If you have seen the Cuban soccer team..... - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Ustwo · 03-13-2008, 07:18 AM

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/st...516024&cc=5901

Quote:

Seven members of Cuba U-23 team missing from hotel
ESPNdeportes.com

TAMPA, Fla. -- Five members of the Cuban Under-23 national soccer team left their hotel Tuesday night and and then Wednesday night two more players left the team, raising the possibility they all may be trying to defect.

The initial players were discovered to have left the team hotel hours after earning a 1-1 draw with the United States in the Pre-Olympic tournament.

"Jose Manuel Miranda, Erlys Garcia Baro, Yenier Bermudez, Yordany Alvarez and Loanni Prieto left the hotel", Raul Gonzalez, coach of the Cuban national team, told ESPN reporter Fernando Palomo.

On Wednesday night, Yendry Diaz told ESPN International on the phone that he and Eder Roldan had also left the team.

The missing men had not yet reported to authorities.

Zachary Mann, a spokesman for Customs and Border Protection, said it's unlikely the agency will learn the men's whereabouts until they come forward. The players likely would be granted political protection under the United States' "wet foot, dry foot" policy that allows Cubans who reach U.S. soil to obtain asylum.

Miranda started at goalkeeper and Bermudez captained the team on Tuesday night, when Cuba was able to hold on for a surprise draw in Group A action.

Tampa police spokeswoman Andrea Davis said the agency had not received any missing persons reports from the team, and officers were not called to the team's hotel to investigate the disappearances.

Together with Mexico, the U.S. starts the tournament as a favorite to win one of the two berths for the Beijing games in August.

Freddy Adu scored for the U.S. after 14 minutes, but Roberto Linares equalized shortly before halftime. The Cubans then were able to hold on for a draw despite ending the match with 10 men, as Linares was sent off with a red card in the 82nd minute.

"Cuba has plans to keep playing in this tournament and we don't want to forfeit our next two matches," said Gonzalez.

If the seven players do not return, Cuba would be left with an 11-man squad, but only 10 would be available to play their next match, as Linares is automatically suspended one game for the red card.

Cuba is scheduled to face Honduras on Thursday, at 5.30 p.m. ET at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

CONCACAF officials were to meet with the Cuban delegation later on Wednesday to discuss the situation and they could ask Cuba to forfeit the tournament.

Gonzalez also confirmed that there was no security plan in place around the Cuban team to avoid defections. The team was staying at the Doubletree Hotel Tampa Westshore Airport.

While there are many avenues to go with this story, like why would people leave what must be a workers paradise for the unmitigated failure that is neo-liberalist America, such an avenue of discussion would be unproductive, so there is no point in shaking that bush to see what gets flushed out, we already know.

But this is an issue I am torn on slightly.

Any of us over 30 should remember the spectacular escapes from communist countries. Be it braving the Berlin wall or more spectacular methods like hot air balloons. Whenever the Olympics were held in a free country you would wonder how many could escape their minders in a bid for freedom.

Undoubtedly there are some who would claim this was just neo-liberalist over hyped propaganda, but regardless these were real people making a bid for freedom under fear of imprisonment or worse.

I never questioned the automatic asylum they were given once they escaped what can only be classified as the most horrific and oppressive regimes the human race has ever endured.

But that was then, it was the cold war, where the world was just a tick away from a human caused Armageddon on the doomsday clock.

This is now.

Is it hypocritical that we would automatically accept the Cuban soccer team as political refugees, assuming of course they are defecting and not just lost, while sending back a Mexican seeking the same thing, a better life?

For now, I'd have to say it is a bit hypocritical, but still acceptable. While Europe has been freed from totalitarian socialism there are still a few hold outs and I can't imagine forcing people who risked it all to go back to such an system.

On the other hand, we have China, and while China is far better than it once was with mass starvation of millions and utter poverty, its still shall we say, 'not strong' on human rights. Still its far harder to get asylum from China then Cuba, where you only have to show up. Undoubtedly the political pressure from the Cuban ex-patriots is part of it, but perhaps it is here where we are most hypocritical.

But finally we have the issue of using the US as a dumping ground for undesirables. We saw this with Cuba sending over their criminals. If we have a blanket system it means we accept them into our country, and while it makes for good cinema for my little friend, a good movie isn't worth the price.

Perhaps its time we look into the Cuban asylum policy. Its almost 50 years since the revolution, the idea of close relatives still left behind must be mostly past, and while I can highly sympathize with those wanting to escape such a government, a lot of people would like to immigrate here for a better life.

ratbastid · 03-13-2008, 07:23 AM

Soccer team? Forget it. Now, if some of those muy talented Cuban baseball players wanted to defect, that would be a different story. But America hates soccer.

Willravel · 03-13-2008, 07:27 AM

They might as well play cricket.

SirSeymour · 03-13-2008, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willravel

They might as well play cricket.

What's wrong with cricket? More fun to watch than soccer...

Fotzlid · 03-13-2008, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Is it hypocritical that we would automatically accept the Cuban soccer team as political refugees, assuming of course they are defecting and not just lost, while sending back a Mexican seeking the same thing, a better life?

No. Mexicans have a legal procedure they can apply for to gain entry into the US. The Cubans do not. Doesn't matter how difficult or slanted the process may be, it still exists.

Ustwo · 03-13-2008, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willravel

They might as well play cricket.

