Homeland Security Keeps Itself Busy
...because heaven forbid that humanitarian aid reach Cuba. (That link is to the Caravan blog; some of the info is fairly far down on the page now, so I'm summarizing the events here.)
The 16th Pastors for Peace Friendshipment of humanitarian aid to Cuba was halted on its way across the Mexican border on July 21st. Homeland Security decided to search every single item in the aid shipment - given that the shipment is about 150 tons' worth of humanitarian aid, it took quite some time. They confiscated some computers (intended for use in schools), keyboards, and any other electronic equipment. The rest of the shipment did pass the border, however, after the search, and is now in Mexico.
It's so comforting to know that Homeland Security is spending its resources ensuring that hurricane-ravaged Cuba doesn't get any assistance.
...and on that note, a couple in Sacramento - the Footes, she a retired social worker and he a college professor - matched, dollar for dollar, the Bush administration's ever-so-generous offer of $50,000 to help Cuba recover from Hurricane Dennis.
"Wrong is wrong, and the Bush offer was an embarrassment to me." [said Ruth Foote.]
Hurricane Dennis left 16 people dead, 150,000 homes and buildings damaged or destroyed, and more than $1.4 billion in losses. Washington's offer was, at best, a cruel joke.
"When I read it, I became angry," Ruth Foote said. "'Fred, we can do this,' I told my husband. And he agreed. If we can donate $50,000 as individuals, imagine what our government could do." ...The African-American couple is not rich, has never been to Cuba, and is not connected to any group opposed to the embargo or in favor of lifting travel restrictions to the island, not even Pastors for Peace [through whom they are making the donation]. For them, this is a matter of pure and simple human solidarity.