End the U.S. Blockade on Cuba!

Submitted by FranciscoSolanoLopez t3_ycedbu in ColumbiaMD

Folks:

Please mark your calendar and join us on Sunday, October 30th from 2-4PM at the Gorman Rd. bridge over I-95. Many organizations in the US and other parts of the world are calling for an end to the US Blockade on Cuba!

The UN General Assembly’s annual vote demanding and end to “the Economic, Commercial and Financial embargo imposed by the United States against Cuba” – the blockade – will take place on November 2 and 3, 2022. This will be the 30th consecutive vote in which the world community will once again condemn the cruel, unjust, and illegal blockade against Cuba!

Please help us pass the word!

https://www.us-cubanormalization.org/viva-cuba/unvote4cuba/

Co-sponsors: ★Friends of Latin America ★Party for Socialism and Liberation - PSL ★Claudia Jones School for Political Education ★CODEPINK: Women For Peace ★All-African People's Revolutionary Party (AAPRP) ★Peoples Power Assembly

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sab54053 t1_itlopx3 wrote

What a waste of time.

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FranciscoSolanoLopez OP t1_itlrbc2 wrote

I don't believe it's a waste of time (obviously since I'm one of the organizers). But also, the United States and Israel are the only 2 countries that have consistently voted against this measure when it comes up (and it does almost yearly).

This year at the Summit of the Americas hosted by the US in Los Angeles, where countries from all over North and South America met to discuss the future of the continents, many refused to send delegations or sent lower-level delegations than they normally would have. Why? Because the United States decided to exclude Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua. The countries that denied or limited their participation weren't necessarily left-wing and some are unapologetically right-wing. They simply decided to stand up to US bullying.

So no, I don't think it's a waste of time because opinion is turning against the US on this issue, and the US is the primary obstacle to progress on this and only upwards pressure from the people on this will change the course of the United States regarding the blockade.

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dwight0 t1_itly2kg wrote

Why did the blockade start ?

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FranciscoSolanoLopez OP t1_itm3ltb wrote

Great question! After the Cuban Revolution, the new government decided to nationalize the US-owned oil refineries. Essentially using the resources of Cuba in the interests of the country and its people. For the United States, it's unacceptable for any country to do this, so it unilaterally imposed the blockade.

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koei19 t1_itmcg67 wrote

This is not only a vast oversimplification of the history of US/Cuba relations but also factually incorrect. Exactly what Cuban resources did nationalization of the US refineries allow Cuba to use? The Cuban government nationalized the US refineries because they refused to refine Soviet (not Cuban) oil. The Cuban government then went on to nationalize all US businesses in Cuba, without providing any compensation to the legitimate owners.

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jewishjedi42 t1_itn8j3m wrote

If you want an oversimplification, the reason is capitalism.

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FranciscoSolanoLopez OP t1_itmfe6c wrote

This really strikes at the heart of the issue of national sovereignty .The US government wanted the revolutionary government out of power, and of course so did the corporations operating in Cuba. They wanted to deny the Cuban people their right to self-determination. And you're right, the refineries refused to work with Soviet oil, after the US decided to stop sending US oil to Cuba. Essentially, you had these private corporations and a foreign government trying to dictate Cuba's foreign policy to it! That they couldn't have normal and full normal relations with the Soviet Union.

That's the legacy of the blockade. The United States is dictating Cuba and other countries relate to each other. That's none of the US's business. And none of this is happening in a way that benefits the people of the United States. Whatever the initial justification of the blockade, Cuba has more than paid that price. The world recognizes that it must end, and it's been saying that for 30 years.

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acedelaf t1_itlo0c3 wrote

What's in it for the US to end the blockade?

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FranciscoSolanoLopez OP t1_itlq15m wrote

Well, nearly every time (and it's come up something like 30 times), only 2 countries vote against this measure – the United States and Israel. Every other country basically sees the blockade as criminal. It has been a complete failure in its goal (bringing down the government of Cuba) and only hurts the people of Cuba. The very people the US claims to be so concerned about. It's hypocritical. Ending the blockade would give the US more legitimacy in the world when it comes to national sovereignty.

