Kitty Felde
The inside story on California's congressional delegation.
Comparing Cuba to Compton
Last night, the Congressional Black Caucus returned from Cuba. One of those in the delegation was Long Beach Democrat Laura Richardson. This was Richardson’s first trip to Cuba. And during a meeting with Cuban President Raul Castro, she asked if they could meet with his brother Fidel. It turned out to be the first time (that we know of) that US officials have met with the Cuban revolutionary leader since his intestinal surgery three years ago.
Richardson said she wasn’t even born when Fidel Castro led the Cuban revolution. And she came to Cuba expecting to see what others had told her about modern Cuba: people without shoes, without jobs, without even ice cream. Instead, she said, she saw Cubans in better situations than people in parts of her own district. Her district includes Watts and Compton, where unemployment is over 18 percent. Richardson said unlike southern California, in Cuba she didn’t see “rows of homeless people,” she didn’t see “trash,” or “mentally ill people living under bridges.” Instead, she said she saw “a community where they may not have much,” but people were “working, taking care of their families.” She also praised Cuban health care and education, and pointed out that one of her own constituents from Long Beach is attending medical school on a complete scholarship. “Where’s that happening in my district?” she asked.
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- April 8, 2009 12:12 PM by Kitty Felde
- Comments (2)
2 Comments
The delegation saw what the Cuban Government wanted them to see. Why do we send such ignorant people to represent the U.S.? Maybe someone in the party should have at the very least spoken to some of the people who had to leave Cuba and now live here in the U.S. At the very least they should have done some deep investigations about what Cuba was like before and after Castro.
Or maybe this was just another tropical junket?
Incredible.
The U.S. used Cuba as a toilet during the 30s, 40s, and 50s
by politicians and organized crime. U.S. turn there back on Cuba when they needed us during the late 50s and early 60s and you wonder why such leader as Fidel Casto rose up? Wake-up America. I could say a lot more but since we took little steps by sending a deligation to Cuba. Laura Richardson of the delegation spoke very positive about her visit to Cuba, maybe its about time we open our doors of friendship
instead of playing this political childish game that has been damageing sad in the worlds eyes, let alone people like me.....
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