Done!

Let's also not forget our Cuban political prisoners under the Bush Administration. Santiago Alvarez and Osvaldo Mitat have been denied bail for possession of weapons allegedly destined for freedom fighters in Cuba. Common criminals and drug dealers arrested with similar weapons are not denied bail in the U.S.
The Diario las Americas and El Nuevo Herald reported that thousands of Cuban exiles, including various political leaders, attended a mass on behalf of these two patriots. The Miami Herald, in contrast, reported that only "hundreds" attended the event. This is typical of the Herald, which for decades has downplayed the strong community support for more than one hundred Cuban political prisoners in the U.S. since 1962.
Alvarez and Mitat are in jail due to an informant who arrived here from Cuba five years ago and is probably a snitch for that government also. Their upcoming trial will reveal that informant Abascal has been under psychiatric treatment and claims that he sees ghosts. It will also be revealed how much money the federal government has paid him to create this entrapment. This case is probably based on the ambition of a federal agent anxious to climb up the GS government scale.
While we are concious of Dr. Biscet's suffering, lets not forget the injustice being committed against Alvarez and Mitat. It is an indication that the Bush Administration, which has done NOTHING substantial against the Castro dictatorship during the past five years, in spite of all the "Viva Cuba Libre" presidential rhetoric, will continue to do nothing for the next three years. The U.S. State Department is just waiting for Castro to die of old age and will then negotiate with his successor.
I have decided that I am going to abstain from voting in 2006 or 2008. When it comes to Cuba's freedom, there is not much difference between Democrats and Republicans since 1962.

Mike,

What is so hard to understand that IT IS AGAINST THE LAW to for the exiles to invade Cuba from here? It would be a logistical nightmare and extremely difficult to mount even if it were legal. Now, if the US government would provide us with military logistical aid (in terms of hardware, ie guns, planes, tanks and landing craft) it would be a different story. The alleged accusation against Alvarez sending arms to Cuba only backs up my point. Your argument is lame and full of holes. Your question has been answered and MORE than answered. And yes, without French help during the revolutionary war, America today may not even exist.

Mike-you are a rude, insulting stupid prick. Do you enjoy hanging out in places where you are clearly not wanted. You are also dishonest. You just want to make an ass of yourself, not have an honest discourse. If you did, the answers to your questions are all over the archives of this site and others, all you have to do is read and follow the links on the sidebar.

You are also hateful and insensitive. Would you go to a holocaust survivors site and spew anti-semitic hate or pro-nazi propaganda? That's exactly what you are doing here you fuck, pouring salt into peoples wounds and for what? So you can have a laugh? Go to hell.

Prior to President Kennedy bowing to the Communists under the Kennedy-Khrushchev secret understanding of December 1962, the Federal government called Cuban exiles "Freedom Fighters." The U.S. government did not enforce the Neutrality Act against Cuban exiles, and supported, financed and encouraged them to attack the Castro regime.
The Reagan Administration adopted a similar support policy toward the Nicaraguan Contras, who they supported, financed, and encouraged to fight against the Marxist Sandinistas for a decade. The Reagan Administration did not apply the Neutrality Act against Nicaraguan exiles, but they did so against Cuban exiles, who they continued to prosecute and jail.
President Reagan publicly refused three different times to abrogate the Kennedy-Khrushchev secret understanding, which is still in effect today, after the Russian Federation assumed all the treaties, accords, and agreements of the former Soviet Union.
Santiago Alvarez and his father for more than four decades participated in the clandestine fight against the Castro Communist dictatorship. Part of that fight was to supply weapons to the Cuban underground, not to invade Cuba from the U.S. Alvarez appears on a list of Cuban patriots that the Kennedy Administration threatened to stop raids on Cuba in 1963
http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/belligerence/Cuban-Raiders-1963.pdf
It is pathetic that the Bush Administration are acting like Democrats regarding Cuba. It is obvious that they do not want any internal turmoil on the island that could upset the status quo. This is not surprising. It was the same Federal policy applied to Cuban independence fighters during 1848-1898. Dozens of armed expeditions leaving the U.S. to support Cuban rebels on the island were seized and confiscated and those arrested were prosecuted for violation of the Neutrality Act by both Democrat and Republican Administrations.

Thank you. I signed.

Anyhow, I think I can still hope for the 3rd place at WL Awards.

Please keep voting for Free Thoughts, every 24 hours

http://weblogawards.org/2005/12/best_european_blog_nonuk.php

Mike,
Sigh.. You are totally confused and misinformed. The embargo and travel ban keeps money out of Castro's pocket. As for our trade with those oil states, just because that is wrong doesn't justify trade or travel to Cuba. By allowing travel and trade to Cuba, you accomplish nothing but enhance Fidels status on the Forbes list.
The "millions of tourists" you refer to are kept out of the prisons and not allowed to fraternize with the people. As for genocide, just ask the families of the tens of thousands (INCLUDING AMERICANS) that perished by firing squad, torture or in the Florida straights. You will NEVER convince us otherwise because we know the truth and have overwhelming evidence and eyewitness accounts. You can continue to live in your foggy and misinformed world. We'll keep ours based on truth.

