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House panel votes to remove travel ban on Caribbean island of Cuba Read more: http:/

Jwrussell

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If they don't have the national pride to preserve their culture, it isn't the Americans fault.
Guys, it doesn't have to be anyone's FAULT to make it a fact, or for someone to feel slightly depressed about it. Opening Cuba to the US will change it. Change by itself is neither good nor bad, it's just change. It will be perceived by some as good and some as bad and in many ways it will be quite a bit of both. There are many downsides to removing the embargo to Cuba, I just believe that they are well out-weighed by the good that will come to the Cuban people from such a move.
 

BrooksW

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Yall are getting excited over nothing...nothing major will change until after Castro is dead...The LAST thing US politicians want is for him to be able to say he "Finally beat the American pigs at their own game" or some such...

~brooks
 

Jwrussell

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Same here. I'm not daring enough to do it oustide the law, so I'd have to try to get down there ASAP once they opened things up.
 
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that and now traveling to cuba will be awful thanks to americans mucking it up with modern shops and restaurants...there goes cuban culture.
Guys, it doesn't have to be anyone's FAULT to make it a fact, or for someone to feel slightly depressed about it. Opening Cuba to the US will change it. Change by itself is neither good nor bad, it's just change. It will be perceived by some as good and some as bad and in many ways it will be quite a bit of both. There are many downsides to removing the embargo to Cuba, I just believe that they are well out-weighed by the good that will come to the Cuban people from such a move.
Does that sound like someone that is just stating the fact that it will change if american are allowed to be there and assigns no blame.

"Americans mucking it up" doesn't sound blame free to me.

I'm glad that you would rather them continue to live in abject poverty so that you could go visit them in an unchanged state. Cuban culture at the moment for most of them consists of being dirt poor and terrified of their government's secret police. I'm pretty sure they'd rather have an applebees.
 
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Yall are getting excited over nothing...nothing major will change until after Castro is dead...The LAST thing US politicians want is for him to be able to say he "Finally beat the American pigs at their own game" or some such...

~brooks
He's been doing that for 50 years already...
 
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I'm glad that you would rather them continue to live in abject poverty so that you could go visit them in an unchanged state. Cuban culture at the moment for most of them consists of being dirt poor and terrified of their government's secret police. I'm pretty sure they'd rather have an applebees.
i never said they wouldn't prefer us to lift the emargo, and i definitely never said our money wouldn't help them...problem is our money has the potential to ruin them...if i were psychic i could tell you what really happens but i can only speculate now.

and of course everyone prefers money and applebees...but why, why not embrace what is natural. not every country can be rich, and not every citizen of a rich country can be wealthy either. i'll be the first to say that i'm dirt poor and have lived on the street before...lived in a commune for a year because i was disabled and couldn't afford any other living...but it was wonderful and beautiful embracing the small and poverty. money doesn't make things better or relieve stress, it just makes things worse.

check this link for one wonderful example: cuban cars
 
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Wow lots of thoughts and opinions.

I for one would love the opportunity to legally visit Cuba. I read a book Mi Moto Fidel a couple of years ago about a guy riding a bike down there and it was a great read and made me want to go. But until I can legally do it my wife says "No".

Plus now I am into cigars and the chance to visit some of the places that make truly the best cigars on the planet(my opinion) would be great.

Best regards, tony
 

Cigary43

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ONe thing my wife and I do regularly is travel and one place I'd love to visit is Cuba...not only because of the cigars but because of the history and culture. The Caribbean Islands are beautiful and we have visited every one of them except for Cuba and a couple of others. Politics aside people are people and lumping them into a political mainstream is a bit too casual. While I do not like the political persuasion of Cuba that doesn't mean I don't care for their people or culture and as the years go by the world does indeed get smaller. The one constant I find in my travels is that people are still decent people who love their families and want to be able to provide for them and live free to enjoy life. Political views tend to circumvent those feelings where a negative point of view is now the criteria for judging others. While I believe democracy is the best system that doesn't necessarily mean that others share that view but that doesn't mean I shouldn't be able to travel the world because of a political slant. I try not to judge people by their politics but rather how they live their lives...actions not words.
 

