Jay Nordlinger

Several readers have sent me a letter from the CEO of Orbitz, the travel company. The CEO is campaigning for unrestricted travel to Cuba, saying, “At Orbitz we believe passionately in the power of travel to transform lives. And we believe that people should have the freedom to travel wherever they choose.” I wonder whether he believes that that applies to Cubans too. When they try to travel, they are shot, right there in the water. It has happened many times.

The CEO further says, “Americans today have the right to travel to any country in the world except Cuba.” And he is petitioning the government “to end the 50-year Cuba travel ban and give all Americans the freedom to travel to Cuba.”

Fine, fine. But do Americans know about “tourism apartheid” in Cuba? There are separate hotels, restaurants, stores, beaches, medical facilities, etc., for foreigners. Ordinary Cubans aren’t allowed in those places — only specially vetted ones, which is to say, politically safe ones. Foreigners are pretty well segregated. They sip mojitos on beaches, perhaps indulge in underage prostitution (a reason that many, many foreigners go there).

I have a Cuban-American friend who visited the island a few years ago; his cousin was not allowed into the lobby of my friend’s hotel — because he, the cousin, was Cuban.

What I am saying is that there are considerations — considerations beyond a pat “right to travel.” Consider another consideration (and I apologize for sounding like Dr. Seuss or something): Do tourist dollars go into the regime’s pocket, or into the pockets of ordinary Cubans? And if tourism aids the regime, giving it oxygen, to continue its persecution — is tourism quite moral? Or are questions of morality laughable here?

The Left had no trouble understanding the morality of boycotting South Africa under apartheid, but they nuture a soft, romantic spot in their hearts for that murdering psycho Fidel. Also for the murderous Che, whom Fidel had killed.