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  1. Signatures
    93 out of 2,000
    Petitioning
    1. The President of the United States (+ 2 others)
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      • The President of the United States
      • The U.S. Senate
      • The U.S. House of Representatives
  2. Created By
    Jill Richardson
    San Diego, CA
About this Petition Petition Letter

The American blockade on Cuba is NOT a victimless crime. Today, the Cubans is home to thriving organic, urban agriculture, but when the USSR first collapsed, lost their access to most of their food and oil, and they starved. The children born during those years are permanently damaged from malnutrition in the womb and after birth. Today, Cubans have their basic needs met, but things like clothes or soap that we take for granted in the U.S. are expensive to Cubans. Other things - like high speed internet - are entirely out of reach in Cuba.

What is America afraid of? Glenn Beck is a bigger threat to U.S. democracy than Cuban communism. As a first step, the U.S. should pass HR 874 to LIFT THE TRAVEL BAN on Americans traveling to Cuba.


(For photos and info from my 10 day trip to see sustainable agriculture in Cuba, go to http://www.lavidalocavore.org/diary/3582/cuba-diaries-day-1 )

Recent Signatures

Lift the Travel Ban on Americans Traveling to Cuba

Greetings,

The American blockade on Cuba is NOT a victimless crime. Today, the Cubans is home to thriving organic, urban agriculture, but when the USSR first collapsed, lost their access to most of their food and oil, and they starved. The children born during those years are permanently damaged from malnutrition in the womb and after birth. Today, Cubans have their basic needs met, but things like clothes or soap that we take for granted in the U.S. are expensive to Cubans. Other things - like high speed internet - are entirely out of reach in Cuba.

Despite that, America's blockade of Cuba is probably the single best gift the U.S. could give the Cuban Communist regime. Any time Cubans experience a hardship, their government has an answer: It's the fault of the American blockade. Removing the harsh policies towards Cuba would, among other things, expose the flaws of the Cuban government to its own people.

What is America afraid of? Once upon a time, Cuba represented a threat due to its proximity to the U.S. and its close ties to the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Today, Glenn Beck is a bigger threat to U.S. democracy than Cuban communism. As a first step, the U.S. should pass HR 874 to LIFT THE TRAVEL BAN on Americans traveling to Cuba.

Cubans and Americans have a lot to learn from one another. Cubans are experts in sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, and herbal medicine, among other things. Americans are currently allowed to go to Cuba for research or professional purposes, but travel to Cuba is unnecessarily expensive as a result of the travel ban. By the time a traveler lines up the appropriate licenses, plus an extra plane ticket and perhaps hotel stay in Cancun, it can cost double or trip what travel to elsewhere in Latin America would cost. (Additionally, due to shortages in Cuba also imposed by the U.S. blockade, Americans often end up staying in high end, expensive hotels in Cuba just to make sure they have the bare essentials like functioning showers, air conditioning, and internet.) The travel ban thus harms even those who travel to Cuba for educational and professional reasons.

Thank you for your consideration of this issue. Please lift the travel ban on Americans going to Cuba.

[Your name]

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