V*O*T*O:

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E*X*P*E*R*i*E*N*C*E!

MRS & MR. UNCLE S*A*M:

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PEACE, PAZ, SALAAM, SHOLOM:........____________________
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Clinton ACTiON--EXPERiENCE:
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-MORE JOBS Si!
-LESS iNFLATiON!
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-CHEAPER OIL Prices again!
-LESS Reliance on iMPORTED Oil!
-BETTER Care & Protection for CHiLDREN & FAMILY's!
-MORE PEACE & HEALING of NATIONS on Space-Ship Momma Poppa EARTH!
-MERGE CUBA as 51st State or as Common-Wealth & Possibly All of Mexico too!

-And MORE good Prophetical Tidings coming SOON!

GRACIaS. Thanks!

Coldbliss,

Have you ever tried Cuban coffee? I'm guessing not. If you had, you'd know that no self respecting Cuban would set foot in a Starbucks.

Your comments are interesting, but you wait until the next to last sentence to address the only real issue: all Cubans want is freedom in all its forms, with all of its virtues, and, yes, even with its "faults" because it sure beats the alternative.

Coldbliss,

Have you ever tried Cuban coffee? I'm guessing not. If you had, you'd know that no self respecting Cuban would set foot in a Starbucks.

Your comments are interesting, but you wait until the next to last sentence to address the only real issue: all Cubans want is freedom in all its forms, with all of its virtues, and, yes, even with its "faults" because it sure beats the alternative.

Coldbliss says:

"Cubans will have lots of Starbucks, McDonalds, DVD players, cell phones, and KFC's to choose from. Yeah, freedom! At least there will be freedom of press, assembly and political party affiliation. I just hope Cubans will use their new found freedoms to give Big Corporations from the United States the Big Middle Finger."

American Observer says:

You can pray on your knees for that, Coldbliss; but the lessons of history are clear -- it is always the nations which have been separated from American popular culture the longest which embrace American popular culture with the most desperate hunger. Castro has spent fifty years training the Cubans to want MacDonalds.

Oh yes, we tried to make Iraq the 51st state of the union. Look how that is working out.

I am not Cuban but it's safe to say Cuban-Americans born in the USA are staying in the USA. They are American just like me. Now maybe the old guys who left during the revolution have dreams of coming back home for good. I would assume that young Cuban-Americans just want to see family members that never made it off the island.

Looking ahead to a post-communist Cuba, my fear is that US corporations will take over the country wholesale. Corporations that will pay insanely low wages, disregard local environmental standards, and work with a US-friendly government to dismantle the innovative health care and educational systems. Perhaps the International Monetary Fund will lend a hand in wrecking Cuba's social welfare system. In the end though, Cubans will be so amazed with the "Bling-Bling" aspects of market capitalism that they are willing to be low-wage slaves to US big business interests. A slave to Fidel Castro yesterday...a slave to a US corporation tomorrow. At least with the corporation job, you have a cute uniform and a name tag. Cubans will strive to be stylish and cool just like the pretty Americans in magazines and movies.

The post-communist Cuba will look different. For starters, the thought of 100,000 pasty white American college kids coming to Cuba for spring break will be a sad image indeed. The fact that Cubans will have to serve these drunken, over-sexed spoiled rotten American brats some day makes me cringe. Never mind that Cuba has the best doctors in the Western Hemisphere (including the USA).

Cubans will have lots of Starbucks, McDonalds, DVD players, cell phones, and KFC's to choose from. Yeah, freedom! At least there will be freedom of press, assembly and political party affiliation. I just hope Cubans will use their new found freedoms to give Big Corporations from the United States the Big Middle Finger.

Ah, but the point is that Cubans haven't made a "choice"...their only "choice" is to obey, or to move to Miami, something that 90 thousand people did between the years of 2000-2004...and presumably are still doing at a similar rate.

http://www.statemaster.com/graph/imm_ref_fro_cub-immigration-refugees-from-cuba#definition

link

Being a revolutionary allows some to ignore atrocities, whether they be the thirty million starved under Mao's policies, the hundreds of thousands who fled Cuba, or the three million who have fled the revolution in Zimbabwe.