Oh and,, guess what again. The American revolution great as it was would not have survived had it not been for for France's NAVY at Yorktown blocking the British escape. Not to mention Cuban women that sold their jewelry so that the revolutionary army could get PAID. If they had not gotten paid, the revolution would probably not have lasted.

http://64.233.179.104/search?q=cache:gfabLlkSx-EJ:pewhispanic.org/files/reports/17.3.pdf+Cuban+women+collected+money+and+jewelry+so+the+French+Expedition+could&hl=en

Mike-Cubans get emotional? You are God damned right they do, because untold tens of thousands have died, family members murdered. 2 million in exile, broken families. You don't like the comparisons to the holocaust, tough shit. Cuba's population in 1960 was 6.2 million. According to the human Rights group Freedom House, 500,000 Cubans (young and old, male and female) have passed through Castro's prison camps. At one time during 1961-62, 300,000 Cubans were jailed for political offenses islandwide. This makes Castro's political incarceration rate higher than Stalin and Hitler's. I'm not talking about travel rights and free market rights. I'm talking about the right to a life without fear of imprisonment or execution for the simplest imagined transgression against a repressive murderous dictator. You have written a lot of words, but you haven't said anything. I won't waste anymore of my time on you.

Max,
I don't argue with my ignorant students. If they fail to do their reading assignments, I give them an F. I likewise do not argue with provocateurs or high school dropouts on blogs.

Professor,
Perhaps you're right. I still hold out hope that if a confused one gets enough of the truth, maybe, just maybe I can correct that person or prevent an innocent person to get the wrong information and perceive it as truth. Some that don't have the best intentions, including the communists, believe that if a lie is told often enough, it will be construed as truth. This person has been bombarded by some in the MSM with disinformation about the so-called embargo, travel to Cuba, repression in Cuba, health care in Cuba, etc. etc. Somehow it felt good shooting down all of Mike's skewed points one by one - even though I know most of the folks on this blog feel like I do.
Thank god this blog and the fine folks on it exist to expose the truth and counter the MSM.

By the way, I agree with you on 99% of your posts, and like you also agree with your comments about the Bush administration's handling of Alvarez. Nevertheless, bad as it is, I still feel had a DEM been elected, we may have had full trade in effect with Cuba and Fidel being treated much like he was in 1995 in Harlem.
I see Bush as the lesser of the two evils.

THIS IS YOUR TRUE DESIRE

mike: would you please go to Cuba once and for all and stop bitching about it?!! There are some good deals to Cancun right now.

What to do while visiting Cuba?

Shall I recommend walking alone through Centro Habana during an "apagon", with your wallet full of money...and don't forget to wear that nice watch you got (or are going to get) for Christmas!!!

Im done with Mike.

It all boils down to this - are you listening, White House? - "Give us the tools, and we'll finish the job."

I think the operative word here is "give."

If the US gov "gives" you something, then its the US Gov who is doing it. Guess what? The US Gov does not want to do it because it is not in the best interest of South Florida, Las Vegas, New Jersey, New Orleans, ... get it?

If we need to ask uncle Sam, we are missing the point.

There are plenty of arms in the Cuban military today. They are just pointed in the wrong direction. And only Cubans in the island can change this.

While the chances of this are slim right now, we should be asking ourselves, what can Cuban-Gringos do to help/convince/support Cuban-Cubans to shake-up the regime and not fear they will loose control to us once they do? After almost 50 years of relentless natioinalist, anti-US, andti-Miami Mafia, communist propaganda there are 11Mio Cuban-Cubans that fear this almost as much as they fear their current situation.

Just a thought.

CheoMedalla: Amen, i'm glad an actual exile had the guts to say it.

Now since Val no longer wants me here I will leave.

"Now since Val no longer wants me here I will leave"

In case you haven't been reading the posts, it's not only Val who no longer wants you here.

So, uh, don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Mike,

Unfortunately, we don't agree on much.

I don't agree with anything that even -- risks --- feeding the regime and strengthening castro.

I support a tougher embargo that will prevent my neighbors and recently immigrated family members from visiting or sending a dime to their relatives in Cuba. I'd rather they do something about the situation than go hungry for another 50 years.

I would send all illegal border crossers back to Cuba and advertise that fact in Radio Marti. The only way out of Cuba should be through castro's bleeding throat a/k/a regime change. This idea is particularly hard to swallow for many here in Miami. My favorite uncle came on a raft in 1962 and only recently did he begin supporting this idea, so I'm in good company. Of course this would be a great loss to the USA given the risk taking, entrepeneurial quality of Cuban rafters. My hope is thas this change will encourage more people inside Cuba to solve their own problem by whatever means are available to them. Cruel, I know. But is another 50 years of tyrany less so?

