Glenn Ashmore wrote:

Actually this newsgroup is about CRUISING and unfortunately cruisers are and
have always been at the mercy of politics. I, like you, regret that this
thread ever got started in a normally neutral group. I think that all of us
try to avoid conversations like this and as a group we do not often speak up
on political subjects but some times we just can't sit on the side lines.
Besides criminalizing travel to Cuba the current administration has
basically eliminated funding for the ICW. Without funding it will soon
become unusable . We must speak up for our rights and interest or we will
loose them to the more politically vocal activists.

Yes but... :-)

I've always thought someone pumping their political opinion (and the
ever popular "I'm an American and I'll carry my gun into any Damned
country I want to!" as if the laws of Mexico/Canada/someotherplace don't
count) into a newgroup to be the equivalent of spamming. All it ends up
doing is creating a series of "Does not", "Does to" messages. Then the
name calling starts. Besides, why does someone of
Australia/England/Upper Volta (yeah that country doesn't use that name
anymore) care about American politics/laws. I personally think the
Cuban situation stinks and I'm on the other side of the country from the
ICW.