But equating a couple of hundred trained terrorists as equivalent morally to imprisoning a couple million people in a totalitarian society is absurd.

One can object to both, you know, while recognizing the huge difference.

So let's say there is said group that have called for an annexation (give me a book, a URL that proves said group's existence and affiliation with Cuban-Americans, please).... I think I have the right to assume that if these groups exist, they would be an extremely small minority.

There are groups in the south that still fly the confederate flag, right? Whatever's left of the KKK resides in the south, right? So that means, by DocSpencer's comment that it's ok for me to publish that "While many Southerners may be racists..." or "While many Southerners may be secessionists..." because the keyword here is MAY, correct?

Mr. Sher is correct about the annexationists. There have been groups that called outright for Cuba's becoming the 51st state--even if Monica hasn't heard of them--but they are not taken seriously literally. For one thing, the U.S., which does not allow Congressional representation even for the people of Washington, DC, doesn't want an island full of Spanish-speaking, mixed-race people having two senators and more representatives.
At any rate, formal annexation is old-style colonialism. The new way, aside from the merchantilist occupation of Iraq, is for "free" trade treaties to make smaller countries dependent economically and politically on the US. And that is exactly what neoliberal sectors and US businesses are for, in the case of Cuba: a profit center in the Caribbean, run by US capital.
Cuba's economy is growing rapidly, based on tourism, nickel, biogenetics, and professional services (like medical, engineering, sports), which have become a major part of export earnings. It has the best-educated work force in Latin America, including in InfoTech (forget Armando's rant.) If the US can't break its blockade habit, there are plenty of other countries--China and Russia included, apart from Latin American countries--that are looking for mutually beneficial relations.

American Observer says:

"As for myself, I doubt it. I think that many American investors will try to enter Cuba after the Castro regime has finally fallen. Unfortunately, Cuba has plenty of white beaches and cheap prostitutes, but Cuba has little else to offer. The Cuban people have now become so lazy and corrupt that few American businesses will find a way to make a profit, and most will leave. Cuba will never become the Singapore of the Caribbean; instead, Cuba will be more like Bulgaria."

I Say:

You really expect anyone to take you seriously when you categorically say that the Cuban people have become lazy? Did you determine that through your obvious hours of dilligent research, or are you quoting some other worthy source?

Grow up.

American Observer says:

"As for myself, I doubt it. I think that many American investors will try to enter Cuba after the Castro regime has finally fallen. Unfortunately, Cuba has plenty of white beaches and cheap prostitutes, but Cuba has little else to offer. The Cuban people have now become so lazy and corrupt that few American businesses will find a way to make a profit, and most will leave. Cuba will never become the Singapore of the Caribbean; instead, Cuba will be more like Bulgaria."

I Say:

You really expect anyone to take you seriously when you categorically say that the Cuban people have become lazy? Did you determine that through your obvious hours of dilligent research, or are you quote some other worth source?

Grow up.

"Viva Cuba Libre", Mr. Sher, is and has been our battle cry for many years (pre and post castro-revolution). It is intended to characterize our wish for our country to survive in sovereignty and for its people to be free to express ideas, thoughts, comments, etc. There can not be any misinterpretation in those three words as to whether there is a hidden desire for our country to become the 51st state, there is not.

I am afraid that if your intentions are to define the thoughts and desires of Cubans and Cuban-Americans with respect to our country and the United States, your article misses the mark.

Mr. Sher:

As many of the previous posts say...I have NEVER heard any Cuban ever say that they want Cuba to become the 51st State. Perhaps you should read a little bit about Cuban history or maybe speak to a real Cuban.

I was born in Cuba but have lived most of my life in the USA both in California and in Miami and can tell you that what the majority of Cubans EVERYWHERE want is for Cuba to be FREE. Free of Castro, Free from Communism, Free from Oppression, Free from all the lies and hate espoused by those who now rule Cuba with an iron fist.

Cubans fought long and hard to free themselves from Spain and, if not for the meddling of the USA, we would have continued the fight against Castro. If Kennedy and Khrushchev had not entered into an agreement to protect Castro from any more invasions; We Cubans probably would have been able to get rid of this beast long ago.