I don't give a rats ass about the so called right of American's to support our country's enemies. And yes, castro IS the enemy of America and all Americans.

I do however, (a) welcome your opinions on the subject, however missguided, (b) I will treat you with respect as a fellow American (I assume you are), (c) and if I am not able to convince you I will work to refine my ideas and delivery so that someday soon you will see the light, (d) will do my very best to break the harmful and counterproductive stereotype of the hot-headed, intransigent, better than everyone, name calling, insulting, screaming, and impatient Cuban-Exile.

The way I look at it, you are not the only Gringo that thinks the way you do about the Cuban Problem. I need your support, so I have to find a way of convincing you. If I send you away, I have failed.

Cheo, I beg to differ with your eloquent statement above.

We have been hearing the same BS, over and over and over again, from these folks for almost 40 years now. All of the the evidence contradicts their point of view! For God's sake, on has only to visit TheRealCuba.com and it's all there, for all who wish to see the evidence, the lie that has been disseminated as "truth" for almost a half-century.

As Val has put it elsewhere, "exiles" are the only viable Cuban export: tens of thousands have attempted to leave the island and thousands have died in the attempt. Add to that sad fact, that crimes against humanity taking placeon the island on a daily basis are purposely ignored by the major media outlets in order to paint a veneer of respectability over to the regime, and what you have is just plain evil.

(BTW, that sterotype you mentioned is created by the same media that has hidden 40 years of inhuman crimes in Cuba. If that is the best they can do, then I am proud to wear their label.)

Mike and his ilk will never change their minds. They are, whether they like to admit it to themselves or not, enablers of the regime at best, and fellow travelers at worst.

George,

I see Mike as a stone upon which to sharpen a blade. We may not be able to change his mind 100% but the tiniest change is better than nothing and I think we need the exercise.

The Cuban-American message has dulled. We are not connecting to the MSN and so we are not reaching out to them. The result is that they are zoned out to us. Zoned out to our stereotypically strident, unchanging, banana-republic (not the store) style. It may very well be who we are. Fine. Let's just keep it all inside!

To make matters worse, we are not a "big tent." We'd rather be "right" than make allies, find common beliefs and win the war! We are predictably unwilling to bend our message, even a little bit, in order to pull in that fish! So we go hungry. We are being used by our enemies. We DESPERATELY need a PR makeover.

By contrast, our enemies are willing to adjust, to tell the MSN what they want to hear, HOW they want to hear it, in order to get their point across. They are more than accessible and have always understood the power of a New York Times reporter. We have forgotten that.

And of course, it doesn't help that castro's minions are experts at this and have masterfully used our weaknesses against us for years. I assure you they have focus groups testing messages, sound bytes and delivery styles. Its the way the system works and they accept that. So should we.

We can continue to blame the MSN for the world's evils or we can try to find ways to use them to further our goals. We NEED them. Running away from a problem will not solve it. We have a PR problem with the MSN. You know that. Do we talk about it forever or do we hone a solution?

Cuban-Americans in exile are a beautiful story! But we can never stop selling the story, selling the message. Refining it. Ironically, the PR geniuses of hispanic America are Cuban-Americans! I wouldn't be surprised however, if they are afraid to touch the subject.

All I know is that it appears our caribbean flea market sales style is not connecting as well as it could. Lets find and adopt one that does, before we loose the sale.

Sorry for the long, rambling post.

Cheomedalla - "To make matters worse, we are not a "big tent." We'd rather be "right" than make allies, find common beliefs and win the war! We are predictably unwilling to bend our message, even a little bit, in order to pull in that fish! So we go hungry. We are being used by our enemies. We DESPERATELY need a PR makeover."

You may not realize it, but that is the seductive path to relativism, and appeasement, the same mindset that allows liberals to believe that castro is on equal moral footing with democratically elected governments. Thanks, but no thanks

He may have a point about the "PR", so long as the TRUTH is used, no punches are pulled and we need not have to be politically correct.

If you mean "sugar coat" just to appease, forget it. If you want to use different methods of getting the point accross without skewing the truth, I am interested.

You can have the best product/message/idea in the universe. If you are not willing to package it properly, in just the right mouth watering bite sizes, targeted appropriately to each market segment, with appropriately "dumbed down" explanations for a quick and easy sale -- it will not sell to its full potential.

Don't forget your competitor is doing all of the above outselling you 10-1 with an inferior, utterly defective product.

There is not relativism or revisionism here folks. That is the way God made us. Susceptible to propaganda. You want results? Do whatever it takes to sell your product. Period.

Do you want castro out of Cuba or not? That is the only question we should be asking ourselves.