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bambam_mcstanky2 t1_itmnpu1 wrote

This will not have the outcome you are hoping for - I have never seen a more galvanizing action against something than I see when someone screws up traffic on 95. People may end up campaigning for harsher sanctions.

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FranciscoSolanoLopez OP t1_itmoihb wrote

To be clear, we're not blocking traffic on Gorman Rd or 95. We're hanging a banner from the Gorman Rd overpass to be visible from 95 exactly like any other road sign.

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geht2dachoppa t1_itmpcqf wrote

Which slows traffic on 95....

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FranciscoSolanoLopez OP t1_itn6ecg wrote

It won't slow traffic any more than any of the other displays you see along 95.

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geht2dachoppa t1_itnc5c1 wrote

I have voted against things for them slowing me down and making me miss things at this spot.

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wedoalittlepolling t1_itndd6r wrote

average car user

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geht2dachoppa t1_itndki5 wrote

If you gotta use a car to get where you need to be, you gotta do it. I don't know what your point is.

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wedoalittlepolling t1_itnlstu wrote

no i was pointing out car user attitude where its like "if you make me 1 minute late i will run you over" i understand there is a difference between having to use a car and being a car brain

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geht2dachoppa t1_itnm460 wrote

Nah, you get forced to spend hours on 95 and 495 everyday and get stuck an extra 30 minutes 2/3 x a week for a protest year after year, it wears on you.

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wedoalittlepolling t1_itnu1gb wrote

i mean ive been in traffic before and i havent wanted to murder people but ok

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geht2dachoppa t1_itnu8br wrote

No one said murder. I said vote against things based on. There us a bit if a difference.

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FranciscoSolanoLopez OP t1_itob3pf wrote

This vote is happening in the UN, meaning each country's delegation will be voting on the measure. The US will be outvoted for the 30th time in a row. There's no vote taking place on the blockade in the United States, if that's what you think this is about.

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Neracca t1_itqe002 wrote

This has nothing to do with Columbia. I'm reporting this post.

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FranciscoSolanoLopez OP t1_itqln2d wrote

I am a Columbia resident and a member of Friends of Latin America. We are a Columbia-based community organization based on raising awareness of issues the people of Latin America are facing and the U.S.'s role in them. The event is taking place in the Howard County part of Laurel, where other Columbia-based organizations hold similar actions. On the contrary, this is very deeply rooted in Columbia!

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SquirrelFoods t1_itodv3e wrote

Why do this instead of just having a petition for people to sign? Actually I'd like the blockade on Cuba to end. I've signed petitions about it and written letters to various representatives about it. The blockade is just this relic of the Cold War and it's keeping the economy of the whole Caribbean down. Probably Mexico too. I think the blockade is perpetuating the situation in Cuba. But asking for the blockade to end because you love socialism is crazy. Ask for it to end because you love free trade and capitalism. All of those other members of the UN see a potential economic powerhouse, a former economic powerhouse that could be vital again. A Singapore of the West. They don't want to end the blockade to help the cause of socialism.

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FranciscoSolanoLopez OP t1_itoh2fc wrote

Petitions are certainly a good thing but what we're doing specifically is joining the week of action that is leading up to the UN vote on the blockade of Cuba. This is just one of many actions taking place all over the country, including a rally and march in New York City on the 29th and a rally in DC on November 2nd. You can find a full list on the website.

And you're right, you don't have to be a socialist to support an end to the blockade! The call to action's specific demands are:

·end the blockade against Cuba ·tale Cuba off Washington's list of state sponsors of terrorism ·End all U.S. anti-Cuba economic and travel sanctions

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LibDeztroyer69 t1_ito815s wrote

I'm with ya bud but it's a lost cause. Dementia Joe thinks that the missile crisis happened last Tuesday

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markmm t1_itr6e4t wrote

Just report this, downvote, and ignore it.

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