What I really get a kick out of is how you guys are trying to make me such an enemy of the Cuban-Americans. Nice try but it ain't happening.

Hey USNA91, I can't believe you opened the door with that Africa and Israel remark. I had two friends in college who moved back to Israel just to help in the struggle. Many a Jew have done the same thing. I'm not sure about Africans but I'm not going to make a statement like you did. You are basically talking outta your ass about that part, and in doing so guilty of the same thing you claim that I am.

And would you hot headed whatevers get done with trying to make it sound like I'm saying your not patriotic or willing to fight. I was just bitching about the Cuban situation. Sure, your people fought in many battles and squirmishes in several places. My hat is off to all of you. But then that's not what I was bitching about.



And if you or your buddy Goad had taken a little time, you would have been reading all the subsequent posts and seen that EdAvilaSr had just about convinced me to go along with what I was seeing. Hell, I was all ready to reconsider my earlier statements and possible appoligize. Well I guess I'll do that anyway. It's lucky for you guys that you have level headed dudes like Ed on your side.

Now go find someone who is actually anti-Cuban-American and kick their ass. You have my full support. And if you have a cute sister who is still single,,, send her over to Texas. I'm looking for a passionate woman. [:D]

I just hope that you didn't get too many blacks or Jews pissed off at you. Yikes!!! You'll need all that intensity to keep your ass in one piece for sure. Now have a nice day and don't forget to brush your teeth [:D].

God bless Texas, the US, Florida, and all those Cuban-American dudes too.

Different ball of wax.
They move to Israel, to a land that welcomes them.
The paralel would be like a telling a jew in WW2 to move to Germany to fight the Nazi's. You can't reasonably expect them to do that.

Gee, maybe it has something to do with your "Cuban-Americans are a pain in the ass" remark. Forgive me if I took your remark as a negative. Obviously, you folks use a different grammar book in Texas.

As for my other remarks: tough toenails. Those who went to fight in Israel have my deepest admiration and respect, but the truth of my statement stands.

Ed Avila is obviously older and wiser than I. He has probably had far more personally at stake in the "Cuban Situation" (your term... BTW, it sounds a bit like "Jewish Question", doesn't it?) than I have, so his experience has either tempered him or broken him (I highly doubt the latter).

I simply say this: If you have a gripe about a group of people you claim to like and respect, then I suggest you invest in a good thesaurus, because your choice of words has not been good. I agree that in some circles, people overreact at the slightest inkling of a criticism. If I gave that imperession, (and I'm not denying I might have) then I apologize, but I've seen my people be called horrible things for simply desiring freedom and saying so loudly. I've had enough of it, and I'm afraid I don't have Ed's years to temper what I see as a bastion of acceptable racism in our country. (I'm not accusing you, BTW.)

At any rate, I'm willing to let this matter drop right here and now. As Ed said above, we have other enemies to fight who present a much more immediate threat than the geriatric retread in Havana.

Besides, if we take this "War on Terrorism" seriously, Castro will eventually come into our sights. With one shot, we'll be able to fix both our problems simultaneously.

In the meantime, cheers! [beer]

In Nazi Germany, there really was no one who could replace Hitler.

Likwise for Mao in China.

In the USSR, it was Lenin/Stalin. No Soviet leader after Stalin had the same control.

Strong-man governments need a "strong man" in charge. This would seem to be the case in Cuba, as well--if not more so.

Post from USNA91 -

Nope, 'tain't true. We got the same books, we jes' don't read 'em none too good![:D]

Eric The(PleaseRetro,DeleteThisThread,YouGotMeTalkingBadlyAboutTexas,Boy!)Hun[>]:)]

Hey USNA91, I already apoligized. Well, sorta. I didn't realize how sensitive Cuban-Americans were. Not till I tweeked a nerve anyway. My people got moved out of your part of country many years ago and shipped off to Oklahoma. Then they later let other people move in. I don't mind so much but you deserve to know that I'm not just some white guy talking totally outta his ass. My forefathers got moved and many were killed on the Trail of Tears. The little analogy posted a bit earlier was a little more accurate than the originator knew,,, but we didn't end up in Canada. And you see, that was all about race and color of skin, not something as flexible as politics or choice. I'm not saying that many of your people who suffered really had a choice but that's another long discussion.

