Cuba Alliance

>December 28, 2003
>
>Dear Friends of Cuba and Cuba Travel Advocates:
>
>The San Francisco Bay Area Cuba Alliance is planning a large and highly
>visible Travel Challenge in 2004. We are mobilizing people from all
>over the country to protest the UN-AMERICAN AND unconstitutional ban on
>travel to Cuba, the ending of licensing for educational and cultural
>exchanges, AND the recent undemocratic overturning of the
>Congressionally approved end of enforcement of the ban THE CHALLENGE IS
>ALSO A RESPONSE TO the RECENT aggression being waged GENERALLY by the
>Bush Administration against Cuba and travelers to that island from the
>U.S.
>In this dire time, we are ready to spring into action, but need your
>help in finding a CELEBRITY ALLY - a well-known movie personality,
>political figure, writer, or musician to lead the group and bring big
>media attention to our ACTION AND cause. Please see the list OF
>PROSPECTS below. These are people who have either been to Cuba
>previously, or have shown themselves to be friendly to Cuba and/or
>progressive issues. IF YOU HAVE ANY PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH anyone
>on the list or specific information as to how we might contact them,
>please let us know. Also, if you can think of anyone who is not on the
>list of prospects who should be, likewise, please let us know.
>
>Harry Belafonte Danny Glover Ed Asner
>Sean Penn Martin Sheen Alice Walker
>Tim Robbins Susan Sarandon Michael Moore
>Isabel Allende Carlos Santana Dolores Huerta
>Mickey Hart Ozzie Davis Michael Parenti
>Noam Chomsky Annie DiFranco John Trudell
>Molly Ivans Esai Morales Marilyn Manson
>Pete Seeger Barbara Lee Saul Landau
>Jesse Jackson Richard Dreyfuss Woody Herrrelson
>Selma Hyak Wayne Smith Ramsey Clark
>Oliver Stone Kevin Danaher Wynona LaDuke
>Arianna Huffungton Jim Hightower Howard Zinn
>Ruben Blades Rage Against the MachineJesse Venture
>Kevin Costner Utah Phillips Medea Benjamin
>Cynthia McKenney Steven Spielberg Viggo Mortenson
>Congressman Ron Dellums, ret. Amy Goodman
>Arnold Schwarzenegger Jimmy Carter
>
>We only need one of these iSTARSi to say they are fed up with these
>restrictions and they want to lead, and we have our Challenge!!! Our
>thoughts are that some of these figures might not be the spearhead
>person to say yes, but they may end up going once one of their fellow
>istarsi has stepped out in front, or they might be willing to write,
>preferably, or at least sign a letter of support for the Challenge.
>Many of you have some inroads or contact information for these people,
>or you might know someone who does. ASK AROUND!! Get the word out on
>your e-mail list, or announce this at your group's meeting. The
>Challenge will not be successful unless we have someone well known to
>lead it. The major media has completely ignored other travel
>challenges in the past.
>You may use the following sample letter to hand or send to your istar,i
>so they know what it is we have in mind.
>
>Dear____________:
>The San Francisco Bay Area Cuba Alliance, along with many other
>organizations that want U.S. citizens to be allowed to travel freely to
>Cuba, are planning a large and highly visible Travel Challenge in 2004.
> We are mobilizing people from all over the country to protest the
>unconstitutional ban on travel to Cuba, the ending of licensing for
>educational and cultural exchanges, the recent undemocratic overturning
>of the Congressionally approved end of enforcement of the ban, as well
>as the stepped-up aggression being waged by the Bush Administration
>against travelers.
>Challenging the Travel Ban on Cuba is not only a defense of our right
>to travel as Americans, but also a declaration of our right to fully
>participate in the shaping of our nationis foreign policy. We must show
>that the expressed will of Congress to end the Travel Ban against Cuba
>cannot be disregarded by President Bush, and that the American people
>have the right, the ability, and the responsibility, to take an active
>part in promoting peace with our neighbor. We must defend our right,
>not only to travel to Cuba, but to learn about Cuba, and to share with
>them who we are.
>Because you are a well-known advocate for progressive causes, we are
>requesting you to lead the group in the Travel Challenge. We are
>willing to design the trip around your schedule, so please let us know
>as soon as possible if your can take up the call. Please think of this
>as a fantastic opportunity to help open up a failed U.S. policy of
>isolation toward Cuba, and a chance to help change the world!
>Contact the SF Cuba Alliance, c/o Carol Cross, at (650) 367-9183 or
>[email protected].
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