What’s stunning about visiting Cuba is how open it seems.Those visiting for the first time often expect to find a tropical version of the Soviet Union. Instead one finds a vibrant Cuban culture of music, dance, film, theater, literature, pelota (baseball). North Americans don’t remember, or don’t know, that the Cuban Revolution inspired students, artists and intellectuals throughout the hemisphere. Many young people throughout the region in the 1960s took up arms and headed to the mountains and jungles in an attempt to replicate the revolution in their home countries. Mostly, those experiences ended badly. Yet Cuba’s cultural leadership from the Casa de las Americas literary prizes, to film, baseball and track and field continued to influence the region. Latin Americans still listen to Silvio Rodriguez and Pablo Milanes, the founders of nueva trova cubana. Cuba is changing rapidly. Capital pours in from Miami, Latin America and Europe. With Obama’s visit, the stream will become a flood. Historic, but run-down houses are now being painted and restored almost overnight and turned into restaurants. What will happen now with the onslaught of US and global capitalism. Will a proud nation be reduced to just another Caribbean playground, as in pre-revolutionary times. One suspects the answer is no. Despite everything, Cubans are proud, educated and most want to maintain the gains of the revolution even as they desire change. And baseball will likely continue to thrive.
I'd welcome the Cuban fans' enthusiasm in our major league ballparks. Maybe if we asked fans to keep their phones in their cars or at home--disconnect and BE somewhere--that'd be a start. As a former ballplayer, I'm very happy that Major League Baseball is trying to normalize relations with Cuban baseball.
5
You Sir should know.
1
I hope to one day sit in a major league ball park in Havana, watching my Yankees play against the local MLB team.
9
Just what I was thinking (Red Sox version)
And when the Yankees finish their series, I want to sit in the same stadium and watch the Boston Red Sox play. I do believe this will happen.
After decades of Communist rule, few could afford a ticket
I was thinking of a Cuban team made up of Cubans who now play in the States. That would have given Cubans a sense of pride about their baseball and, maybe, something to shout about.
3
There is a famous Japanese haiku poem, "Little snail, climb Mt. Fuji -- slowly, slowly."
Obama has started the U.S. on a climb from the WASP-domination of its past from the perversion of self-determination that doomed the poor, from the post WWII economic and military power over all other nations m-- climb, really renewed climb to a better life as a better nation among equals. FDR, TR, Clinton, LBJ -- he joins others who also disdained "Exceptionalism" an d sought... a mountain to climb. Slowly, slowly. Imagine what Obama might have done with cooperation in Congress and without corporations-as-people.
We must vote to carry on.
Obama has started the U.S. on a climb from the WASP-domination of its past from the perversion of self-determination that doomed the poor, from the post WWII economic and military power over all other nations m-- climb, really renewed climb to a better life as a better nation among equals. FDR, TR, Clinton, LBJ -- he joins others who also disdained "Exceptionalism" an d sought... a mountain to climb. Slowly, slowly. Imagine what Obama might have done with cooperation in Congress and without corporations-as-people.
We must vote to carry on.
24
Having grown up in South Florida since 1964 I have had a number of friends and acquaintances who:
- were 'Peter Pan' children
- were missing family members unable to leave Cuba
- were poor because the Cuban government confiscated all they had earned
- were willing to raft to the Florida shore risking their life.
It is a bit disquieting to see our President and his family sitting next to a man who, with his brother, caused many of these problems and, if you will remember intended to aim missiles at the United States. I realized that times change, but the government leaders of Cuba essentially have not. The brothers that brought you the Elian Gonzalez debacle, Mariel boatlift, and Communism 90 miles from our border are still in power. Perhaps if they apologized or renounced some of their actions having our president watch a baseball game with Cuba's dictator would be marginal acceptable, but that has not happened. As much as I am grateful to be a citizen of the United States of America, I am not troubled to see our president smiling and enjoying a game with the same government that caused so much hardship and strife that still exists today in the hearts and minds of good friends and valued neighbors.
- were 'Peter Pan' children
- were missing family members unable to leave Cuba
- were poor because the Cuban government confiscated all they had earned
- were willing to raft to the Florida shore risking their life.
It is a bit disquieting to see our President and his family sitting next to a man who, with his brother, caused many of these problems and, if you will remember intended to aim missiles at the United States. I realized that times change, but the government leaders of Cuba essentially have not. The brothers that brought you the Elian Gonzalez debacle, Mariel boatlift, and Communism 90 miles from our border are still in power. Perhaps if they apologized or renounced some of their actions having our president watch a baseball game with Cuba's dictator would be marginal acceptable, but that has not happened. As much as I am grateful to be a citizen of the United States of America, I am not troubled to see our president smiling and enjoying a game with the same government that caused so much hardship and strife that still exists today in the hearts and minds of good friends and valued neighbors.
3
Correcton: ... I AM troubled to see...
As you may or may not know,when Castro came to power he sought assistance from the US. It was only after the US refused to extend a hand that he turned to the USSR. Castro was no saint, but before him Cuba was run by the mafia-like Batista regime. Cuba was used as a whorehouse and gambling paradise by wealthy north Americans. The people were little more than slaves, except for those who serviced the Batista regime. Times change. But we still need to understand the deep history of US-Cuban relations and WHY the Castro revolution succeeded in the first place.
Why did Castro try to place missiles on his land? Could it be the attempt by the US to overthrow him (Bay of Pigs) and various assassination attempts?
Why did Castro try to place missiles on his land? Could it be the attempt by the US to overthrow him (Bay of Pigs) and various assassination attempts?
18
i don't know how many are left, but it would be good to also get that kind of apology out of the Batistas who were chased out of Cuba by most of the country.. Castro would not have been possible without those original crooks and thugs.
9
As Mr. Obama said, how the Cuban people decide to govern themselves, and how they run their economy, is a question for the Cuban people. We need to make clear to Cubans that Cold War suspicions are in the past and that we, as a country and as a culture, are ready to work with them to put to rest the grievances and concerns of both sides in a compassionate and realistic manner.
Baseball is fun, and it is part of the sports tradition of both countries. Let it also be a pathway to reconciliation.