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FREEPORT MEMORIAL LIBRA
70t#i YSefwVMoJ-S Freepdrt, N.Y, 11520
The Community Newspaper
Thursday, May 5, 2005
iilife
CHAMBER PREXY JANE OUGAN with Mayor Bill Glacken.
A local pastor goes to Cuba
by Joan Delaney
"Cuba is a country of contradictions. For that reason I asked a question and then asked it again. I listened, and then I hstened again."
With those words, Pastor Mark Greiner of the First Presbyterian Church of Baldwin reflected on his recent huinanitarian trip to Cuba along with two dozen other American clergy of various denominations and members of the Witness for Peace organization.
Although there are strict travel restrictions to the Communist country as well as a trade embargo, limited humanitarian and educational visits are allowed for licensed groups.
These restrictions result from the lack of official diplomatic relations between the two countries, a situation which evolved after the 26th of July Movement in 1956, the overthrow of former dictator Fulgencio Batista who fled the country in 1959, and the establishment by Fidel Castro of a Marxist government which nationalized all American-owned property.
The humanitarian group hopes to encourage officials of both countries to enact policy changes which would modify the onerous regulations which affect both citizens of Cuba as well as Cuban-Americans who are citizens of the United States.
Most especially, the clergy hope to lend their voice to the bipartisan support that already exists in both the United States House of Representatives and Senate to adjust the stringent regulations regarding travel to Cuba.
Cuban-Americans are allowed only one visit to Cuba within a.three-year period. If that visit has already occurred and there is an illness or a death of a family member in Cuba, no additional visits are permitted. In addition, the religious leaders would like pohcies, which place an embargo on medicines and medical technology, to be Ufted.
In a statement endorsed by the 202nd General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in 1990, Cuba was petitioned to "reexamine its practices regarding poUtical prisoners and prisoners of conscience."
While there are many humanitarian concerns involving both governments, many of the clergy are focusing their attention on issues which aheady have some bipartisan support such as legislation which would allow annual visits to Cuba, expand travel privileges to extended family members, remove restrictions on the amount of money permitted to be sent to family members, and permit travel in the case of illness or hardship.
On April 27, which was Cuba Action Day in Washington, D.C. other advocacy groups also lobbied officials concerning regulations which limit the sale of certain agricultural products and restrictions which curtail the ability of religious delegations to provide humanitarian aid. Also of concern is the tightening of policies that affect cultural and academic exchanges.
The picture which the Reverand Greiner draws of Cuba today is one which might surprise many Americans. Unlike -the abject poverty that exists in many Latin (continued on page 10)
congratulate Citizen of the Year Marion Knoeller.
MAYOR GLACKEN with Business Person of the Year Sig Felle.
IN THIS ISSUE:
• Village Boaid - mm t
m St. Christoplier kids in bus accident - ps^s
• Sporting Devils - i^ei
Object Description
| Rating | |
| Title | The-Leader_2005-05-05 |
| Subject | Newspaper |
| Description | This is a Newspaper distributed locally within the Village of Freeport and Baldwin. |
| Creator | Linda Toscano |
| Publisher | L & M Publications, Inc. |
| Contributors | Scanned by Imaging & Microfilm Access, Inc. (Bohemia, NY 11716) |
| Date | 2005 |
| Type | Periodical |
| Format | PDF; TIFF |
| Source | Freeport Memorial Library |
| Language | English |
| Coverage | United States |
| Rights | This digital image may be freely used for educational uses, as long as it is not altered in any way. No commercial reproduction or distribution of this image is permitted without written permission of the Freeport Memorial Library, 144 W. Merrick Road, Freeport, NY 11520 or email: frreference@freeportlibrary.info |
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