Politics and Culture

Here's the cartoon:

Why Cubans?

OK Let's fill in this blank:

-Mr. Obama has made the excellent suggestion that you nuisances be allowed to freely visit _________(a)...which I think is a damn fine idea. Bon voyage.

-Outrageous! We demand a chance to ____________(b).

Choices for a:

Follow up:

1. Africa
2. El Salvador
3. Mexico
4. Haiti
5. Canada
6. China
7. India
8. Korea
9. Japan
10. Guatemala

Choices for b:

You know what? I'll let you come up with your own choices (in your head- don't write racist stuff here or I'll take it off) as anything I say- even if it's statistically valid and/or largely true- will be taken as hatred for that group which wouldn't be true. But you get my point, no?

The fact of the matter is that, for the most part, Americans can be proud that Cubans call America home and Cubans, as a group-for what it's worth, can be proud that they're more educated, make more money, more patriotic, and commit less crime than even native-born Americans.

Yet, Oliphant chooses Cuban-Americans as the group he wants to expel. Weird, huh? Not really if you care more about people being liberal than about people helping your nation. I won't say that Oliphant wants people to stay poor- that would just be too cynical. What I will say is that given an immigrant who's successful and Republican versus one who's poor or criminal, but a Democrat, Oliphant would choose the latter. What other explanation do you have?

Please notice that I never said that Oliphant was racist. Such accusations close off legitimate discussion and have no place on Asymmetric, at least.