Engine on Cuban raft
 

As I was fishing last weekend, 50 miles SW of Key West, we came across this Cuban Raft. What a Juxtaposition as I'm out in a 1/4million dollar boat trying to catch fish and these poor people are fleeing a country for freedom and a home.

Hope they made it, as the coast guard had already boarded the raft/boat.
How about that engine, very clever set up. Future Porsche Mech.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1209324014.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1209324065.jpg

Impressive! Might want to be 'Off Topic' though.

Insert bad joke about Cubans and flat tires....

Jim, Jim, Jim... A Cuban national making it to US soil gets more benefits than you can imagine. Automatic legal status, money and more money. It's supposedly not a bad gig.

but unfortunately they have to reach the soil....if they are picked up on the water they go into us immigration custody and possibly sent back......that's how it used to work anyway......

Correct. But only Cubans get to stay if they have dry feet. For example, if they're Haitian, or from the Dominican Republic, and make it to U.S. soil, they go back. No asylum extended. Weird, no?

The U.S. needs more non-English-speaking, unskilled people with no desire to assimilate into our culture and way of life, and who demonstrate from Day #1 that they're willing to break our laws for their convenience.

I can appreciate the resourcefulness, but if they're so resourceful, why not put it to use for change in their OWN country?

Because any sign of resourcefulness is viewed as a threat and that resourceful person is "dealt with" and it is not something you want. Its usually jail time.

You cannot do well for yourself it is against the law in Cube.


But its a wonderful place to vacation, the people are gentle and nice, and only the selfish ones would want to leave and try to make that 90 miles to the land of the wasteful Americans.

any cuban forced to go back should be given a scoped rifle.

We tried that once. Ever heard of the bay of pigs?

I was in Key West with my family at a convention when a group of 9 Cubans came ashore in a small wooden boat with a primitive engine. I had been out sailing the night before in 6-9 foot swells and strong winds. They had set out around the same time. How they made it is beyond me.

I've never felt so proud of my country and my countrymen as at that moment when average citizens forced cash into these immigrants hands and let them use their cellphones to call home and let their relatives know they were OK.

America, with all her problems, is the finest country the earth has yet produced.

I was in Key West with my family at a convention when a group of 9 Cubans came ashore in a small wooden boat with a primitive engine. I had been out sailing the night before in 6-9 foot swells and strong winds. They had set out around the same time. How they made it is beyond me.

I've never felt so proud of my country and my countrymen as at that moment when average citizens forced cash into these immigrants hands and let them use their cellphones to call home and let their relatives know they were OK.

America, with all her problems, it the finest country the earth has yet produced.
I think that's the nicest thing I've ever seen written on this website. Thanks.

Wonder what kind of engine that was... looks old. The raft looks abandoned, I'd have probably tried towing it back home, finding out what kind of motor was in there and visiting Craigslist.

Neilk, Neilk, Neilk...
Yes auto legal status because they are political refugees, as if they were running from Hitler or Stalin; but you need to be clear that the money is earned not given by the US.

As a Cuban American, I know for a fact how we as a group discourage public money. We literally tell anyone that comes that the first thing they need to do is to get a job, any job; no handouts here. If there is a lazy one we let them know it is unacceptable and push them to get a job asap.
We show them examples of earlier generations all worked hard and acheived and that is a pretty good motivator. Lets be honest, Miami was no big shakes in the 60s and 70s..;-)

"Gig?" Dude you have no clue of what you speak of......

Jim, Living in Florida, you should of at least met a few Cubans and asked them why they came. 99% of the freedoms we have here, including this BBS would not be possible. The off-topic would definitely put a few friends in prison.... ;-(

SmileWavy

Hands down, USA is #1. No one compares; and it is not for its inventiveness or hard work, but for its generosity and kindness.

I agree with you to a point, but I do seem to recall a little story about some guys living under an oppressive government 230-or-so years ago who were similarly threatened with imprisonment and execution for being "subversive" and "revolutionary", but they were very brave and worked for change anyway, and eventually prevailed against the tyrants.

Touching story. I wonder if the Cubans might try being similarly inclined to fix their own problems. I guess it's easier to just run away and dump themselves on another country's doorstep illegally than actually take some risk, be heroes and patriots and work for a society in THEIR country they could be proud of. Nope. Easier to just steal/hijack someone else's country.

Hey, isn't that somewhat similar to what those guys did 230 years ago? :)

Best,

Kurt

Hey, isn't that somewhat similar to what those guys did 230 years ago? :)

Best,