I too get a little sensitive when people say derogatory things about Native Americans but try not to blow up too quickly over little words like "pain in the ass" and "jerk". Those just aren't as serious as some of the ones I mentions earlier.

And EdAvilaSr isn't broken or burned out or anything else like that. He can just tell the difference between the remarks of frustration and hatred. There's a big difference and I'm sorry mine got confused with those of hatred.


But the offer still stands about your sister. A cousin would be okay too [:D]


[beer]

Oh yeah, I'm from Oklahoma so quit picking on Eric(thetiredandlonelyneedsabeer)Hun.

So how bout we smok'em peace pipe

[smoke]

retro, what i don't understand is why anyone thinks we need to take action to make another country do our bidding.  cuba, for better or for worse, is a sovereign nation.  if the people want communism, who are you (or the US) to tell them it isn't right for them?  if they don't want communism, then let them fight the battles.  if they need help in the fight, and they ask us (the US of A) for it, we can decide the logistics at that point in time.  until then, we stay the hell out of it.

You know what, I thought we had finally come to a conclusion and now ARLady steps in after the fact.

Hmmmm, let me think about that one,,,

Duhhhh, I never proposed doing anything about it. The whole original point I was making,,, way back up top, was to stop the boycot and trade with them. Then that would potentially have the effect we want (at least I hope it would but that is all speculation).

As far as why would we,,, cause they are our neighbors and we always meddle in other countries affairs. Nothing new there. Every sain person (or at least my interpretation of sain) in this country wants Cuba to end communism and become a democracy. I know that I do anyway. Are you going to try and tell us that we have no business in their affairs? That's the same kind of thinking that England was using when they offered to let Germany take over most of Europe. Yeah, that's a real good one. Oh, I do realize that Cuba isn't trying to take over a continent but they did try to help once and they are still a commie country that needs to be converted, at least in my book. You obviously have a different book than me. The book Let's Stay out of Foriegn Affairs and Let Everybody Screw Each Other Over by ARLady. I'll be looking for that one at Barnes & Noble. [:D]

Oh, and I don't want them to do our bidding. I just want them to become a democracy and do their people's bidding. Isn't that how it's suppose to work???

really?



sounds to me like you want to do something about it.  your original point was to normalize relations, but you did carry the argument beyond that.

as far as meddling in other countries' affairs, just because we do it, doesn't make it right.  and england's problem preceding WW2 went WAY beyond looking the other way and not interfering.  that would have been just plain vanilla isolationism.  but, nooooooo, they went a step farther and tried to protect their asses through a policy of [i]appeasement[/i].  the U.S. non-involvement with cuba is NOT to protect our ass.  we are not giving cuba the entire carribean (sp?) to sate their appetite for land so they don't come looking for ours.  we aren't preventing any harm to us by boycotting cuba. in fact, we're bringing it down hard from the people and other countries who wish we would normalize relations with cuba.

i want a free society for cuba as much as the next person, but it is not OUR decision to make.  if it is truly a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, then how in the hell can the U.S. do it for them?  (not to mention that the chances for success are so much higher if the change originates within the country rather than with U.S. military [or otherwise] action.) this is a cuban issue.  i imagine you'd get downright pissed if france or england started telling us how we ought to behave or threatening action because we weren't governing this way or passing these laws.  why then is it okay for us to go tromping all over the sovereignty of other nations just because you don't like their form of government?



this isn't a foreign affair.  this is a cuban domestic affair.  and yeah, if other people want to screw themselves by the form of government they enable or allow, that's their choice. "of the people", after all.



you're right.  you don't want them to do our bidding, you want them to do [b]your[/b] bidding.  and yeah, that's how a democracy is supposed to work, [b]BUT THEY DON'T HAVE A DEMOCRACY[/b] so it's a moot point.  if it's to truly be a government of the people, then THEY have to do it.  we can't do it for them.  they have to have leaders step forward and take the reins.  these leaders have to be their own people, chosen by the people.

Up until now I actually had a lot of respect for you. I can't believe you believe what you are saying. Or are you just feeling fiesty tonight?

Maybe we just flat out disagree. That's what it sounds like to me. I am just having a hard time believing your non-involvement attitude in this situation. And I'm not tromping all over anything or anybody. Although I truly wouldn't be totally opposed to it in this case.

