At Capitol, Cubans protest travel restrictions

UPDATE: Rep. Rivera responds, saying demonstrators "in no way represent the views of the Cuban-American community." See the jump for more ...
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About 100 people from Miami showed up at the Capitol this morning and angrily denounced a bill that would further restrict travel to Cuba. They demanded Gov. Charlie Crist veto the legislation.

"One of the things they said is they want travel to Cuba stopped because Cuba is a terrorist country. Our families live in Cuba and our families are not terrorists. We need to visit them because they need us," said Gilda Alfonso, 60, who moved to Miami when she was 19. (click photo to enlarge)

The bill (CS/ SB 1310) was sponsored by Rep. David Rivera, R-Miami, and Sen. Carey Baker, R-Eustis, and would require more disclosure and increase fees for "sellers of travel" that cater to supposed terrorist countries. Critics say it will drive small travel companies out of business and increase the cost of travel for Cuban-Americans wanting to visit relatives.

"Mr. Rivera does not speak on behalf of the Cuban community," said Silvia Wilhelm, executive director of the Cuban-American Commission on Family Rights. "I think he has bargained, once again that doing this in an election year will give the Republican Party votes.

Under the bill, travel agencies would have to pay as much as $2,500 in registration fees and post a bond of up to $300,000 to book travel between Florida and Cuba and other countries deemed terrorist states.

"Help us Crist, help us Crist," the protesters chanted in the courtyard between the old and new Capitol. "Veto 1310. Veto 1310."

Rivera defended the bill. "It will help protect consumers from any fraudulent and abusive prartice that may be committed by both the travel agencies and their business partner, the Castro regime." He said he has gotten complaints that some agencies have not refunded deposits when people change travel plans. And he blamed Cuba for imposing fees that add to the cost of a ticket to Cuba.

Crist, he said, should sign the legislation. "No one understands the nature of the Castro dictatorship and its terrorist activities better than Gov. Crist. There is no reason travel agencies that do business with terrorist governments should have an exclusive exemption from state regulations."

Comments

finally some rational people on the subject

"Help us Crist, help us Crist,"

I smell the Chuck Straight Photo Express a'comin!

[Omega83]

Come on Charlie - if you're the civil libertarian you appear to be, you'll veto this bad legislation.

Hey folks, that's not the way to get it vetoed, you've got to hire the "right" lobbyist!

Give those Cuban protesters a leaky inner tube and let them paddle their way back to Castro and Habana. Good riddance.

[jack]

These Republicans keep chanting the mantra of less government, less government. Who are THEY to tell ME where I can and cannot travel?

[john]

I am all for one way travel back to Cuba. You all can't leave the country fast enough.

Thank you Alex - I will avoid downtown for lunch!

[Donald Lance]

How many of these protesters bothered to learn English? If you cannot speak the language here does that give you a voice that should be heard?

tumbleweeds in the capitol had a front row seat because everyone is gone

For God's sake--- open up the right to go to Cuba. Every other country is there and involved in building up the country and taking part of the action. All we are doing is keeping families from being together--get over it.

Hey Donald, were your ancestors Native Americans? Because if they weren't, you should shut your racist trap. This is a nation of immigrants, and Cuban Americans should have just as much of a right to visit their relatives in Cuba than you should be able to go to London, Dublin or Berlin to visit yours.

Note the protest signs were in perfect English, more than can be said of the spelling capabilities of some of the mouth-breathers on this blog.

Top photo shows signs written in Spanish.

I bet Crist vetoes it. There are so many humanitarian missions to Cuba these days.

Yes, ONE sign.

[Donald Lance]

Bashing me doesn't answer the question. I would not move to Mexico and not learn the language, then demand that govt do something for me. So, without calling me a racist, if you do not speak the language, do you have a voice that does not come from a Lobbyist?

[Flagophile]

Hey Don,

Why don't you Google Cuban-American statistics?

What you will find is that Cuban-Americans are more educated and make more money that are Anglo counterparts.

We came here and in a mere 40 years managed to have not only two senators elected to Congress (the highest ratio of senator/ethnic group of all), but also count CEO's of major corporations, including Coca-Cola, in our ranks. Not to mention lawyers, doctors, small business owners, etc.

