Remember that when you click on this link. It will take you to a picture of America’s newest immigrants: 13 Men, 4 Women and 2 small boys who landed in Key West at 0500 yesterday morning after having floated across the Atlantic from Cuba in a home made raft created from flattened aluminum irrigation pipes and fiberglass.
It is very likely that they haven’t smiled like that in many years.
Here is there story and a picture of their “boat”.
Cuban boat-building is some of the most amazing in the world because of Castro. Were it not for his horrible Communist policies which have kept repression high and paychecks low, we’d never see miraculous watercraft like small rusty boats that carry 19 when they should have no more than 3, or boats made from trash, concrete, or even American trucks left over from the 1950’s. So Fidel, I salute you; your stubborn-headedness to cling to outdated and ineffective Communist policies have turned your people into some of the more ingenious recyclers ever. Your people’s deeds will only back outdone by the Venezualans when your buddy Chavez decides he’s being too nice to his people and really starts cracking down with his tough 21st century socialist love of keeping the proles in line.
I am happy for any people who use ingenuity and hard work to accomplish their dreams. I hope they will continue to use those traits as they complete their naturalization process. Becoming a citizen is likely to be more difficult than their boat journey, and offer less payoff in practical terms. I hope they’ll get some help from their new friends in Key West.