# Castro offers to send aid to Katrina victims; no response **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 5, 2005, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-offers-to-send-aid-to-katrina-victims-no-response/320229 "2005-09-05T19:12:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-offers-to-send-aid-to-katrina-victims-no-response/320229/21 "2005-09-06T11:22:23Z")
> [@ainigma](#): > > Its americans like you that stop me from viewing americans as arrogant egotistical and full of themselves , thank you. I’m not an American. I am a Canadian. We have normal relations with Cuba. ---
**Author:** ![yo\_no\_se](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b487fb/32.png) [@yo\_no\_se](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yo_no_se)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-offers-to-send-aid-to-katrina-victims-no-response/320229/22 "2005-09-06T11:35:53Z")
This is politics as usual with Cuba. When a recent hurricanes ripped through Havana the U.S. gov’t offered $50,000 in help. It was refused. Almost certainly meant as an insult, one wonders whether $50,000,000 would have been accepted. Nah, the exile community in SoFla would have a cow and create all kinds of political trouble if we accepted (and perhaps even acknowledged) Castro’s gesture. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-offers-to-send-aid-to-katrina-victims-no-response/320229/23 "2005-09-06T13:09:08Z")
Hell, Wal-Mart offered to send aid, and got no response (And in the case of several semi trailers worth of supplies, were turned away) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-offers-to-send-aid-to-katrina-victims-no-response/320229/24 "2005-09-06T14:17:23Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > I’m not an American. I am a Canadian. We have normal relations with Cuba. Does that include commerce? Is there no Canadian embargo (or Canadian cooperation with the U.S. embargo) on Cuba? If so, I wouldn’t think the U.S. embargo would matter very much – if a country the size of Cuba is free to trade with Canada, that should pretty much meet all needs they have that foreign commerce can meet; it wouldn’t make much difference if they could also trade with the U.S., would it? ---
**Author:** ![rayh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@rayh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayh)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-offers-to-send-aid-to-katrina-victims-no-response/320229/25 "2005-09-06T14:23:35Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > But if you don’t let us fuck this asshole, all your dicks and pussies will be covered in shit! 🙂 If you do fuck his asshole your dick will be covered in shit anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-offers-to-send-aid-to-katrina-victims-no-response/320229/26 "2005-09-06T15:27:31Z")
> [@Askia](#): > > The debate here is not whether Castro is sincere – we just don’t know yet – but whether the Bush administration is entitled to reject humanitarian aid just because it’s coming from Castro. We have the moral obligation to reject such a gift from such a person. His own people need it more than we do at this point. We’ll take care of our people, he needs to take care of his own. And when I say 'We’ll", I mean the collective group of US supporters who aren’t trying to weasle their way back into American favor for political reasons. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-offers-to-send-aid-to-katrina-victims-no-response/320229/27 "2005-09-06T15:30:02Z")
> [@Uncommon Sense](#): > > His own people need it more than we do at this point. What makes you think that? ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-offers-to-send-aid-to-katrina-victims-no-response/320229/28 "2005-09-06T15:39:29Z")
> [@ainigma](#): > > Its americans like you that stop me from viewing americans as arrogant egotistical and full of themselves , thank you. Most of us in the US will not willingly turn down humanitarian aid for a massive disaster over minor political bickering. ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-offers-to-send-aid-to-katrina-victims-no-response/320229/29 "2005-09-06T15:41:26Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > What makes you think that? Because they’re communists. They must all be living short, miserable lives in horrible, squalid conditions–especially compared to Carribean nations with US-backed democracies, like Haiti. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-offers-to-send-aid-to-katrina-victims-no-response/320229/30 "2005-09-06T15:45:57Z")
To elaborate, of all the bad things you can say about Cuba, you can’t say they don’t have health care. Cuba has free universal health care. They have a better infant mortality rate than us. Cuba has the hightest per capita doctor ration in the world. Cuba also has a long tradition of sending health care where it is needed. They send doctors to work and establish hospitals free-of-charge throughout the Americas and beyond. They even run tuition-free medical schools to train doctors from countries in need around the world. ---
**Author:** ![ainigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4491bb/32.png) [@ainigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ainigma)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-offers-to-send-aid-to-katrina-victims-no-response/320229/31 "2005-09-06T15:53:35Z")
> [@Wesley Clark](#): > > Most of us in the US will not willingly turn down humanitarian aid for a massive disaster over minor political bickering. I have come to realize and respect the great diversity that exists in the USA, on one extreme we have american citizens protesting outside their own embassy in el savador (a while back) and at the other extreme saying things like “if you are not with us you are against us”. At the end of the day we all have to realize that maybe “live and let live” might be the only option available to us. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-offers-to-send-aid-to-katrina-victims-no-response/320229/32 "2005-09-06T16:36:32Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Does that include commerce? Is there no Canadian embargo (or Canadian cooperation with the U.S. embargo) on Cuba? If so, I wouldn’t think the U.S. embargo would matter very much – if a country the size of Cuba is free to trade with Canada, that should pretty much meet all needs they have that foreign commerce can meet; it wouldn’t make much difference if they could also trade with the U.S., would it? Wide open relations including trade. The USA, however, moves against American firms who trade with Cuba via Canada, and that includes Canadian divisions of American firms. