While you might have had differing views on whether or not this team should have played, if you are a Cuban exile you should be ashamed of yourself if you find you're angry at this decision because you were going to root for the team. That is not your team taking the field wearing Cuba across their chests; it's Castro's. Your team will be taking the field wearing "US" on their heads and "United States" on their chest. As much as you feel just as attached to your culture as you do to your location (I sympathize, I'm the same way) rooting for that team would be an absolute betrayal of your culture. You won't find a single 1st or 2nd Generation Exile rooting for them, why should you?

Who made you the definitive authority on what constitutes staying loyal to your culture? People should free to make up their minds about this without being accused of "betraying their culture" or "being ashamed of themselves." This is what happens among black Americans like that douche bag in Philadelphia who had the nerve to question Donovan McNabb's "blackness" in the Philadelphia Sun. It's not cool when they do it and it's not cool when others do it either.No one did. But, seeing as Cubans who are in the United States are here because they are opposed to the government in Cuba for various reasons, it'd be a little hypocritical to turn around and root for the government's team now wouldn't it?

 

Big difference between that and throwing around stereotypes like is the McNabb-NAACP case. I'd say anyone of Cuban descent is a lot more qualified to speak on this matter than an NAACP area leader on football.

 

 

You're still saying any Cuban exile that is upset that Cuba won't be represented because he wants to root for them ought to be ashamed of himself and would be "betraying their culture." You're saying that rooting for Cuba's team is un-Cuban, just like that guy said that McNabb has allowed himself to be influenced by white people and as a consenquence is now not a scrambling quarterback, like most black quarterbacks are (or presumably should be). It's not that different. Your stereotype is that any Cuban exile shouldn't root for the Cuban team just because Fidel is still in power.

 

I think this is a silly argument. You can be against Castro's regime and still have enough pride in your Cuban heritage to want them to win a baseball tournament. Supporting Cuba's national team doesn't mean you support Castro. Nothing wrong with having a sense of nationalism, especially when it comes to something like sports. Leave the politics out of it. Let them play. And don't say people betray their culture when in fact they're showing a strong pride of their culture.

Your stereotype is that any Cuban exile shouldn't root for the Cuban team just because Fidel is still in power.

I don't know that I agree with your assessment of Juanky's argument. Having a political ideology is hardly a stereotype...

 

I think what Juanky is trying to say is that Cubanos - especially first generation - are proud of their herritage. However, they also ESCAPED from Cuba because of Castro's politics. I'm going to try to take some of the political bite out of this by going this route:

 

Did you ever see "The Longest Yard?" It's a movie about Inmates playing Guards in a game of football - just remade by Adam Sandler. Imagine an inmate, that had escaped from the prison, rooting for the guards. If the Cuban team wins, Castro wins. That is how Juanky sees it.

 

In order for the "inmates" to win, you would have to play a bunch of Cuban defectors against the Cuban national team - and that will not happen.

While you might have had differing views on whether or not this team should have played, if you are a Cuban exile you should be ashamed of yourself if you find you're angry at this decision because you were going to root for the team. That is not your team taking the field wearing Cuba across their chests; it's Castro's. Your team will be taking the field wearing "US" on their heads and "United States" on their chest. As much as you feel just as attached to your culture as you do to your location (I sympathize, I'm the same way) rooting for that team would be an absolute betrayal of your culture. You won't find a single 1st or 2nd Generation Exile rooting for them, why should you?

Who made you the definitive authority on what constitutes staying loyal to your culture? People should free to make up their minds about this without being accused of "betraying their culture" or "being ashamed of themselves." This is what happens among black Americans like that douche bag in Philadelphia who had the nerve to question Donovan McNabb's "blackness" in the Philadelphia Sun. It's not cool when they do it and it's not cool when others do it either.No one did. But, seeing as Cubans who are in the United States are here because they are opposed to the government in Cuba for various reasons, it'd be a little hypocritical to turn around and root for the government's team now wouldn't it?

 

Big difference between that and throwing around stereotypes like is the McNabb-NAACP case. I'd say anyone of Cuban descent is a lot more qualified to speak on this matter than an NAACP area leader on football.

 

 

You're still saying any Cuban exile that is upset that Cuba won't be represented because he wants to root for them ought to be ashamed of himself and would be "betraying their culture." You're saying that rooting for Cuba's team is un-Cuban, just like that guy said that McNabb has allowed himself to be influenced by white people and as a consenquence is now not a scrambling quarterback, like most black quarterbacks are (or presumably should be). It's not that different. Your stereotype is that any Cuban exile shouldn't root for the Cuban team just because Fidel is still in power.

