Why the U.S. Should Not Lift the Travel Ban to Cuba
By Kristen Grimsland
The U.S. Committee on Foreign Affairs held a hearing last week on lifting the ban on travel to Cuba, revealing the high discrepancy among congressional members over whether or not restricting Americans from traveling to Cuba will ultimately influence democratic change and enhance human rights under the Castro regime.
Many representatives argued that this policy has failed at influencing democracy within the communist state and has prevented Americans from traveling where they please. Others claimed that by allowing Americans to travel to Cuba, to speak and have frequent contact between citizens will lead to greater openness and, in due course, democracy. These arguments, however, were refuted by the fact that the Castro regime persistently violates the fundamental rights of the Cuban people. Not to mention, most of the revenue made through tourism in Cuba ends up in the hands of the Cuban government.
Undoubtedly, human rights under the Castro regime are extensively undermined and restricted. The recent report published by Human Rights Watch, “New Castro, Same Cuba,” describes in detail the oppressive techniques used by the Castro regime against Cuban citizens, such as political imprisonment for “dangerous,” or antisocialist, behavior, humiliating “acts of repudiation,” beatings and the excessive use of force, to name a few. If pressure from other countries is not insistently put on the Cuban government, human rights violations will continue to weaken and suppress the Cuban community.
Some argue that ultimately the profits made through an increase of tourism brought in by lifting the ban will trickle down to the underground economy. The tourism industry in Cuba, however, is a large component of the country’s state-controlled economy. Therefore, the revenue made through tourism supports the repressive behavior of the Castro regime. According to the U.S. State Department, any American tourist that comes in to contact with a Cuban citizen is subject to clandestine investigation by the General Directorate for State Security (DGSE) of Cuba. Additionally, those Cubans that interact with American tourists will more than likely be victimized by Cuban security elements.
On the whole, opening up tourism to Cuba for the American people will only serve the domineering and tyrannical actions of the Castro regime. In order for human rights and democracy in Cuba to progress, Cuban policy must change—not American policy.
Kristen Grimsland currently is a member of the Young Leaders Program at the Heritage Foundation. For more information on interning at Heritage, please visit: http://www.heritage.org/about/departments/ylp.cfm
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50 years ago, in Cuba, it seemed like the government , then run by another despot, Batista, was losing its grip on power. Taking advantage of this situation, Castro, a then unemployed, worthless attorney, makes a grab for power. Not going to complicate this in the interest of brevity.
1961, he confiscates, steals, takes, and otherwise commits out and out theft of property, businesses, lives, goods, well, just everything.
The US, having citizens who are considered to be victims of these confiscations, thefts. Imposes an embargo in order to exact revenge for these thefts. Now comes the Missile Crisis, and we pretty much know how that went.
Fast forward to 2010. What do we have? 50 years of an embargo that had one purpose, in which it failed, and no legitimate, sane, or logical reason to maintain this embargo. But, the US maintains this embargo for its own purposes and the funny part? None of these purposes have anything to do with Castro or Cuba. The purpose? Votes my friends, votes. The angry millions of Cubans who lost their belongings to Castro are still pissed. And will vote for whoever promises them to keep the embargo.
On the other hand , anyone with a little knowledge of how to build a dictatorship from scratch would know that the embargo is a perfect fit for Castro. He needs it more than anyone else. Cuba's history of the past 50 years proves it. It just isn't convenient for anyone to admit it, much less Castro. Obviously, the Cubans who have backed the embargo for 50 years can't conceivably at this point admit they were wrong without looking like total idiots, and there you have your quandary.
The US party who lifts the embargo will have to contend with a voter storm in a state that has several times been key to winning presidential elections and truthfully, there is no payoff to lifting the embargo, none whatsoever. No oil , no resources. 12 million hungry mouths to feed and a country devastated by 50 years of communist rule. Who would in their right mind want to deal with that?
