Travel and Research in Cuba Threatened

In a ridiculous attempt to ban intellectual pursuits and creative knowledge, Florida's Legislature has approved a ban on travel to Cuba by students and professors. While they say that this only applies to those trips using certain funds, it includes nearly all possibilities a student or professor has - grants and even private donations! Private donations! That means that they are legislating organizations which are not even technically under governmental authority.
But, that point is merely an adjunct issue to the main issue- Why place this ban on research, education and outreach? Many important projects take place in Cuba, and Florida has a particularly important role to play in keeping up with Caribbean nations - blockade or not. Their rationale is that Cuba is a "terrorist state," and the money will benefit this "terrorist nation." That is really a load of garbage. What it is doing is keeping knowledge about Cuba out of the US, that is the true intention. People fear what they do not know, and this is a propagation of that intention.

I urge you to write to dissuade the governor from passing this bill. Without the ability to pursue research or other creative/intellectual endeavors, we are only hurting ourselves with self-imposed ignorance.



My senior thesis was on Judaism in Havana, Cuba. A photo series can be viewed on my website. I completed this research at the University of Colorado with the support of the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Grant. Through this research I was able to add to the body of knowledge on Judaism in Cuba and the state of Cuba after the Special Period. It was an important step in the foundation of the work I plan to do while working towards my PhD in Anthropology at the University of Michigan. It is unfortunate that I am so happy to leave Florida for my education, but it would be impossible for me to enjoy the intellectual and creative freedom that I would have in almost any other state. Why does Florida want to push out scholars and artists?

OK- HERE IS THE HERALD ARTICLE FROM TODAY'S PAPER . . .

FLORIDA LEGISLATURE
School trips to Cuba face ban Legislation banning college and university students and professors from traveling to 'terrorist nations' -- including Cuba -- is headed to the governor.
By JENNIFER MOONEY PIEDRA
jmooney@MiamiHerald.com
TALLAHASSEE - A bill aimed at banning public and private universities and community colleges from sponsoring trips to Cuba and other nations labeled as ''terrorist'' by the U.S. State Department cleared both chambers of the Legislature and is on its way to the governor.

The plan, which is the brainchild of Miami Republican Rep. David Rivera, will block the schools from using state funds, private donations and grants to ``implement, organize, direct, coordinate, or administer activities related to or involving travel to a terrorist state.''

That's bad news for students like Brett Jestrow, who says he could not have written his doctoral dissertation on plants native to Cuba without doing research in the island nation.

The 27-year-old South Miami resident was able to go there in 2004, study at the National Botanical Gardens in Havana, work with Cuban botanists and drive around the country looking for different plants -- all possible because of a $1,000 grant from the Cuban Research Institute at Florida International University.

''Taxpayer money should not be used to support or subsidize terrorist regimes -- period,'' Rivera said. ``Particularly when America is fighting a war on terrorism.''

Under the plan, colleges and universities in Florida -- both public and private -- would not be allowed to send students, professors or other faculty members to Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Sudan and Syria.

Rivera made no secret of the target of his legislation.

''Its practical impact in Florida will focus squarely on one country -- Cuba,'' he said. ``Cuba has been a sponsor of terrorism. The Castro dictatorship is a force for evil.''

School administrations, Rivera said, would be responsible for enforcing the law.

For the University of Miami, that is not a problem.

''There is no question the University of Miami would always be compliant to any bill or law that is passed,'' said Margot Winick, a university spokeswoman.

Even if the governor signs the bill into law, professors and students still could travel to terrorist nations -- but they would have to pay out of their own pocket.

Critics of the measure say it is ''political demagoguery'' and that Rivera, a Cuban American, is trying to use anti-Castro legislation to appeal to the emotions of voters.

''His record representing his district has been rather poor,'' said Lisandro Pérez, a professor at Florida International University and former director of FIU's Cuban Research Institute. ``It's reprehensible that Rep. Rivera uses Cuba and this issue to further his political career.''

Perez, who regularly travels to Cuba for research using grant money, said he will continue his studies, regardless of any changes to the law.

''My research is on Cuba and if I need to go, I will go,'' he said. ``I'm not going to change my behavior because of a ridiculous law.''

The push by Rivera was fueled by the January arrests of FIU professor Carlos M. Alvarez and his wife, Elsa, an FIU counselor. The couple is accused of being unregistered agents for Cuba.

Rivera tried passing a similar bill two years ago, but it was killed in the Senate.

This session, the Senate bill won unanimous approval April 27 and the House version also had unanimous support during its final vote Wednesday.

Despite the country's communist regime, students and professors who conduct research in Cuba say they have a right to go.

''It would be a real drag, a real drawback if students couldn't go to Cuba,'' said Jestrow, who spent a month conducting research on the island as an FIU student. ``For some people, it's really important to go there.''