to show some solidarity, that would be something. A ramming by Coast Guard boats could round out their "adventure."

"To my knowledge (correct me if I'm wrong...) the US also bans travel to Iran, Iraq, Liberia, Libya, North Korea, Serbia and Sudan."

Maybe Iraq because of the war, but as far as I know all the other countries are open for travel. Anyone else add to this?

"Did they mention that they will need $50 bills to bribe aduana officials not to process their passports? "
Are you referring to Havana's or Miami's airport customs? During my travels to Cuba, Havana's customs agents have never solicited anything from me other than travel documents (passport), etc.

Perhaps a tactic could be developed in time: watchers at the US points of departure. They would be equipped with digital cameras. They would take pictures of the pinkos, and those pictures would be processed and made into digital files in the 4 days the pinkos are in Cuba. When they return, any US citizen may effect a Citizen's Arrest for the travel ban charges.

Once the arrest has been made, the airport security has no choice but to at least identify the persons.

That information can lead to the citizen filing charges with the US Attorney's Office.

This tactic will leave the Law Enforcement out of the issue of whether-or-not to arrest the travel-ban breakers. From that point on, it will only involve the US Attorney.

Something to think about. There's time to set it up.

Make me benevolent dictator for a week, and I'd have a flight of F-16s intercept the charter jet on it's return trip from Cuba.

With a forced landing at Lackland AFB, TX, proximity to one of the military's premiere brig complexes at the Kelly Annex is but a 30 minute bus trip away.

Run 'em through the John Wood Federal Court building in downtown San Antonio (a former '68 Hemisfair building), and then off to the Club Fed of our choosing.

That, or if they really prefer Cuba, a couple o' years at Gitmo oughta please 'em quite well.

And no, I'm not kidding. That's really what I think needs to happen.

Jim
Sloop New Dawn
Galveston, TX

we should all be free to travel, especially if we have family in the area we choose to travel too. just because you travel to a country it doesn't mean that you support it's cause.

New to This- That is the exact point of this discussion, WE as Americans are free to travel wherever we want. It is the ordinary Cubans are not allowed this simple freedom, in fact, they are killed, tortured and "disappeared" by Castro's regime for daring to try to leave the island. Traveling to a country ruled by a dictator means you are giving money to him indirectly, consider the entry fees you pay upon arrival as well as the money you spend while in-country-- a piece of that goes to Castro, because EVERY business is under his thumb in one way or another. If you've discovered some way to visit a country without spending any money there, please let the rest of us know. C'mon, think, Sparky.

Oh, and having family there in no way absolves you of moral responsibility for choosing to support a dictator. Americans have a hang-up about having the cojones to do the right thing, even though it's inconvenient. That's why there's a ban on travel to Cuba. Here's an alternative- I went to Copan in Northern Honduras this summer. It's beautiful, food and hotels are cheap-- nice, clean places- and the people there can do whatever they want with the money you spend in their businesses. Plus they like Americans. You can't lose.

I spent six months in Hondouras in 1984 in a smallish nowhere town (Comayagua) - it's not just tourist places, the people there were incredibly friendly.

Verity Kindle, Wake up guys! Our very own gov't does business with CUba. I see something very wrong with someone telling you it is illegal to spend money in cuba or even do business in Cuba but at the same time they do it. I won't deprive my family with the little I can give to help their situation. If you are that selfish than you let your family struggle.

Our govt. is doing business with Cuba? I hadn't heard. May I have some examples, please? Evidence, links, etc.? Anyone?