I think banning the Cuban national team now wounds the athletes more than the politicians. The mindset is of the same reactionary hypocrisy and petulance as boycotting the Moscow Olympics. The rationale of not wanting the team to pull profits out of the U.S. is at least a fairly creative excuse.
Professor Echevarria describes a rather grim reality for Cuba's baseball players. I can't imagine living under such rigid conditions with so little control over one's lifestyle, work, and recreation.
But to respond to one of the professor's assertions, why let the world play against "slaves" and let us watch? Well, it's more important that Cubans get to watch, and not just Cuban-Americans, but Cubans in Cuba. I bet Castro sees this as a great opportunity for Cuba to really stick it to the U.S., especially if there's a chance they can pull a victory against the U.S. team on U.S. soil. What a boon to Cuban nationalism that would be! Yet, a Cuban-U.S. matchup would give Cubans a small look into our culture and to the opportunities freely available to talented and/or hard-working individuals, whether they be shortstops or computer engineers or day laborers. I'd rather show them the benefits of a market-based society, one that allows people to seek employment on their own terms. It's a little idealistic, I know, but I'd rather win over Cubans before Castro dies and not once the power structure falls into shambles.
On a side note: In a decade, Cuba will be the East Coast's Hawaii.
Echevarria means something about goats, right? I wish I'd come up with his line about hoping to be, "entertained by a team of slaves."
This doesn't do much to further my goal of the outcome being as funny as possible, but thanks for the link, Bob. I stopped checking the Times's Op/Ed page once they put up the capitalist curtain.
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But to respond to one of the professor's assertions, why let the world play against "slaves" and let us watch? Well, it's more important that Cubans get to watch, and not just Cuban-Americans, but Cubans in Cuba. I bet Castro sees this as a great opportunity for Cuba to really stick it to the U.S., especially if there's a chance they can pull a victory against the U.S. team on U.S. soil. What a boon to Cuban nationalism that would be! Yet, a Cuban-U.S. matchup would give Cubans a small look into our culture and to the opportunities freely available to talented and/or hard-working individuals, whether they be shortstops or computer engineers or day laborers. I'd rather show them the benefits of a market-based society, one that allows people to seek employment on their own terms. It's a little idealistic, I know, but I'd rather win over Cubans before Castro dies and not once the power structure falls into shambles.
On a side note: In a decade, Cuba will be the East Coast's Hawaii.
This doesn't do much to further my goal of the outcome being as funny as possible, but thanks for the link, Bob. I stopped checking the Times's Op/Ed page once they put up the capitalist curtain.
Comment status: comments have been closed. Baseball Toaster is now out of business.