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-offers-to-send-aid-to-katrina-victims-no-response/320229/33 "2005-09-06T16:43:19Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Does that include commerce? Is there no Canadian embargo (or Canadian cooperation with the U.S. embargo) on Cuba? If so, I wouldn’t think the U.S. embargo would matter very much – if a country the size of Cuba is free to trade with Canada, that should pretty much meet all needs they have that foreign commerce can meet; it wouldn’t make much difference if they could also trade with the U.S., would it? Yes, of course. The US is pretty much the only country in the world that has an economic embargo against Cuba. They can trade with Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Europe, etc, etc, etc. The only trouble is that Cuba is a poor country to begin with, they don’t have much hard currency to buy foreign products. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-offers-to-send-aid-to-katrina-victims-no-response/320229/34 "2005-09-06T23:57:48Z")
> [@ainigma](#): > > I have come to realize and respect the great diversity that exists in the USA, on one extreme we have american citizens protesting outside their own embassy in el savador (a while back) and at the other extreme saying things like “if you are not with us you are against us”. > At the end of the day we all have to realize that maybe “live and let live” might be the only option available to us. I think the public in the US get a bad rap, we have extremists and they are vocal but large chunks of us are pretty decent people who respect other countries for their representative liberal democracies and place things like human rights above patriotism or politics. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-offers-to-send-aid-to-katrina-victims-no-response/320229/35 "2005-09-07T00:23:52Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Does that include commerce? Is there no Canadian embargo (or Canadian cooperation with the U.S. embargo) on Cuba? If so, I wouldn’t think the U.S. embargo would matter very much – if a country the size of Cuba is free to trade with Canada, that should pretty much meet all needs they have that foreign commerce can meet; it wouldn’t make much difference if they could also trade with the U.S., would it? Cuba can trade with any country but the US. However, this close to them a huge and close market. And drastically reduce the number of potential tourists, since Cuba became a major touristic destination. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2005, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-offers-to-send-aid-to-katrina-victims-no-response/320229/36 "2005-09-07T01:07:17Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Does that include commerce? Is there no Canadian embargo (or Canadian cooperation with the U.S. embargo) on Cuba? If so, I wouldn’t think the U.S. embargo would matter very much – if a country the size of Cuba is free to trade with Canada, that should pretty much meet all needs they have that foreign commerce can meet; it wouldn’t make much difference if they could also trade with the U.S., would it? Canada doesn’t give a shit about the US embargo. Hell if you go to the duty free shops on the border (where everyone who shops there is headed straight to the US) you can buy Cuban cigars. Bring just one of which into the US is a federal offence. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-offers-to-send-aid-to-katrina-victims-no-response/320229/37 "2005-09-08T00:18:35Z")
Know this thread is kind of dead and all, but just wanted to link [this](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050907/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/katrina_mexico) article talking about aid accepted from Mexico. I’m not sure if the article conveys this, but folks I"m talking too are kind of excited about this…and really pleased (and surprised) that the US accepted the aid. I know that this doesn’t seem like that big a deal…but I think it IS a big deal and I can’t say how happy I am that it the aid, symbolic though it was, was accepted. Have to admit when my cousin told me about this I didn’t believe him at first…and when I looked it up my eyes were a bit teary. Yeah…I’m just a big baby. 🙂 -XT ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-offers-to-send-aid-to-katrina-victims-no-response/320229/38 "2005-09-08T03:25:34Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > Canada doesn’t give a shit about the US embargo. Hell if you go to the duty free shops on the border (where everyone who shops there is headed straight to the US) you can buy Cuban cigars. Bring just one of which into the US is a federal offence. Even smoking one in Canada is against the law. There is a list in everyone’s passports of the countries we are not allowed to trade with. This goes regardless of what ground we are on. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2005, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-offers-to-send-aid-to-katrina-victims-no-response/320229/39 "2005-09-08T18:52:22Z")
Here’s an acerbic editorial from the _Miami Herald:_ [http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/12576687.htm](http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/12576687.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2005, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-offers-to-send-aid-to-katrina-victims-no-response/320229/40 "2005-09-09T19:22:27Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Here’s an acerbic editorial from the _Miami Herald:_ [http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/12576687.htm](http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/12576687.htm) Ah, yes, the famous “Create Account” editorial. **xtisme** , [this MSNBC article](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9248064/) was on the front page yesterday, in case anyone would like to read it. I, for one, think it’s fantastic. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-offers-to-send-aid-to-katrina-victims-no-response/320229.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/castro-offers-to-send-aid-to-katrina-victims-no-response/320229.md?page=3)