Reading and rereading some of the latter posts (especially from a so called Cuban) makes you wonder, no, makes it actually pretty clear, that anti Cuban propaganda is at work here. Probably propaganda of the paid kind. And by simple deduction we know who the payer must be.
It is a shame that everything becomes politicized by interest groups with the sole purpose of defeating the other guy for their own gain, usually for money, influence, power.
Shame on the lot.

Interesting article. I am a US citizen and I want to point out some facts, and give you my opinion. First, let's not get democracy confused with republic. The USA is a republic. I wish it were a democracy.

One thing I can say about the US compared to Cuba is that I will never be jailed because I am a gay man. I will never be jailed because I have a boyfriend. Sure, I cannot marry this man, sure I can be beaten by private citizens, but I have the right to be gay. I have the right to say I'm gay. I have a right to dress as a woman if I really wanted to. This is not so in Cuba. Gays disappear. Gays are jailed. Gays are murdered both by private citizens but also by police.

Also, Bennie mentions in his comments asserts that the US citizens are all mindless drones but assert that isn't the case. Let me tell you something Bennie. Your opinion there is what is mindless and a STEREOTYPE. All the people I know follow politics closely, hate the fact that we have lost so much control of our government because of this HORRIBLE Bush administration. Have you seen the opinion poles showing that Bush is supported by on 25% of the total US population. Does that sound like a country of drones to you? Do you think we LIKE having to watch news from outside the country to see what is ACTUALLY going on in the world? Do you think that we LIKE having to roll our eyes at our own media because they won't report the truth? I can tell you we do not. Perhaps you put down you judgements and watch less of your own television and MEET a US citizen. All the citizens of the US that I know are hard working, are not happy with our current situation, volunteer. That doesn't sound like an ignorant to me.

Aqualiner:

What's wrong, aquamariner? Do I have a greater command of the English language than you do even though it is not my native tongue? I should think that says more about you than it does about me. You obviously have no problem with pro-Castro propaganda, spewing it as you do yourself. Why then should you be surprised that others should counter it? Castro has not jailed or executed all of us, much to your chagrin; and those of us who are free (outside of Cuba, which is the only way a Cuban can be free) are also free to rebut you and others like you who cannot conceive of disinterested patriotism because it is a feeling alien to you. Who pays you to dishonor yourself by defending a tyrant? Shame on you, aqualiner, for questioning my integrity when you have such scant claims to any.

It is clear now, this forum has been seeded with dis-informants and fanatics and the like. It is useless to carry on the debate, if it ever was one.
Gradientus, thanks for your post about the Republic and what the majority of people think. But, WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO? And when? I mean WHEN?
The exact same situation existed in Germany in the 40s, and look what happened then!

I just will give some facts of the Cuban "democracy":

Cubans are not allowed to leave the country without asking for permission to the goverment (medical professionals are not allowed to leave until 5 years after stop working in their proffessions).

Cubans could live abroad for an 11 month period without loose their "cuban residency" during that time they must pay approx. 40eur/moth to be allowed to return. If they stay more than 11 months they loose the residency in their OWN country.

Cubans that leave the country loose all their properties, houses, cars, etc. Their houses are "assigned" to goverment related people.

Cubans are not allowed to sell their houses, neither to buy houses.

Cubans are not allowed to sell their cars (only those owned before 1959), neither to buy cars.

Cubans could not rent a room in a Hotel, neither a Cuban coul be be a guest of any foreinger in a hotel (only allowed if they pressent a weding certificate).

Cubans could not rent a car, foreingers yes.

Cubans could not purchase DVD, VHS or any other video equipments, foreigners yes.

Cubans could not purchase neither own satellite equipment, nor even have an antena NOT-pointing to the official center of TV transmission of their city.

Cubans could not have access to the internet. Foreingers yes.

And all this is not a money issue, this is not allowed even if you have US dollars, Euros, etc.

From my point of view Cuba is today a regimen similar to south-affrica during the apartheid. But in this case instead of blacks-white is Cubans-Foreigners.

I could cite more examples if you are interested. So please get more information beffore say something like cuba is a democracy

The signatories to the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights (and the Republic of Cuba is one) agree that all people have the right to leave and enter their own country at will, without any restrictions being placed on them; they also have the inalienable right to travel and live within their country's territory without limitations of any kind. Of course, Castro denies both rights to his people, as CubanGuy points out. Whether or no you are actually in a prison in Cuba, you are, for all intents and purposes, under house arrest, since you cannot leave your home and settle elsewhere — whether in Cuba itself or abroad — without requesting the government's permission, and this permission is rarely granted and never pro forma.