Mr Sher.
You are so wrong about Cubans it is not even funny.
Why don't you write about another subject?

M.R.

It looks like Anwer had some spare time and decided to dabble in fiction for some spare change. Where-oh-where does he get the idea that anyone: Americans, Cuban-Americans, Cuban-Cubans wish for Cuba, once free of the Castro dictatorship, become a 51st State?

Monica is absolutely correct. I know not a single Cuban exile who would have Cuba become a 51st state. What we desire for Cuba is what every decent human being wishes for him/herself freedom of thought, freedom of association, freedom to read,write and speak what we wish without the ever present threat of jail, beatings or torture. The freedom to raise our children as we deem fit, no matter what El Coma-andante may otherwise decree. The freedom to exercise our imagination and be the masters of our labor, to strive without state imposed limitations. Nothing more.

Anwer, before you put pen to paper, please try to become versed in your subject matter.

Ernie says:

"Are some people already contemplating Cuba as a 51st state?"

American Observer replies:

No, Ernie, no people are contemplating that Cuba as a 51st state, and only an idiot would imagine that any person would contemplate Cuba as a 51st state.

Monique says:

"I am a Cuban-American. I lived 18 years of my life in Miami and NEVER ONCE did I hear ANYONE talk about Cuba as a potential 51st state."

American Observer replies:

Your observations are intelligent and factual, Monique -- thanks for sharing them.

Awer says:

"Irrespective of the history, it’s wishful thinking that a post-Fidel Cuba could be swallowed up formally by the U.S."

American Observer replies:

Actually, Awer, it's not 'wishful thinking,' because nobody wishes it and nobody thinks it. Nobody in America has any interest in allowing Cuba to join America. Instead, the phrase '51st state' is merely meant to suggest that Cuba might be tightly joined to America by trade and investment, the way Canada is.

As for myself, I doubt it. I think that many American investors will try to enter Cuba after the Castro regime has finally fallen. Unfortunately, Cuba has plenty of white beaches and cheap prostitutes, but Cuba has little else to offer. The Cuban people have now become so lazy and corrupt that few American businesses will find a way to make a profit, and most will leave. Cuba will never become the Singapore of the Caribbean; instead, Cuba will be more like Bulgaria.

Monica, both you and Mr. Shar made excellent points.

"Irrespective of the history, it’s wishful thinking that a post-Fidel Cuba could be swallowed up formally by the U.S. While many Cuban-Americans may hope for that..."

The key word here is "MAY". Don't feel insulted. I don't think he meant it that way. You are very smart and were correct in everything, but demending a retraction is a little strong.

It is really unrealistic for anyone to assume that Cuba could ever become a 51st state. For that to happen the majority would have to vote that way. If it did not happen in Puerto Rico, it will sure as hell not happen in Cuba.

Just my thoughts.

Mr. Sher,

"Irrespective of the history, it’s wishful thinking that a post-Fidel Cuba could be swallowed up formally by the U.S. While many Cuban-Americans may hope for that..."

I have no idea which Cuban-Americans you are referring to, though your statement makes me doubt that you've spoken to "many" of them.

I am a Cuban-American. I lived 18 years of my life in Miami and NEVER ONCE did I hear ANYONE talk about Cuba as a potential 51st state. I now write for Babalu Blog (www.babalublog.com) and I assure you and other Washington Post readers that you will NEVER hear one of us say such things.

What we truly wish for is social, economic and political freedom for the Cuban people; the freedom for them to prosper and thrive as a sovereign, democratic nation.

I find it utterly repulsive when people, especially journalists writing for world-renowned newspapers, make offhand assumptions like the one you just made. In that one, inaccurate statement you probably caused many readers (see the first comment) to wrongly think of me and my people as greedy, power hungry, insensitive and ignorant.

I urge you now to retract this inaccurate statement unless you can prove that "many" Cuban-Americans may feel this way.

Regards,
Monica

How about that? Are some people already contemplating Cuba as a 51st state? How about respecting Cuba's right to choose its governance as a sovereign nation? I know that given the United States' history of intervention in Latin America, that's a really hard concept to grasp. But how about it? How about treating another nation with respect? That might, just might, go a long ways in solving the negative way in which most of the world views us today.