WILLRAVEL DELETE YOUR POST IT HAS NO PLACE IN THIS SUPER SERIAL THREAD I'M MAKING AND YOUR MISUNDERSTANDING OF SOCCER.

ngdawg · 03-13-2008, 08:09 AM

No one need be surprised that the US hasn't updated its policies about political asylum. However, there is a huge difference between Mexicans crossing the border and Cubans. Cuba is an oppressive communist regime that has no problem imprisoning people for their views. It is grossly poor as well. Mexico and most other Central and South American countries are not oppressive, just poor(yes, I know, technically Mexico is part of North America).
Regardless of whether the motivating factor is money or escape from oppressiveness, Cubans(and others seeking politcal asylum) will be given preference over another country's immigrants need for better pay.

ironman · 03-13-2008, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fotzlid

No. Mexicans have a legal procedure they can apply for to gain entry into the US. The Cubans do not. Doesn't matter how difficult or slanted the process may be, it still exists.

You hit it right there. There's no point of comparison between illegal aliens and political refugees, they're totally different breeds, 'till this day, any Mexican, Guatemalan, Austrian, French, whatever, can ask for political asylum in the US and it will be granted if their reasons are validated, this has nothing to do with crossing the river at night avoiding La Migra looking for a better live.

loquitur · 03-13-2008, 01:11 PM

biting my tongue.........

dc_dux · 03-13-2008, 01:30 PM

The political refugee argument is a farce. Any Cuban who crosses the 80 miles of ocean to Key West, for whatever reason, and touches US soil is given asylum....no questions asked. Those stopped before reaching US shores are sent back.

Beyond that, the US policy towards Cuba for the last 50 years is a joke. It had little effect on the Castro regime and simply opened the door to every other nation in the world to trade with Cuba ....while we hypocritically establish trade and diplomatic relations with China, Vietnam, etc.

ASU2003 · 03-13-2008, 05:37 PM

The problem with most implementations of communism is that they are dictatorships with strong laws and limits on freedoms.

Charlatan · 03-16-2008, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ASU2003

The problem with most implementations of communism is that they are dictatorships with strong laws and limits on freedoms.

There are other nations that are not communist that have the same criteria of strong laws and limits on freedoms and yet are not ostracized... much of South East Asia for example.

Link

Quote:

Singapore arrests opposition members over protest

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Several Singapore opposition party members were arrested on Saturday after a rare protest outside the city-state's parliament house led to a tense standoff with police.

About 20 protesters wearing red T-shirts that said "Tak Boleh Tahan" -- which means "cannot take it" in Bahasa Malay -- gathered outside parliament house, holding placards and shouting slogans decrying the rising cost of living in Singapore.

Protests in Singapore are rare and an assembly of five or more people requires a permit from the police.

Chee Soon Juan, leader of the Singapore Democratic Party, and several protesters were arrested outside a nearby shopping mall as they attempted to stage a rally walk from parliament house.

"We want to draw attention to these unbearable price hikes," said Chee in front of the parliament house. "Our objective is to continue to encourage Singaporeans to speak up."

Singapore's annual inflation rate hit a 25-year high of 6.6 percent in January with food prices rising 5.8 percent in that month from a year earlier.

The police could not immediately confirm how many people were arrested on Saturday or what they were charged with.

According to a Reuters witness, about 10 plain clothes police surrounded the protesters outside a shopping mall and arrested them after a tense 15-minute standoff that drew crowds of curious onlookers and tourists.

Singapore defends its strict laws on public assembly citing the need for public order and safety.

echo5delta · 03-17-2008, 10:42 AM

03-13-2008, 01:30 PM	#10 (permalink)
dc_dux Location: Washington DC	The political refugee argument is a farce. Any Cuban who crosses the 80 miles of ocean to Key West, for whatever reason, and touches US soil is given asylum....no questions asked. Those stopped before reaching US shores are sent back. Beyond that, the US policy towards Cuba for the last 50 years is a joke. It had little effect on the Castro regime and simply opened the door to every other nation in the world to trade with Cuba ....while we hypocritically establish trade and diplomatic relations with China, Vietnam, etc. __________________ "The perfect is the enemy of the good." ~ Voltaire Last edited by dc_dux; 03-13-2008 at 01:32 PM..

03-17-2008, 10:42 AM	#13 (permalink)
echo5delta Crazy Location: Swamp Lagoon, North Cackalacky	__________________ "Peace" is when nobody's shooting. A "Just Peace" is when we get what we want. - Bill Mauldin

03-13-2008, 07:23 AM	#2 (permalink)
ratbastid Darth Papa Location: Yonder	Soccer team? Forget it. Now, if some of those muy talented Cuban baseball players wanted to defect, that would be a different story. But America hates soccer.

03-13-2008, 07:27 AM	#3 (permalink)
Willravel ... a sort of licensed troubleshooter.	They might as well play cricket.

03-13-2008, 08:09 AM	#7 (permalink)
ngdawg peekaboo Location: on the back, bitch	No one need be surprised that the US hasn't updated its policies about political asylum. However, there is a huge difference between Mexicans crossing the border and Cubans. Cuba is an oppressive communist regime that has no problem imprisoning people for their views. It is grossly poor as well. Mexico and most other Central and South American countries are not oppressive, just poor(yes, I know, technically Mexico is part of North America). Regardless of whether the motivating factor is money or escape from oppressiveness, Cubans(and others seeking politcal asylum) will be given preference over another country's immigrants need for better pay.

03-13-2008, 01:11 PM	#9 (permalink)
loquitur Junkie Location: NYC	biting my tongue.........

03-13-2008, 05:37 PM	#11 (permalink)
ASU2003 immoral minority Location: Back in Ohio	The problem with most implementations of communism is that they are dictatorships with strong laws and limits on freedoms.