It is going to be pretty embarrassing, if it isn't already, that the Cuban exile community has for 50 years fought so hard along its semi leadership to maintain an embargo which has been reassigned to a new objective every time the political tide turns on it. Even funnier how those FOR the embargo count off on the fingers all the wonderful things it has accomplished. One particularly funny one is that it has kept Castro from carrying his revolution to other parts of the world. Really. They say that. Really? Yes, they do.
The Cuban issue is so muddy that it has become a hot potato that no one in Washington really wants to deal with. "Don't look over there! Maybe it will go away." And it has, for fifty years it has been mostly ignored and the exile community placated with meaningless promises and chatter, and no real activity. Washington knows that their Cuban voters just need to hear tough rhetoric and they'll vote. Why waste political fuel when it's so easy?
I don't blame Washington. I have no respect for the US government, but do not blame them, It is not their responsibility to free the Cubans, it is ours, and we've done such a bang'em up job , we'll need another 50 yeas to recover from the stupid pill we took 50 years ago.
The Heritage Foundation is just another example of a group of people with politics in their agenda. No real interest in Cuba's freedom , just very aware that the rules say that if your rhetoric matches that of the Cuban exiles, you're going to make money . Useful idiots? Or volunteer useful idiots? I say both. Bullshit all the same.
Ms. Grimsland,
I go to Cuba very often and work there ! Who are you to tell me what to do ? Some of us have already lifted this thing, THE GATE IS OPEN , it just takes the courage of the Congress to do the right thing now for all. As a sixth generation Floridian , whose family pioneered the shipping and cattle trade between Tampa, Florida, Texas and Cuba, where we lost extensive cattle ranches, Matadero Luyano ,citrus groves, docks and wharehouses, homes and friends, no one or no government has been able to stop me from visiting Cuba legally over the last 10 years to re-open OUR relations. Working at a number of levels, from University to University, Doctors to Doctors, support for Churches across the country, cattlemen's workshops, trade fairs,export of breeding cattle and genetics from Florida, Texas,New York, Pennsylvania , Maine and Vermont, support for the arts, and the establishment of Little League teams in remote areas, the results are active engagement and making friends. Those who call the Cubans " the enemy " , need to go to Miami and Havana to meet some of the kindest people in the Caribbean. On human rights : the only way to make a difference is to be there in the middle and stand up for one's own principles, set an example, and make a difference. I follow the principle that I used in China 32 years ago when we reopened trade with China with our Lykes Lines cargo ships, with Jardine, Matheson & Co. as our agent in Shanghai : saying " Did the trade follow the flag, or did the flag follow the trade ". We are our ' best Ambassadors ' and the behind the scenes role of the private sector in re-opening relations with China also applies here . So , yes I will be in Cuba in December with clothes and shoes for some orphans in Havana helping Sister Theresa, and in January with sporting equipment and school supplies for kids in the countryside, and working on a new beef cattle production project of 12,000 heifers in Camaguay. 2010 will be a very busy year in Cuba for cattlemen from Florida, Texas and Alabama. Where will you be Ms. Grimsland ? Hope to see you on the ranch in Oriente or helping some children in Cuba whose life you can help to change , personally , even in some small way, by being there. Thank you for your concern about this important part of our lives.
John Parke Wright IV
Florida y Cuba
If I can be of help to you in Cuba, please contact me.
I also help do the Bridges of Music to Cuba Concert.
We are working on our 10 year anniversary to bring Music and Peace to the Cuban people and children . If all of us would just make a little, little difference what alot of people doing just
a little, little could do.
God Bless
GeeGee Morgan
W.P.B. Fla.
Sea Tow // Sea Spill Cuba
The embargo has been rejected by most of the world's nations, 185 by last count, for the past 17 years. It is against all the principles this nation stands for including free trade and freedom of movement.
The US has been on the side of dictatorships on this hemisphere for over two centuries and has supported two military coup d'etat just this past 5 years.
It is time for the USA to free the American people to travel and trade.
Let us look at what our government does and not worry about Cuba. Cubans can take care of their own government without our interference.
There's always this talk that our "right to travel" is being violated, by not being able to visit Cuba.
