No subject

seek an improvement of U.S. relations with Cuba, moving to
a more normal or a completely normal relationship (at least
diplomatically and economically), any step to reduce current
barriers would be, in my opinion, "good thing". That is why
the progressive leaders in the Cuba-American community are
all united around the idea of an Obama presidency. That's
clear to me, but it's a factor which Ike Nahem ignored in
his discussion.

Ike's right that Cuba being an issue in the U.S. presidential
election (not to speak of the congressional races in Miami,
for example), offers "an opportunity for Cuba solidarity
activists to tell the truth." In fact, Cuban reality is a
complex one, and we shouldn't think that in talking about
Cuba, there is only "one" truth. Anyone reading the letters
to the editor column in GRANMA, or the investigative reports
in JUVENTUD REBELDE newspaper.

Cubans are still required to ask permission to travel abroad
from the Cuban government. And to pay a substantial fee for
the application to travel. This is an issue which annoys a
lot of people on the island. I hope in time it will become
possible for Cubans to travel freely abroad. For the time
being, with legislation like the Cuban Adjustment Act on
the books, the Cuban government hasn't yet felt that it
could responsibly allow unrestricted travel. Who can say
they're wrong in this calculation? They have to also know
they pay a certain political price for this, as for other
choices. We ought not to let our enthusiasm for the Cuban
revolution to lead us to pretend that Cuban society is
more than it is. It's a complex society with its own
problems and contradictions as we're now seeing in the
discussions starting to be shared in the Cuban media.

There's much to learn from and to emulate in the Cuban
experience, but those of us who support Cuba would do
better think of Cuba less as model to be copied, but
as an example from which we can learn if we're open.

Personally, I hope Obama wins, though he seems to be
doing everything in his power not to do that.


Walter Lippmann
Los Angeles, California
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IKE NAHEM writes:
In any case, it is the Cuban government that favors unfettered,
legalized travel in both directions. So who, exactly, is afraid of whom?
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The fact that Cuba has emerged as an issue in the election campaign
creates an opportunity for Cuba solidarity activists to tell the truth.

Ike Nahem is the co-ordinator of Cuba Solidarity New York, a member
of the National Network on Cuba. Nahem is an Amtrak Locomotive
Engineer and a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and
Trainmen, a division of the Teamsters Union. These are his personal
political opinions.


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     WALTER LIPPMANN
     Los Angeles, California
     Editor-in-Chief, CubaNews
     http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CubaNews/
     "Cuba - Un Para=C3=ADso bajo el bloqueo"
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