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From: bob@pedsgd.UUCP (Robert A. Weiler)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: Thoughts on America Bashing
Message-ID: <248@pedsgd.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 25-Aug-85 12:45:01 EDT
Article-I.D.: pedsgd.248
Posted: Sun Aug 25 12:45:01 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 27-Aug-85 06:46:41 EDT
References: <895@uscvax.UUCP> <305@ubvax.UUCP> <1131@ihlpg.UUCP>
Reply-To: bob@pedsgd.UUCP (Robert A. Weiler)
Distribution: net
Organization: Perkin-Elmer, Tinton Falls, NJ
Lines: 43
Summary: 

Organization : Perkin-Elmer DSG, Tinton Falls NJ
Keywords: 

In article <1131@ihlpg.UUCP> tan@ihlpg.UUCP (Bill Tanenbaum) writes:
>Mr. Wuersch is so good at seeing the trees that he misses the forest.  
>Cuba is distinct from the other countries he mentions (except to some
>extent the Phillippines and a smaller extent Korea).  The people leaving
>Mexico do so almost solely for economic opportunity, i. e. jobs.  Ask
>them about the Mexican Government, and you won't get much of a reaction.
>Most of the people that left Cuba since the Castro takeover left for
>quite different reasons.  Ask them what they think of the Cuban Government!
>They're not all former Batista henchman, you know.  Your comments about
>the Marielistas are correct but irrelevant.  Many of them are common
>criminals and not at all typical of Cuban immigrants to the U. S.
>Mr. Kurtzman picked a bad example in the Mariel boat lift, but his main
>point is right on the mark.
>-- 
As someone who lived for a long time in South Florida ( 1968-1984 ), I
knew a fair number of Cuban refugees. In general ( emphasis on general )
I would say they fell into 3 classes:

Those who owned property and lost it : violently anti-Castro
	would return to Cuba if they could get their property back.

Those who had jobs, but didnt own property: Moderate Anti-Castro
	prefer US due to increased economic opportunity, probably
	wouldnt return if he left.

Those who had neither property or jobs: Dont care about Castro, maybe
	even prefer him to Batista, but would rather stay in US
	for economic opportunity.

Most of the freedom rhetoric comes from the first group, and I may
be overly cynical, but I dont believe it is truly heart felt. The
others are here because they can live better in the US. They certainly
do appreciate the freedoms we enjoy, but it isnt the major factor.

As I have never been in Cuba, this is all second hand. I invite
any Cuban-American netters out there to present more definitive
assessment.
>Bill Tanenbaum - AT&T Bell Labs - Naperville IL  ihnp4!ihlpg!tan

Bob Weiler.