Jammerjoe

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yes i'm serious. i love america and am permanently disabled due to defending it, but we (americans) don't normally embrace everyone's culture when we invade islands for vacation. we build applebees because we're used to them and don't want to branch out...

i did't agree with the embargo in the first place, but there are some beautiful things about cuba that will be no more once travel is opened to the island. good for cuba though, they need our money, cars, and applebees.
One of the hardest things for any of us to admit is there are a lot of r-tards in this country who have no clue what it means to travel to a foreign country.

American's are often loud, obnoxious and inconsiderate of other countries' cultures, considering them inferior to ours. Yet our culture is really a mish-mash of cultures from all over the world...
 

Jammerjoe

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Does that sound like someone that is just stating the fact that it will change if american are allowed to be there and assigns no blame.

"Americans mucking it up" doesn't sound blame free to me.

I'm glad that you would rather them continue to live in abject poverty so that you could go visit them in an unchanged state. Cuban culture at the moment for most of them consists of being dirt poor and terrified of their government's secret police. I'm pretty sure they'd rather have an applebees.
Tmoney..you make his case so clearly. You are pretty sure they would rather have an Applebee's...really? And you know this how? The Cubans may have lived under a proletariat regime, even a repressive regime, but that doesn't change the fact that they are Cubans...not Americans...and there is a distinction for them. It is the arrogance you display with your comment that validates exactly what Benday said.

The Cubans certainly want a better way of live...a richer life, and richer doesn't mean so much monetarily as the overall experience of life, living free with the ability to affect change and betterment for their family and lifestyle. Abject poverty? Have you visited often? Do you speaks from experience or are you just making assumptions?

The odds are American's will muck it up..simple study of Cuban history will give you plenty of evidence. Prior to Castro, the Mafia owned huge chunks of the hotel and tourist industry and held sway and influence throughout what was a very corrupt government, led by a dictator...Fulgencio Batista... Castro was actually hailed as a hero when he finally toppled the dictatorship in 1959.

That doesn't guarantee that Americans will muck it up...but he expressed his CONCERN, which is completely valid.
 

Ed Monton

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Lots of Americans travel to Cuba illegally. If you want to experience Cuba go now because it will change fast once travel restrictions are lifted.
 

Jwrussell

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Does that sound like someone that is just stating the fact that it will change if american are allowed to be there and assigns no blame.

"Americans mucking it up" doesn't sound blame free to me.

I'm glad that you would rather them continue to live in abject poverty so that you could go visit them in an unchanged state. Cuban culture at the moment for most of them consists of being dirt poor and terrified of their government's secret police. I'm pretty sure they'd rather have an applebees.
You don't know me, I don't know you, but you can take that crap and shove it right where the sun doesn't shine, bud. That's one of the most ignorant and assinine comments I've ever seen on this site.
 

Jammerjoe

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Guys, it doesn't have to be anyone's FAULT to make it a fact, or for someone to feel slightly depressed about it. Opening Cuba to the US will change it. Change by itself is neither good nor bad, it's just change. It will be perceived by some as good and some as bad and in many ways it will be quite a bit of both. There are many downsides to removing the embargo to Cuba, I just believe that they are well out-weighed by the good that will come to the Cuban people from such a move.
JW..agreed my friend. Change is inevitable...anyone who thinks otherwise should read "Who Moved My Cheese" ... Cuba does have poverty, but they also have an incredible spirit. It is one of the most highly educated countries in the world. Many people think Cuban cigars are their most important export, and while it certainly is for their persona, the truth is far more obscure.

Cuban's most important export are their doctors. Check it out.

BTW I am just across the Bay in Safety Harbor if you ever want to get together for a smoke. Was thinking about going to the Augusto Reyes pig roast at Gaspers this Saturday but won't be able to stay too long if I do. The wife flies back from Ohio and I have to pick her up around 9-9;30
 
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