Black Caucus to Obama: Lift Cuba Embargo

Another outdated issue remains on the books. Talking with our enemies is so American...if not should we continue to allow Cubans in our country, and punish them for their countries "beliefs" by denying them assess to their family members? This is the right thing to do. Talk...

"Black Caucus to Obama: Lift Cuba Embargo."

The US embargo of Cuba will be lifted but not because of the Black Caucus. President Obama cares little or nothing about what the Black Caucus - and/or African Americans, in general, say or recommend. He knows he does not have to honor any request, make any decision, develop any initiative, etc concerning input or desires from any African American group. Why should he? After all, regardless whether he ignores or downright loath African Americans, he will still get more than 90% of their vote, because they (African Americans - not Obama) claim he is Black.

Why not just say a Congressional caucus went to Cuba?

Percy - because they (African Americans - not Obama) claim he is Black--- No dear, it was you little haters who attempted to always paint Pres. Obama as half white, trying to take that historic moment from people of color and the world. All the while you touted how he ignored his white roots and threw his grandmother under a bus! Which is it? You guys can't have it both ways!

TECHNICALLY, Obama is the first black president since the Constitution was adopted. the very first president of the United States under the Articles of Confederation was a black man named Hanson. There were seven presidents under the Articles. Check it out!

Poor Percy I'm not sure what your personal problem is with President Obama's racial makeup, but I'm quite sure when he wakes up in the morning he recognizes that he is an African American or are you the barometer for who's black enough? It's simply time for this policy to end, I mean you can buy cocaine but you can't get a Cuban Cigar..

Yep dealing with Cuba will work Great.

Just like opening Trade with China I am sure that more American Jobs will get shipped to Cuba so Slave labor can take them.

Maybe this will work out like Helping Saddam fight Iran...or Helping the Taliban fight the Russians....Nah..Couldn't work out that well.

Dealing with Countries who hate Freedom just destroys our own Freedom More.

It send a Message to Freedom loving Rebels that we no longer stand for Freedom and Liberty......But the almighty Dollar.

Nice to see that the New Administration is no different than the last.

Greed first...

Freedom second...

Poor Percy who said you are the official barometer for who's black enough? It's an outdated policy and I want to smoke a Cuban cigar.

Why do we have a "black caucus" isn't that racist? Do we have a "white caucus"?

Changing our policy towards Cuba would do a lot to address the poverty there. The Borgen Project has good info on the estimated cost of ending global poverty:

$30 billion: Annual shortfall to end world hunger.

$550 billion: U.S. Defense budget.

I watched Lou Dobbs last night. Al Sharpton and the woman leader of ACORN was on there.

Terrible and pathetic. They are hacks and want nothing other than to destory anything and everything white. They are true racists.

I have had my fill with black anything that are racists like those two. I don't know how Lou kept his composure.

CW | Apr 8, 2009 5:27:51 PM

"Why do we have a "black caucus" isn't that racist? Do we have a "white caucus"?
_____________

Yep' it's called The House of Representatives and the U. S. Congress. But Black people aren't complaining, since we get to participate, equally. If you've never experienced it, "the tone of the discussion changes, when a Black person enters an all-White Male room." It's just NOT the case, when you turn that around. Same thing..... change Black to Woman, any Brown person, Red person. I guess that may highlight the need for minority caucuses!

Re: Posting by: jbmotogp and "try the truth" (Their response to my posting)

His mother is white. His father is black. Who determines what race/color/label, etc is applied? That was my point. And, I don't think he cares one bit about what African Americans, as a separate group, think.

I recommend a reading of Uriah Fields', "Letters to the Editor: Is Barack Obama Black or White?"

Also, read Ronald Takaki's, "One Drop" Rule : Why Do We Consider Obama to Be Black?"

To be sure, the academic halls are filled with literature on this subject. The above recommendations, however, are short and easy reads.

Two events from 2008 standout: Mr Obama's refusal to attend Tavis Smiley's "State of the Black Union" event and his refusal to attend the 40th anniversary of Reverend Martin Luther King's assassination even in Memphis, TN.

He was announcing his entry into the democratic primary on the day he would have been at the "The State of the Black Union." He was campaigning in Indiana on the day of the Rev King's assassination 40th year anniversary. Valid reasons, to skip both, I am certain, Mr. Gibbs, his press secretary, from Auburn, Alabama, told him.

Has it come to the point where only agreement, praise,and worship are tolerated? I suppose so. However, being from the segregated south (born during the 30s); having been beaten for trying to vote; having spent most of my life in the military and fighting for this country; having been told I was too black to drink from certain water fountains, use certain restrooms, eat at certain restaurants, sleep in certain hotels, and so forth, I feel I have earned the right to ask to speak - be it in a respectful manner - whatever I want to ask /speak about concerning our elected officials; be those officials as black as I am, a little on the brown side, or as white as the average European.

