Recently I met Sara Foster, inelegant black American student, at the entrance of the famous Havana faculty of medicine. She was one among few hundred extremely bright manly black and Latino young people from USA who are studying medicine in Cuba. They were given opportunity by Cuban government to study for free ( free university fee, food and accommodation ) and gain university degree that they could only dream of as a members of suppressed and socially underprivileged class in their country.
While we were having coffee at the university cantina she simply introduced herself as an American girl with the life dream to become a doctor.
”My mother is very poor, when I was very young my father was falsely accused and sent to a prison where he died. I almost don’t remember him.
Then another tragedy hit us again, when my brother, who was only 23 yo, as American soldier, was killed in Iraq. When it happened I realize that I have only my poor mother and myself, destine to live in the country which would discriminate me as a second class citizen for the rest of my life only because of the color of my skin”.
“ When I got news that I was accepted by Havana University I was overwhelmed by joy, and then I realize I didn’t have money for airfare ticket, you know, because of embargo I had to fly via Canada.”
”My black neighbors who were equally poor as my mother collected money among themselves as well as local church priest, that’s how I managed to by a ticket".
"In Canada I met some of my countrymen who rejected to go to Iraq and had to escape as refugees. Majority of them told me they were much happier over there and didn't have intention to go back to USA. Later my mother told me that she was intimidated by FBI agents who “were searching for hidden drugs” in our flat, but actually letting her know that I was on their black list as a “potential terrorist”. I am so happy here I don’t want to go back to USA and again to experience discrimination, miserable life of my black community and now probably long term prison based on false accusations. At the same time I am fully aware that my mother is on her own, if I can bring her here with me than my life will be fulfilled”.
"As a doctor, I want to help desperate African American people who can’t afford even medical help because of their extreme poverty and miserable position in the society. People here are so happy and friendly, and not so alienated from each other like in USA where everything is about television, shopping centers, junk food and extreme materialism".
"First time in my life I experienced feeling to be treated equally in the society as other citizens and not to be discriminated because of my race".
All the best Sara, I said to her.
After listening to her story I felt at the same time happy and sad for her.
Maybe one day she will be able to return in her country as a” first class citizen” without fear for her mother and herself.


Note:
In spite of half century of USA imposed embargo Cuba has one of the best health systems in the world that was founded by Che Guevara who was a doctor of medicine himself (For example Cuba has lower mortality infants rate then USA )
http://www.ifconews.org/MedicalSchool/main.htm
(http://www.queensu.ca/philosophy/cuba/jose_marti.html).
Cuban life expectancy highest in Latin America
This according to both the CIA's world fact book and the WHO. At approximately 77 and one half years. This puts Cuba just about equal with the United States, and in the top 25% of nations worldwide.
Cuban health system provides, first class, totally free medical services to all citizens.
So called health tourism, last year, managed to generate equal income for Cuban economy as ordinary tourism. More and more “tourists” come here from the Western and other parts of the world, particularly from USA and Canada, to get medical treatment that they can not afford in their countries. Cuba also generously provide free medical university education for thousand foreign students from Latino America and for those underprivileged and discriminated young and bright people from USA who would never get chance to study university because of discriminatory policy imposed on them by USA government.

Ahhh yes - Cuba the paradise of the world!!

I agree it is.

Why then do so many thousands risk death to flee Cuba?

Generally speaking, people won't put to sea in a makeshift vessel to leave paradise......

For that matter, why can't Cubans simply leave the country when they want, rather than be held prisoner?

Edit: In light of the information in the next two posts, I'll add this - if Cuba is so wonderful, why do you have to fabricate these stories to try and make it look good?

Matt

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De duobus malis, minus est semper eligendum

Oh, and by the way, Americans don't refer to their apartments as "flats".

If you want to make these stories up and have anyone believe them, you'll need to get the language right.

Matt

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De duobus malis, minus est semper eligendum

And since we are exposing your falsehoods, here's another.

There has not been a soldier named Foster killed in Iraq, according to http://www.icasualties.org/oif/US_NAMES.aspx

You really need to research this stuff better before you post it.

Matt

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De duobus malis, minus est semper eligendum

......

Wait, she wants to help African Americans, but she doesn't wanna go back to America?

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"Anyone that needs what they want, and doesn’t want what they need
I want nothing to do with
And to do what I want
And to do what I please
Is first on my to-do list"
-Gnarls Barkley, "Going On" lyrics

Matt have you ever been to New York. people do refer to their apartments as "FLATS" and as for the name Foster? Is it remotely possible that He got the name wrong? It is quite possible that Brothers and sisters don't have the same name. (especially Half-siblings.) He didn't mention the soldier's name. just the girl's. You are jumping to conclusions. Just because you don't beleive him doesn't make it a fabricated story.

You are calling IACA a liar, Sir, and you owe that member an apology.
The onus is on YOU to prove that is statement wrong.

You do not deserve your staus as a moderator.

Matt

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De duobus malis, minus est semper eligendum

In light of other posts made by laca, I question this story also because anyone that thinks Cuba is paradise is surely incapable of speaking the truth.

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"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming "WOO HOO, What a Ride!"

Iaca - Americans dont talk like this in general conversation - especially poor American blacks.

In addition, that whole "potential terrorist" bullshit is just that - bullshit.

You're full of it my friend - and we all know it. Now go back to Fidel and tell him i said he can kiss my American ass.

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In case you were wondering, yes, there really ARE more idiots these days....technology has made natural selection obsolete.

Yeah, I would have to agree, something in this story just strikes me as brown and smelly. Just an opinion, but....

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"Bring the boys back home!"--Pink Floyd

NFA JJG 42-95

Free People/Free Markets

Following the Path of the Beam

Once again, a bushbot makes an idiot of himself.

Matt, your post hasn't been factual since 1988. The Castro regime (unlike that in Iran and a few other places) no longer gives a rat's a$$ if a Cuban citizen leaves. The only remaining obstacle is getting someone else to let the person in.

Of course, we can't expect insular conservatives to understand such complexities...

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