Comments on: Rumors of His Death Are Greatly … http://donklephant.com/2006/07/12/rumors-of-his-death-are-greatly/ Big Teeth. Huge Ass. Surprisingly Reasonable. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:46:37 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Meredith http://donklephant.com/2006/07/12/rumors-of-his-death-are-greatly/comment-page-1/#comment-50474 Meredith Thu, 13 Jul 2006 19:06:57 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=2424#comment-50474 Dos, I thought that might have been a stupid question when I asked it, but it did occur to me about the brutal dictatorship and all that. I guess I just don't understand how making cuban cigars illegal is really doing much to solve that problem. And, yeah, I know that we don't want to support their economy and all that, but would it be dangerous for Americans to go there? Isn't it illegal for us to go there? I guess I'm just not clear on what our policy is with regard to Cuba, and would it change once Fidel is gone? Dos,

I thought that might have been a stupid question when I asked it, but it did occur to me about the brutal dictatorship and all that. I guess I just don’t understand how making cuban cigars illegal is really doing much to solve that problem. And, yeah, I know that we don’t want to support their economy and all that, but would it be dangerous for Americans to go there? Isn’t it illegal for us to go there? I guess I’m just not clear on what our policy is with regard to Cuba, and would it change once Fidel is gone?

]]> By: DosPeros http://donklephant.com/2006/07/12/rumors-of-his-death-are-greatly/comment-page-1/#comment-50113 DosPeros Thu, 13 Jul 2006 03:14:01 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=2424#comment-50113 <blockquote>Why is it that we (US) don’t like Cuba? I ask that question and am told that it’s for stupid and outdated reasons.</blockquote> Meredith, I know that you didn't mean it to be -- but do you have any idea of how insulting this comment is to the tens/hundreds of thousands of Cuban exiles that escaped from Fidel's brutal dictatorship? I have no doubt that you do not, or you would not have written it. I would suggest that you not ask that/those person(s) anything much beyond the weather, because they are ignorant. If you would like, I can introduce you to many Cuban exiles and their children. They would be happy to explain Fidel to you.

Why is it that we (US) don’t like Cuba? I ask that question and am told that it’s for stupid and outdated reasons.

Meredith, I know that you didn’t mean it to be — but do you have any idea of how insulting this comment is to the tens/hundreds of thousands of Cuban exiles that escaped from Fidel’s brutal dictatorship? I have no doubt that you do not, or you would not have written it. I would suggest that you not ask that/those person(s) anything much beyond the weather, because they are ignorant.

If you would like, I can introduce you to many Cuban exiles and their children. They would be happy to explain Fidel to you.

]]> By: Daniel http://donklephant.com/2006/07/12/rumors-of-his-death-are-greatly/comment-page-1/#comment-49783 Daniel Wed, 12 Jul 2006 20:51:23 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=2424#comment-49783 Actually Pete, the food in Cuba is great so long as you stay away from the restaurants allowed by the government. If you want really good Cuban food you have to go to the underground restaurants, which in most cases happen to be located within the the domicile of the owners. That is, many people run ghost restaurants from their homes, it takes a while to find them but its worth it. At its height, Cuba was the gem of the Caribbean, and once Castro and his system come down, it will be again. WJ- Right on, with regard to the explanation of the reasons behind our Cuban policy. So long as Florida remains a critical state to win for the presidential election, the policy will not change. Actually Pete, the food in Cuba is great so long as you stay away from the restaurants allowed by the government. If you want really good Cuban food you have to go to the underground restaurants, which in most cases happen to be located within the the domicile of the owners. That is, many people run ghost restaurants from their homes, it takes a while to find them but its worth it. At its height, Cuba was the gem of the Caribbean, and once Castro and his system come down, it will be again.

WJ- Right on, with regard to the explanation of the reasons behind our Cuban policy. So long as Florida remains a critical state to win for the presidential election, the policy will not change.

]]> By: Pete http://donklephant.com/2006/07/12/rumors-of-his-death-are-greatly/comment-page-1/#comment-49714 Pete Wed, 12 Jul 2006 15:37:41 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=2424#comment-49714 I have many Spanish friends who visited and they say Havana is expensive and the food is terrible. The people are very nice particulary when you get out of the city. I have many Spanish friends who visited and they say Havana is expensive and the food is terrible. The people are very nice particulary when you get out of the city.

]]> By: wj http://donklephant.com/2006/07/12/rumors-of-his-death-are-greatly/comment-page-1/#comment-49711 wj Wed, 12 Jul 2006 15:30:08 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=2424#comment-49711 Quite simple, actually: US policy is to try (and mostly fail) to isolate Cuba because winning Florida's electoral votes substantially increases the chances of a candidate winning the Presidency. And winning Florida requires pandering to the Cuban-exile community in Florida, or at least not offending them over something that nobody else in the country cares that much about. Treating Cuba like we treat Uzbekistan or Venezula (two countries whose governments we don't particularly esteem) would probably do more to weaken Castro than what we currently do. But such minor details are irrelevant. The definition of a fanatic is someone who repeats doing something over and over in the expectation of a different outcome. When Castro goes, at least we can find out if the exile community hated Fidel in particular. Or if nothing that happens in Cuba (except being welcomed back personally as the new government) would cause them to change. Quite simple, actually: US policy is to try (and mostly fail) to isolate Cuba because winning Florida’s electoral votes substantially increases the chances of a candidate winning the Presidency. And winning Florida requires pandering to the Cuban-exile community in Florida, or at least not offending them over something that nobody else in the country cares that much about.

Treating Cuba like we treat Uzbekistan or Venezula (two countries whose governments we don’t particularly esteem) would probably do more to weaken Castro than what we currently do. But such minor details are irrelevant. The definition of a fanatic is someone who repeats doing something over and over in the expectation of a different outcome.

When Castro goes, at least we can find out if the exile community hated Fidel in particular. Or if nothing that happens in Cuba (except being welcomed back personally as the new government) would cause them to change.

]]> By: Meredith http://donklephant.com/2006/07/12/rumors-of-his-death-are-greatly/comment-page-1/#comment-49700 Meredith Wed, 12 Jul 2006 14:52:13 +0000 http://donklephant.com/?p=2424#comment-49700 Why is it that we (US) don't like Cuba? I ask that question and am told that it's for stupid and outdated reasons. I hear it is a very nice place to vacation (if we could go there), and enough already with the ban on Cuban cigars. Why is it that we (US) don’t like Cuba? I ask that question and am told that it’s for stupid and outdated reasons.

I hear it is a very nice place to vacation (if we could go there), and enough already with the ban on Cuban cigars.

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