WHY DO WE HAVE TO REFER TO RACE AT ALL; ARE WE NOT ALL AMERICANS AND ALL CHILDREN OF GOD. I REMEMBER IRISH, ITALIAN,POLISH,GERMAN NEIGHBORHOODS ETC. WOULDN'T IT BE A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE IN IF WE TREATED OTHERS AS WE WOULD WANT TO BE TREATED. PRAY TO GOD FOR HIS PEACE.

I don't understand why the congressional Black Caucus is making an issue out of lifting the embargo on Cuba. Cuban Americans, who have more vested interest in Cuba, generally hate the Castro regime and want to continue punishing them for their idealogical rigidity. If we engage Cuba with our capitalistic methods and they fully embrace it, we'll be rewarding them like we rewarded the Chinese Communist Party with the success of capitalism. The CCP will never admit it, but they got rich by ditching communism for our free markets. They'll continue to take advantage of our free markets while censoring Obama for saying how America defeated communism.

THE CBC is a racist organization. They need to be dismanteled or someone needs to start a CWC. The nerve of these communists to say: if there's repression in Cuba - we didn't see it. Yeah, the same attitude existed prior to WWII. These black congress whiners are pathetic and desrve scorn - which the media will not do. Thats why the newspapers are bankrupt.

Useful idiots!

The embargo doesn't hurt anyone but average Cubans. Castro doesn't care. The strong Cuban lobby in Florida are staunch Republicans and will stay that way. President Obama has nothing to lose by lifting the embargo. I can't wait to see Cuba. I've traveled extensively in the Caribbean and Americans are the only people not freely allowed to travel to Cuba. Once average Cubans begin to get visits from family members that live in the U.S. and have more exposure they will eventually force a change in leadership. We're scared spitless of China but can still try to bully Cuba, makes no sense. China has worse human rights offenses than anywhere.

What good is the continuing blockade of Cuba:
1. Cuba's ecomomy is in shambles so that they cannot afford to become a 90 mile near threat to the U.S.A.
2. USA shows consistentcy toward a repressive state with Cubans routinely escaping to freedom in the USA.
3. Neither Castro, Fidel or Raul, can show their own state of economic leadership since there is no economic backing from the USA.
4. Cuba has not been able to muster terrorist or anything but oral attacks on the USA since the blockade has diminished their economy and resolve.
5. Cuban exiles have had hope for 50 years that the next US move would be to cause the downfall of Castro after the blockade.
If there had been no blockade, the Cuban exiles and dissidents would have had less hope for a change.
6. Cuban dissidents can point to the blockade as the fault of Communism and the Castros which referral helps the cause of freedom.
7. Many other countries trading with a communist Cuba are leary of US sanctions against them or lack of US support when needed which the world would understand given the "fall of communism", except in Cuba.
8. Left leaning countries have been forced to support Cuba since she has been a subject of blockade and disdain from the US for 50 years. The world thereby can ascertain the most detrimental countries by their shown support for the blockaded Cuba.
9. Left leaning US politicians and proletariat have a cause to support Cuba since the blockade has been in effect. The world thereby can ascertain the most detrimental individuals by their shown support for the blockaded Cuba.
10. Unlike the Palestinian Authority, Cuba has been unable to siphon off as many US Dollars, as has Arafat and Abbas, since the US would appear inconsistent sending money, arms, military training and support to Cuba while still implementing a blockade.

It is very fitting that the Congressional Black Caucus should champion the cause to eradicate our trade sanctions against Castro. The truth is that Castro, Fidel and Raul, along with Che Guevara insulted the United States when they refused to allow the United States unlimited power and access to Cuba, following the revolution. Additionally, when Fidel Castro visited the United Nations and was refused accommodations in swank mid-town New York City, he went to Harlem and lodged there, much to the delight of the residents of Harlem, and to the chagrin of our government. Compounding our government's disdain was the fact that the Castro Brothers and Che Guevara provided military assistance to Black Africans in Angola--Cuito Carnavale--to defeat the spread of Apartheid. Fidel Castro was quite vociferous in touting that Brown and Black military might from Cuba had helped Black Africans defeat the White racist Apartheid regime of South Africa, which coincidentally had not offended the human rights sensibilities of our then American President.

Our government's embargo was designed to force Castro to postures that he never would assume. The embargo is a nearly-fifty-year-old failed policy that needs to be extinguished, not reiterated. Our nation must exhibit unflinching moral muscle, but how can we pontificate about human rights violations in Cuba with the specter of our performances at Guantanamo? We must lead by unassailable example.

I am an American who loves my country dearly, and I am really proud of our new President, and our collective capacity for introspection and change. It is my hope that we change our policy toward Castro and Cuba, so that our neighbor is also our friend.