One of the problems we have in the US is that we take the extreme, newsworthy events of other countries and extrapolate them onto the entire society. For instance, for a while "p" was touting Islam as encouraging gang rape because of the actions of some nuts (who got the death penalty - not mentioned by "p").

Other countries hear of the gun culture in the US, hear about people going postal, drive-by shootings, folks like the DC sniper, and seriously regard us as sort of like a big OK Corral. Many of them truly believe there are bullets flying all over. Which they ain't.

One of the first lessons anyone should learn is to not, repeat NOT believe your own press, your own propaganda.

The folks in Cuba do not seem all that unhappy. Not your basic folk. At least friends of mine who have spent time varying from 4 days to one month, in the countryside report a content country.

The refugees are economic, just as are those from Mexico and Central America. And they have a special deal if they are from Cuba. Touch American sand, and they're home free. As good as citizens. Why not make a run for it?

(Did you ever wonder why ALL Cuban refugees are political, and NONE of the others from depressed Central American countries are? At all curious?)

The US has done everything it can to make life miserable for Cubans, and has plotted to kill Castro. There is no credible evidence of a Cuban plot to kill a US President.

Perfect country? Nope. Is the US? Nope. But Castro at least drove out the gangsters, and they and their decendents now live in Florida bitching.

Maybe one American died "fighting" Cuba, and we don't recognize them. 58,000 Americans died in Vietnam, and they are now our friends. Go figure.

And, governments, ruling jurisdictions, are censoring. On the Huck Finn thing, it's liberals who are doing it. And, they're wrong. And that doesn't matter. It's censorship by official bodies. Our skirts aren't clean.

Arf (for God's sake, it's OK to propagandize, just don't believe your very own BS!!)