Without the benefit of speaking in our native language, we bested you in virtually every meaningful category.

I suggest you start speaking Spanish. One of us might give you a job then.

[Flagophile]

US Census Bureau. Facts about Cuban Americans

Organizacion Autentica US Census Bureau. Facts about Cuban American:
Cuban Americans have acquired an enormous amount of wealth and prosperity in an extremely short period of time; no other immigrant group has achieved this as quickly as the Cubans. Many immigrants have never achieved it at all, despite being in this country far longer than Cubans.

Second-generation Cuban-Americans were more educated than even Anglo-Americans. More than 26.1% of second-generation Cuban-Americans had a bachelor’s degree or better versus 20.6% of Anglos. Thus Cuban-Americans in 1997 were approximately 25% more likely to have a college degree than Anglos.

Other Hispanic groups lag far behind. Only 18.1% of South Americans had a bachelor’s or better. Puerto Ricans, despite being U.S. citizens by birth, recorded a disappointing 11%; Mexicans only 7%.

In 1997, 55.1% of second-generation Cuban-Americans had an income greater than $30,000 versus 44.1% of Anglo- Americans. Thus Cuban-Americans are approximately 20% more likely to earn more than $30,000 than their Anglo-American counterparts. All other Hispanic groups lag far behind in average income.

In 1997, 36.9% of second-generation Cuban-Americans had an income greater than $50,000 versus 18.1% of Anglo- Americans. Cuban-Americans were twice as likely to earn more than $50,000. Also, approximately 11% of Cuban-Americans had incomes greater than $100,000 versus 9% of Anglo-Americans, and less than 2% of other Hispanics.

Cubans comprise less than 4% of the U.S. Hispanic population, Mexicans 65%, Puerto Ricans 10%, Central and South Americans 11%, and “others” 10%. Yet of the top 100 richest Hispanics in the U.S., more than 50% are of Cuban descent (ten times what it should be on a population basis), and 38% of Mexican descent. The rest is scattered among all other Hispanic groups.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

[Flagophile]

US Census Bureau. Facts about Cuban Americans

Facts about Cuban American:
Cuban Americans have acquired an enormous amount of wealth and prosperity in an extremely short period of time; no other immigrant group has achieved this as quickly as the Cubans. Many immigrants have never achieved it at all, despite being in this country far longer than Cubans.

Second-generation Cuban-Americans were more educated than even Anglo-Americans. More than 26.1% of second-generation Cuban-Americans had a bachelor’s degree or better versus 20.6% of Anglos. Thus Cuban-Americans in 1997 were approximately 25% more likely to have a college degree than Anglos.

Other Hispanic groups lag far behind. Only 18.1% of South Americans had a bachelor’s or better. Puerto Ricans, despite being U.S. citizens by birth, recorded a disappointing 11%; Mexicans only 7%.

In 1997, 55.1% of second-generation Cuban-Americans had an income greater than $30,000 versus 44.1% of Anglo- Americans. Thus Cuban-Americans are approximately 20% more likely to earn more than $30,000 than their Anglo-American counterparts. All other Hispanic groups lag far behind in average income.

In 1997, 36.9% of second-generation Cuban-Americans had an income greater than $50,000 versus 18.1% of Anglo- Americans. Cuban-Americans were twice as likely to earn more than $50,000. Also, approximately 11% of Cuban-Americans had incomes greater than $100,000 versus 9% of Anglo-Americans, and less than 2% of other Hispanics.

Cubans comprise less than 4% of the U.S. Hispanic population, Mexicans 65%, Puerto Ricans 10%, Central and South Americans 11%, and “others” 10%. Yet of the top 100 richest Hispanics in the U.S., more than 50% are of Cuban descent (ten times what it should be on a population basis), and 38% of Mexican descent. The rest is scattered among all other Hispanic groups.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

[Omega83]

Donald Lance,

A vast majority of Cuban Americans have learned English.

The ones who have not are either recent arrivals, or come from elsewhere like Mexico, El Salvador and Guatemala.

But I wouldn't expect you to be able to tell those brown guys apart?

