Cuban migrants attempt to cross the Florida Straights (Possibly a picture of Democrat Contenders)

Yahooooooo ^ | 07/24/03 | Staff Writer

[af_vet_rr]

Just keep telling yourselves what the liberals want you to believe, that Cuba is a paradise and these people risking their lives to come to America are foolish for leaving it behind.

That said, these Cubans are some pretty industrious folks, we could use more people like that here (if they legally enter the country mind you). That is not just something that somebody threw together, whoever did that obviously thought out quite a bit.

[headsonpikes]

"They are costing too much to keep."

So you freely assent in letting American socialism trump American exceptionalism?

[Zavien Doombringer]

No, it is the socialism that is willing to take on these refugies and assimilate them into the welfare system, which creates more of a Socialistic society! These refugies are looking for our government to take care of them...

Not only that, honest, hard working americans will be with out work to support thier own!

[af_vet_rr]

I would accept (welcome) twice as many legal immigrants into this country than currently come in legally and illegally combined if they would become "Americanized" upon arrival. Learn our language, accept our values (Freedom, hard work, education, liberty)

In the early years of America, a huge percentage of people were immigrants. They became "Americanized" and made this country great.

People forget that almost everybody here had ancestors that immigrated to this country. Unless your %100 full-blood American Indian/Native American, your family probably immigrated here in the past few centuries.

I can be a bit harsh on immigrants, but I'm so detached from it - many in my family that immigrated to the Americans came over in the 1500s and 1600s.

This country was founded and created by immigrants who risked their lives for freedom (if people saw the ships that our ancestors immigrated in, they would be surprised).

[headsonpikes]

You're not thinking this matter through, imo.

By your seeming defense of America's socialist programs, by preventing refugees from accessing them, for instance, you place the preservation of these un-American socialist institutions ABOVE the Spirit of '76, which is vastly more inclusive of the universal strivings of mankind for liberty.

All imo.

[Zavien Doombringer]

Well, In the "spirit of '76" There isn't much you can tell me, since I am versed in our early American Heritage (see my profile). I am full infavor of helping the destitute, when I can afford it, I give what I can. I do not expect anyone else to take from me to give, I do it out of my generosity. If you feel like you need to help others, do it with your wallet, not mine! That, my freind is in the spirit of '76. Liberty and freedom are not the same thing...We are free do do what ever we want, but our liberty restricts those things that may harm or take from others...

True, we do not choose to be born a certain nationanlity/religious/political background.

Cubans, and Mexican coming to this land are looking for a better life, no doubt about it. I feel for them. But I am trying to make a better like for me, I am an American Citizen, they are not...They should not be entitled to anything until they are citizens.

We know that the opposite is true in thier hearts. Instead of learning english, they want us to change to speak spanish, the liberals pander to this idea saying we need to be Bi-lingual...this is all bull...

This is my country, conform or be cast out!

[headsonpikes]

Si, senor...

;^)

[El Gato]

These are people attempting to escape Communist dictatorship, and our country sent them cack to Castro. Not too funny in my opinion.

Concurr. It's like sending the boat people back to Vietnam, which was done, but AFAIK, not by the US or US forces. But it is the law. If they make it to shore they can stay, otherwise it's back to the Socialist Paradise. And that stinks.

[Fiddlstix]

Ping

[Semper911]

Look at that ingenuity... That is a brilliant design.

You're not kidding. I have been studying it on various news sites for a while now.

You think they have a screw hitched up to the drive shaft and the engine running? Wouldn't be that hard, really, if you could just keep water out of the engine.

They don't have a sail rigged, so they must have planned on being more than just a raft.

God bless them. I bet they were born in Mexico and could just hop the wall in the dead of night.

[Semper911]

That is, I bet they wish they were born in Mexico.

[Semper911]

Hey I was right. Here is a caption that goes with a different angle shot:

Cuban migrants trying to reach the U.S. coast in Florida ride on a 1951 Chevrolet truck, converted into a marine vessel with air-filled drums for flotation and a propeller driven off the driveshaft for propulsion, July 16, 2003. REUTERS/U.S. Coast Guard.

I bet they try again with a more camoflaged design.

[Luis Gonzalez]

"This is my country..."

No it's not, it's OUR country.

[Semper911]

And here's another shot. Yes, definite propwash going on there. They are even making a little wake.

I just want to invite them all to come live with me. And not because I feel sorry for them, but because I respect them. How many of our neighbors could even attempt to do something like this?

[RichInOC]

I realize the enforcement crowd has policies and they have their orders, but any guys who put as much effort into building a raft as these guys did are guys I want over here. And if you build a raft around an ole pickup truck...you might be a redneck, no matter where you come from. They would have fit in just fine.

[TBall]

I wonder what will happen to them. I makes me so mad that that the US sends these brave people back to
Cuba.

[bedolido]

I wonder what will happen to them. I makes me so mad that that the US sends these brave people back to Cuba.

I heard Castro said he would not kill them. However, he said he would probably jail them (that was on Hannity)

[Luis Gonzalez]

"And if you build a raft around an ole pickup truck...you might be a redneck, no matter where you come from."

[Luis Gonzalez]

"...if they legally enter the country mind you..."

That's what's so screwy about this whole thing.

Up until the moment a person is physically standing on US soil, they are not breaking any laws, it is the act of BEING in the country without INS status that makes an alien an "illegal".

Yet, the moment Cuban rafters physically touch US soil, they are covered under the Cuban-American Act of 1966, and receive special status from the INS, so that they are not "illegal".

That's why the USCG intercepts them at sea.