We can travel throughout the world, and we have countless freedoms...freedoms that pale in comparison to what the average Cuban has.
In fact, I'd rather hear these same people -demand-, just how they make the demand to the US government , that Cubans could also freely travel...which they cannot do at all.
"Change" will only happen in Cuba when there's a different type of government there. It's a military dictatorship, layered with good public relations, and plenty of global leftists that are willing to paint it in a rosy hue.
American tourists will not bring change to Cuba. Europeans and Canadians have been traveling there for years, injecting money into their economy, and the country is basically as undemocratic and fascist.
If the Cuban government and global leftists continually push for the lifting of the -credit blockade- that tells you that it will not bring democracy , nor change to the status quo. It makes zero sense, and they know this, that they would advocate for the demise of Cuban socialism.
Basically, it's trickery on behalf of the Cuban government and leftists worldwide. Leftists in America scream that their "rights" are being violated (very funny considering that Cubans have little personal rights), they push and push for the US government to "respect their rights", but it's just trickery so that the US caves in to Cuba.
We are the biggest seller to Cuba, with numbers in the 500+million per year. This is about money to feed the dictatorship, credit access to scam American companies, and a place for American leftists to call home.
I have travel world wide. I have been to Cuba many times.
Most of you don’t have a clue of what you really don’t know.
You speak of Cuba, but don’t ever mention all the injustice, sex abuse to women and young girl children . You have your head in the sand.
We (USA) do business with many countries that permit the government to have child prostitutes that are run by the government we do business with. Sell these small girl children to Foreigners. Our government and YOU turn your heads and do not demand that these governments change their democracy . YOU speak of personal rights? What rights do these children have? Or these woman that are stoned to death because they
prayed in the wrong place, love an american, or marry out of their religion ? Where are you then?
If it is good economically for the USA then we don’t care what a country does. IF it has no oil , gas, nuclear benefit we (USA) want
to go to these countries and demand they be HUMAN. We demand they give their people rights. Do you know how ignorant most USA citizens are? Most of you don’t have a clue. You sit home and read or listen to the slanted lies of the USA media .
They hide the ugly truths for you couch potato, beer drinking ,
morons.
Most of you don’t have a clue that your about 4 to 5 of your rights have been taken away right here in the good old USA. You don’t even know the bills they are passing that will tie you down and put you and your children in deep, deep debt, only health insurance for the very wealthy, and no S/S because our Government spent your retirement on other things and you don’t even have a good understanding of the government you live in more less have an opinion of another government. Lets not speak about the Real Reason USA gets into wars. The real reason most of the time $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.
I say, travel to any and every country YES CUBA. For a good
level of understanding of the world and the USA control it tries to
have on other countries. Who said our way is the only way? What makes us the superior know it all, have it all, spend it all, do good doers...... ONLY FOR A PRICE and the Money USA can make, SAD TO SAY.
GEEGEE MORGAN
A hard working born US citizen
Sea Tow// Sea Spill Cuba
Why worry about the freedoms of Cubans when our freedoms are abridged?
If you want to worry about military dictatorships, look at the one we support in Honduras, and the people killed now trying to regain the ousted government .
Forget Cuba they can take care of themselves, it is the problems here in the US we need to address.
I don't want to travel the rest of the world, I think is my right to be able to travel to Cuba if I wish.
As to money for dictatorships, worry about the billions and billions going form here to Saudi Arabia.
Ms. Grimsland,
Have you ever traveled to Cuba?
As an American, I did not sacrifice my rights to travel for the sake of improving human rights in Cuba. We do not this with any other country on the planet. One issue does not have to do with the other. You clearly do not understand this issue.
Five million Cubans living on the island have relatives here in the United States. When the travel ban is lifted, under an atmosphere of normal travel, normal communications, and basic trade, conditions will improve in Cuba, including human rights.
We have restricted travel for 50 years now and it has not brought one iota of change to Cuba. The Cuban government is a Cuban problem that will be resolved by the Cuban people living on the island, not by us here in the United States. We exacerbate the problems in Cuba with our travel restrictions and embargo.