You make a few really good points about how the people of the country have to make it happen and take control. Unfortunately sometimes, that just isn't enough. And I guess you don't feel them to be a threat now that the USSR is over. So as a result you are pulling out any support a resistence would get from us. Well isn't that the same kind of thinking that got lots of people killed in Iraq when we ceased fire and ignored our promises to the oposition groups of Husein. Isn't that the same thing that got people slaughtered in Nam when we pulled out. Well I see definite similarities between your thought pattern and the "Screw all you guys that we made promises to and now don't need anymore" syndrome. You probably think that the Bay of Pigs was one of this country's finest moments too.

Good try with your little half-truths but I'm not buying. I still agree with a lot of your other posts on other subjects but I guess we are just going to have to agree to disagree on this one.

Maybe I'm wrong here about how you are coming across but that's just the way it sounds.

believe it.  and i'm always fiesty.  [:D]



yes, we probably disagree.  but there's also some communication problem.  i don't have a strict non-involvement bent on this topic.  i guess i didn't stress that it is not the U.S.'s job to [i]initiate[/i] the change.  U.S. help in achieving that change is not out of the question.



i think we might agree here, up to a point.  i think the U.S. can help, but not start.



neither do you, apparently : "Now that Communism isn't such a threat..."



never said that.  said that the U.S. cannot be the "resistance" per se.



yes, cuba is a similar situation.  buy my thought pattern is not "screw all you guys that we made promises to and now don't need anymore."  when they get the ball rolling again, we'll help them push it along.  until then, it is not our fight.  sovereignty means just that.

i think that breaking promises is despicable, whether done by a person or by a country.  and i'd like to know why you think i would be so proud of the bay of pigs debacle to think it...how did you put it?...to think that it was "one of this country's finest moments..."?  i cringe when i think about it.  i think kennedy was a royal jackass.  during his entire term, but particularly during this incident.  



and what would those be?

yep, guess we're gonna have to agree to disagree on this one.  [:P]

I can do that but then I've had a lot of practice cause I disagree with a lot of people.

[argue]

Sorry, but my sister is taken by a prior Marine. I have one available cousin, but she's too hot to handle. Doesn't keep a man for more than a few weeks, then dumps his ass. Don't even go there: She's my favorite cousin.

I got a bunch of MALE cousins, if your interested, but they would probably kill you if you tried any [sex] with them. [;D]

BTW, I never picked up on the fact that you were (at least part) Native-American. Now [b]THERE'S[/b] a bunch of people who got [b]ROYALLY[/b] screwed by the White Man! My compliments! [beer]

Keep Cuba closed! How else would ugly boogers here get HOT Cuban chicks to marry them unless they could lure them with the idea of citizenship-

No really, point well taken retro about being buddies with Cuba instead of China.

Cuba is our close neighbor. They would make a cool island state. Salsa and yummy women. Warm ocean surf. Rodded-out 50's cars. Of course, Castro needs to be Castr-ated first, but that wouldn't be much harder than what we're already getting involved in.

Consider that "it" is not about you. I don't care about you or your pedestrian opinions and ordinarily I would not bother to try to change your views regarding Cuba (Guns yes, Cuba no). "It" is about your public post that parallels the radical socialists agenda of disarming USA while making kissyface to the Communists of the world. "It" is not about sides. "It" is about truth in this public forum.

While we're at it.....screw the Irish too.

Wait...i'm Irish.....

Nevermind.

[BD]

"Consider that "it" is not about you. I don't care about you or your pedestrian opinions and ordinarily I would not bother to try to change
your views regarding Cuba (Guns yes, Cuba no). "It" is about your public post that parallels the radical socialists agenda of disarming USA while making kissyface to the Communists of the world. "It" is not about sides. "It" is about truth in this public forum." Goad

Well that's interesting. Hey, if you want to get pissed off at me about something that I actually wrote well that's okay. But if you are going to draw parralelism to some other non-related idea like socialism or disarming the public well then you are as mixed up with interpretation as many of my ex-girlfriends. Maybe you need to get your estrogen levels checked cause there is NO correlation. Nice attempt to put words in my mouth and try to get others to jump on your little wagon. Maybe if they were stupid enough to believe what you were saying then they would. The last person who called me a socialist to my face is now in an asylum. Be careful, you are starting to sound a little like him...

[whacko]


But seriously, sorry for the misunderstanding. I'll try not to let it happen again.

And since USNA91 couldn't come through for me,,, you got a cute sister or cousin who would consider relocating to Texas??? [:D]