[Donald Lance]

Flag, I employ people so i don't need your job offer. If Speaking Spanish is a requirement for anyone to get a job in this country, then it truly is a sad state of affairs that has fallen on this country. See Flag, I never questioned the work ethic of any group. I could google anynationality-American and find exactly the same thing as what you posted above. My problem here is if people don't assimilate culturally, are they truly American? And if they do not speak the language of the nation, do they have a voice? Those are issues you should have personally addressed many years ago.

[Flagophile]

Regardless, you said that if we don't speak English, we should not be heard.

First, many, if not most, of us speak both English and Spanish. Two languages are always better than one. Go learn a second language and teach your kids the same. You'll be better off and so will they.

Second, speaking a language is irrelevant. As shown above, we contribute a hell of a lot to this country, more percentage-wise than you guys.

[Donald Lance]

Flag. "You guys"? Isn't that a racist statement? What do you mean by that? My wife of ten years isn't from this country, yet her English is great and my speaking in her native tongue is almost as good. So I have learned another language, thank you! My son is fluent in both. Now that we are both on the same page, my claim is that if you never assimilated yourself into this culture then you cannot be a (insert nationality here)-American. So how can those non-assimilated groups speak out about anything when they haven't bothered to become Americans?

[Donald Lance - Top Dog on "The Bell Curve"]

Donald Lance - I see your getting beat up on the racism issue again. Hmm...

HOW MANY TIME DO WE HAVE TO SAY:

IT'S A STUPID, FAILED POLICY!!!!

BEFORE IT BEGINS TO SINK IN????

[Donald Lance]

"A stupid, failed policy". Why did Fidel come to power in the first place? Didn't it have to do with American influence of the Cuban Govt? So what would happen if we ended the restrictions tomorrow? American companies would be in there faster than you could say "Che". Then what? Another revolution? Then another boycott? So on and so on!

[James]

It's amazing to me how Cuban Americans vote these republicans into office and expect them to treat them as if they were upper class white americans. I understand their plight, my ex-wife and mother of my kids came here from Cuba and can't go visit but come on. Stop voting republicans into office....vote for someone who will ensure your rights! When it all boils down, if you arent white and rich and American, you're screwed.

There is a big difference between Cuban Americans and the left wing American Cubans.

Eisenhower levied the embargo fully believing Castro would be an irrelevent little (and probably dead) gnat of a footnote in Latin American history.

Unfortunately, Fidel hooked up with Moscow, without whom his Revolucion would have soundly been crushed.

When the US had the opportunity to finish off Castro early on before his Soviet alliances become too strong, Kennedy balked on Eisenhower's plan.

Instead of wiping the egg off his face and moving on, we instead have had close to 50 years of a stubborn and childish foreign policy.

[Flagophile]

Donald,

What you are saying in order to "assimilate" it is imperative that you learn the language.

I don't think that is so. So long as you come to this country to work hard, raise a family, abide by our laws and make the U.S. a better place, you are an American in my book.

You can speak Spanish, Mandarin or not speak at all. Equating assimilation and love of country, exclusively, with language is foolish.

[Flagophile]

*saying is"

Shouldn’t these people be mowing lawns or something, instead of protesting?

[Tess]

It is sad, when we cannot differentiate the difference of the rights of all American's residents of Florida, regardless for their ethnic background. The protest is because a small group of politicians are trying to hijack the politics of the state and the country for their own agenda.

The Travel Agencies are regulated by the state of Florida, ever since the Seller of Travel Law was implemented. The identification of what is a Terroist State and additional guidelines is a Federal Issue.

With all the Budget Costs in Florida, it does not make since to come up with some new regulation, which will need an enforcement and administrative department, requiring additional funding for these actions.

It is not only about Cuba Americans, is about what is right for those of us that leave in the State of Florida, and why the State should be involved in Foreign Policy.

[tess]

Typo before someone finds it. Thos of us who LIVE in the State of Florida

"So long as you come to this country to work hard, raise a family, abide by our laws and make the U.S. a better place, you are an American in my book."

Agreed.

It would appear that those who truly have these aspirations in mind find they are more efficiently achieved by learning the English language.

