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Sep

3

Exiles

Surely, it is an irony that the Miami-Dade School Board, motivated by the interests of Cuban exiles who despise the post-Batista government, is attempting to ban a 32-page children’s book titled “Vamos a Cuba.” Why? Because its description of Cuba is too “positive.” The book is part of a series designed to introduce kindergarten through 2nd grade students to other countries of the world.

Miami Herald article.

Comments

4 Responses to “Exiles”

Chalicechick on September 4th, 2006 5:09 am

FWIW, it drives me crazy when liberals who don’t know what they are talking about romanticize what life must be like in places like Cuba.

That said, I STILL think banning this book is stupid.

CC
LaReinaCobre on September 4th, 2006 9:34 am

I don’t know if Moore romanticized Cuban life so much, apart from quoting a couple of statistics about education and health care, two things the US isn’t doing such a good job on. I don’t like that he demonized the mother, however. My biological father was brought to the US on a little boat by his mother when he was a child.

I’ve been to Cuba, and life is challenging in its restrictions, and it gets poorer and poorer the further you get from Havana, but I have seen more poverty and hopelessness in the city of Baltimore.

I am doubtful that the Cuban people will be free anytime soon of the negative influences of resort hotels and the US government. That’s what people should be talking about when they talk about Cuba - how it’s being eyed as just another island paradise for westerners. Are any of the angry Cuban exiles or the Michael Moores questioning that this must be Cuba’s destiny?
powderblue on September 4th, 2006 10:51 am

Occasionally my local newspaper prints a Leonard Pitts Jr. column, which I always look forward to. Here’s one on the “Vamos a Cuba” controversy from not long ago: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/living/columnists/leonard_pitts/14936490.htm
powderblue on September 4th, 2006 10:58 am

Not all of the link to the Leonard Pitts Jr. column made it in the transmission of the post I just made. After “/living/” it should read “/columnists/Leonard_pitts/14936490.htm” .