 

I think this is a silly argument. You can be against Castro's regime and still have enough pride in your Cuban heritage to want them to win a baseball tournament. Supporting Cuba's national team doesn't mean you support Castro. Nothing wrong with having a sense of nationalism, especially when it comes to something like sports. Leave the politics out of it. Let them play. And don't say people betray their culture when in fact they're showing a strong pride of their culture.

 

no you cant. any cuban over here HATES the cuban government and anything that represents it and the Cuban team reps the government. there is a reason why cubans are here. leave the politics out of it? if you arent a member of the communist party you dont play for the cuban national team. if your cuban and live here and still root for that team, you need to take a serious look in the mirror and either remember everything you went through on that island or consider everything your family went through to get over here to make sure you have a chance at a decent life. its that simple.

Your stereotype is that any Cuban exile shouldn't root for the Cuban team just because Fidel is still in power.

If the Cuban team wins, Castro wins. That is how Juanky sees it.

 

 

That's called being too obsessed with one man, albeit a powerful man. Castro loves how the exiles do this. He loves the attention. Doing stuff like this just feeds his ego.

He loves the attention. Doing stuff like this just feeds his ego.

 

If he loves the attention, imagine how much attention he would get if HIS team made it to the semifinals. Imagine the attention he would get if HIS team made it to the finals. Imagine the attention he would get if HIS team won out.

 

I'd rather see them play and get destroyed by Mexico or Japan or Australia.

 

To be perfectly honest, I'd RATHER see his team play a team full of Cuban MLB all stars and get whooped. Getting beaten by defectors would be the absolute worst thing that could ever happen to Castro. Of course if this happened, all of his players would have their family pets shot by the Cuban government but I digress...

If Cuba doesn't play, Fidel could just say, "they were scared of us. We're the best team in the world and that's why they didn't want to play us." You can't win either way (unless, of course, they play and get whooped).

Either way he spins it like he wants, it doesn't matter. Only situation he couldn't spin is a game of Cuban exiles versus Cubans playing for the national team. Of which I think the Cuban National Team might have the mercy rule enforced on them for a change.

 

I think, even moreso than the McNabb situation for blacks, this is a situation that won't be understood properly unless you are part of it. To the outsider it might seem that people should root for their heritage and all that fun stuff, but the very reason we're here and not there is because our heritage there doesn't exist anymore. The Cuba all of our grandparents rave about and all of our parents left when they were younger than us now isn't around anymore. Cuba as a real nation ended 47 years ago as of January 1st; a shell of its former self is all that's left. Rooting for the Cuban National Team isn't rooting for Cuba - it's rooting for what Cuba's become. Our Cuba now is in Miami, and that's why a team of Cuban Exiles would represent us much more adequately than a team of slaves from the island.

 

This situation reminds me of the exhibition games the Orioles played against the Cuban National Team, when Major League Baseball was first introduced to Jose Contreras and other Cuban greats. Miami was split pretty evenly - half rooted for the Orioles because they wanted Cuba to lose, and the other half refused to watch because they thought the Orioles were betraying the embargo by going over and playing a team of Castro's minions. It's the same situation here except they'd be playing international competition - we want the team to play and fail because that hurts Castro more (well, they can beat Puerto Rico. No one will mind if they beat Puerto Rico).

 

And for the record, it's not just an obsession with "one man." But, as the figurehead for the government (and, well, the one that makes it all happen) he gets his name tagged to everything. Simple as that.

I disagree with most of my fellow Cuban-Americans (must be that I'm just Cuban).

 

I agree that Castro uses the team for propaganda and everything else you want to say. but what about the cuban people? those inside the islnad who struggle every day to get by.

 

this team is their pride and joy. and i know because i grew up in there and it meant everything to me (still does). they were looking forward to this event with great enthusiasm. watch the players they've grown up admiring compete against the best professionals in the world.

 

they have enough suffering already. why add to it this disappointment.

I disagree with most of my fellow Cuban-Americans (must be that I'm just Cuban).

 

I agree that Castro uses the team for propaganda and everything else you want to say. but what about the cuban people? those inside the islnad who struggle every day to get by.

 

this team is their pride and joy. and i know because i grew up in there and it meant everything to me (still does). they were looking forward to this event with great enthusiasm. watch the players they've grown up admiring compete against the best professionals in the world.

 

they have enough suffering already. why add to it this disappointment.

 

 

Exactly! :thumbup

I wish the politicians would keep the hell out of it and let the teams play. If the issue with the Treasury Department is the Cuban Government profitting off the event, then exclude them from the profits.

 

This event is intended to promote baseball across the World. Having the US inject their brand of politics in it will end up being another black mark in the eyes of other countries, IMO.