It sort of works out well for everyone.

Um, David Rivera, a CUBAN sponsored this legislation you morons

[Flagophile]

That's true. Is it better for them personally? Absolutely.

However, that doesn't mean that it is necessary or imperative for them to do so.

Think of it this way: There are non-English speakers who have worked very hard to assimilate. On the other hand, there are English speakers who have not assimilated.

One is not dispositive of the other.

your 2.46 post is BEYOND STUPID, donnie!!

altho, if what you visualize were to come to pass during a repiglican administration, there is a better than even chance the R's would fudgeitup...again....somehow someway!!

probably as they did during the first few days of the OCCUPATION OF VIETRAQ.

you know, like sending half a dozen 25-year-old campaign workers with no training or experience, to totally reorganize the entire cuban economy.

you have read about those fiascoes, havent you...in a book of the same name?

halfwittedjackass!!!!

does that mean GWDRUNK is NOT "assimilated", because the arschloch certainly cant speak english, can he?

[Donald Lance]

You can assimilate yourself economically and you can assimilate yourself culturally. They are not the same thing Flag. If you want to be called a thisorthat-American, you would be assimilated culturally. To come here and not learn the language, not associate with "Americans" never bother to put forth the effort to become anything resembling an "American" and just earn a paycheck does NOT make you an American.
But getting back to the signs in the pics above: How come several of the signs have the same handwriting on them? Don't tell me those people holding signs have identical handwriting! Assimilation, Flag! Assimilation!

What do you mean?

Is it that he cannot pronounce the word "nuclear" or that he substitutes the word "disassemble" for "dissemble?"

Don,

You and I will never agree. You are now splitting hairs and claiming economic assimilation and cultural assimilation. Yada, yada, yada.

You are also misstating my position by adding "not associate with Americans . . ."

If you believe that assimilation requires, exclusively, that you learn English, fine.

As I said earlier, I think that is a foolish and non-sensical position. But, it's your's.

[Donald Lance]

Fine! All I'm saying is this is the only country where somebody can come here and not do a damn thing to meld themselves into the fabric of this country, then demand the govt do something for them. "Ask not what your country can do for you..."

Don!!!!

I agree that if someone comes here and doesn't do a damn thing to meld themselves into the fabric of our country they should not be entitled to demand anything from the government.

However, not learning the language, in and of itself, does not qualify as "not doing a damn thing to meld themselves into the fabric of this country." In my estimation, there are many other things that they can do to "meld." Learning the language is not the "only" means of "melding."

[Donald Lance]

Last post then I'm out. If I were in a strange land (granted, it's only 90 miles away) I would do everything I possibly could to learn the language spoken there. It's my belief that if a person doesn't try to learn the language, then they show contempt for that society and will never become a thisorthat-american. A common language is something everybody can utilize to identify themselves as belonging to that society. Without that, they'll ALWAYS be a foreigner! If that's what they want, then they have zero business asking the govt for anything.

What is really sad, is that there are such interaction questioning the assimulation into our government, but no one is looking at the idea, that politicians are once again following their own agenda, and not really protecting their constituency.

Is it not more important to debate whether our politicians are really doing the job they were elected to do, or following a personal agenda?

Donny, put you leather chaps and ball-gag back on, and get back in your damn box before I call Bruce Willis!

damn, no wonder you're a simp!

Flag if cubans are so great then why are you in Florida instead of back home on Castro Island?

The fact is much of the prosperity you speak of came from looting the treasury on the way out and a tremendous amount of CIA provided "aid". So, get off your ethnic high horse.

When a man does not control his land and his wife and children are run off in the dark of night but he is nonetheless given shelter and treated well one should be humble and appreciative not misguided and arrogant.

Just because some cubans have the right to vote should not be confused with them being Americans, they are not.

Fortunately, many people of Cuban decent are wonderfulproductive people and have become Americans in every sense of the word. Flag you need to stop misrepresenting and hiding behind them with your comments.

[Omega83]

Perhaps it is Mr. Rivera who no longer represents the interests of the Cuban community.

The times they are a'changin', Mr. Bean.