by KYW’s Steve Tawa
Some local professors assessing the overtures that President Obama is making to Cuba say Washington’s estranged relationship with Havana is thawing, 'at least in tone, and symbolism.'
No one is talking of fundamental reform in Cuba overnight, but it's a 'civilized way to start a dialogue.'
“This is a feeler on the part of the president.”
Temple University professor and chair of the department of Spanish and Portuguese, Luis Gonzalez Del Valle, was born in Cuba:
“He fully understands that the embargo is doing nothing for anyone.”
Ted Goertzel, professor of sociology at Rutgers-Camden, says there's a reason Cubans have stuck with the outdated communist system:
“Because we don't want them to. The national pride of standing up to the US has been the most important thing.”
He says Cuban leaders want to open up their economy, much like China, but they're afraid of democracy, which would overthrow the military party regime running Cuba.
E-Mail Story
Print Story
