Fidel Castro celebrates 90th birthday, criticises Obama in public letter

[Judi Lynn]

68. You simply don't know enough about Cuba to realize people from Latin America do go there.

Maybe you can get permission from the US government to go there to find out for yourself, or merely start doing your homework, and learning to do research. You'll be much better for it.

As for large groups of people moving to Cuba, US citizens learned they couldn't go there upon retirement because the US government refuses to send anyone's Social Security check he/she has earned to them if they have a Cuban address. You can check that out.

Oh, also, it's still illegal for individuals to travel there, unless they happen to be Cuban "exiles" or their progeny, or if they go there with a sponsored group, as in a tour, for some reason that's OK with Uncle Sam. Not so many chances for bumping into person-to-person situations and having heart to heart conversations, or getting taken around to meet their friends and family, etc., and finding out about life on the island.

There are a few towns in Cuba where Haitian-Cubans live, learn in their own language, even have their own radio station, etc.

Found a quick grab from google regarding a woman's trip, taken during Bill Clinton's Presidency:

Creole Language and Culture: Part of Cuba's Cultural Patrimony
by Susana Hurlich, Havana, 21 May 1998

The first question asked by all Haitians who visit Cuba from outside the country is about Guantanamo, which has been historically the most important region of the country for Haitian residents and descendants - that is, for Creole language and culture. Although no census of Haitians (residents or descendants) in Cuba has been done to date, in the 1980's a group of sociologists from Guantanamo did a study on genealogies of Haitians living in the province. At that time, they estimated that some 45,000 descendants of Haitians and another 4,000 native Haitians were living throughout the province.

Today, there are over 40 groups around the country that promote Creole culture, such as the fabulous choral group, "Desandann", which sings traditional Creole songs with a delicacy, harmony and passion that is gripping. Based in Camaguey and recently returned from a tour in New York, "Desandann" members are all descendants of Haitians.

An annual carnival, begun by Haitians and immigrants from Barbados who arrived in Cuba during the nineteenth century, still takes place. Cuba also participates in international festivals dedicated to Haitian culture - in July '94, such a festival was held in Santiago de Cuba. For years, many Haitians and their descendants in Cuba did not identify themselves as such or speak Creole. In the eastern part of the island, many Haitians suffered discrimination. But since 1959, this discrimination has stopped.

After Spanish, Creole is the second most-spoken language in Cuba. Over 400,000 Cubans either speak it fluently, understand it but speak with difficulty, or have at least some familiarity with the language. It is mainly in those communities where Haitians and their descendant live that Creole is most spoken. In addition to the eastern provinces, there are also communities in Ciego de Avila and Camaguey provinces where the population still maintains Creole, their mother tongue. Classes in Creole are offered in Guantanamo, Matanzas and the City of Havana. There is a Creole-language radio program.

More:
http://slavery.uga.edu/cuba-trip/background.html

I heard about "Desandann" years ago and bought one of their CD's. Wonderful! They are popular all over the world, everywhere except the United States, of course.

Do yourself a favor: take a moment out from telling everyone what you think you know, and actually learn something about Cuba. You'll feel better, in the end, even though it does require effort.