European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 8, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday september 8, 1994 commentary the stars and stripes Page 17 Able to frustrate . George Gedda Fidel Castro once dreamed of being in the Vanguard of a global revolutionary movement and for a White things seemed to be going his Way. Now hordes of his people Are making Clear each Day they would rather be anywhere a even a detention Camp a than in the society he has  despite All the setbacks All the unfulfilled goals the cuban president is showing his legendary capacity to give his tormentors in Washington fits creating a refugee crisis that has left them befuddled and scrambling for answers. After the administration moved quickly earlier to head off a potential Mari Al style boat lift Castro responded by allowing his most disgruntled people to depart on makeshift vessels without penalty. For Castro its Good riddance to Tho ii. Sands of enemies and potential Security risks. A a a quot�1 for president Clinton its the worst Castro induced Nightmare for an Ameri can president in years. Thus far Clinton has yet to come up with a Way to provide Castro with an incentive to Cut off the refugee flow. Castro May not have allies in the traditional sense but at the United nations he is widely perceived As a victim of american policies. The last time the merits of the . Embargo against Cuba came to a vote in the general Assembly Only two countries a Israel and Romania a sided with the . Position. Castro himself replayed that theme in a televised address to the cuban people when he claimed that Clinton a policies Quot compel illegal immigration compel the massive exodus from Cuba. Quot they can to blame us for having produced this situation a Castro said. Much of the world including . Al ties believes the embargo is an Ana Chro a ism. A a French president Francois Mitterrand for one rarely passes up an Opportunity in meetings with . Presidents to encourage an accommodation with Castro. That option was ruled out again by the administration. And its hard to find any White House position More firmly entrenched than the embargo against Cuba. Politically Clinton feels he has no Choice but to leave the Sanction in place. In Sharp contrast to Haiti where a get Tough position is popular at the United nations there is virtually no intimation Al constituency for a muscular . Stance against Cuba. That May explain the nearly total absence of talk in Washington about an invasion of Cuba despite the refugee exodus. A a a a. \ a there is another reason Castro has in place an elaborate plan to resist an american invading Force. . Officials have Little doubt that american casual ties would be substantial. So despite 15 years of setbacks Cit Stro still boasts some assets in his dealings with the United states. He seems virtually insulated from a . Invasion and knows that globally there is Little sympathy for Washington a policy of unremitting hostility. It is also difficult to overestimate the amount of stress he has caused in the White House and the various agencies assigned to feed House and clothe thousands of needy refugees arriving at the Guantanamo Bay naval base. If Castro is perceived As the Winner in the confrontation officials say they expect some in the administration will be shown the door. Still Castro can take no pleasure in the conditions that produce the desperation driving people to risk their lives rather than remain under his Rule. How much brighter things looked for Castro 15 years ago when More than a 50 third world leaders showed up in Havana for a Summit making a mockery of . Efforts to isolate him. It was a time when latin America was Rife with revolutionary movements communism was on the March in much of the world and Cuba was an International Force to be reckoned with. Just months afterwards the weakness of his revolutionary Experiment was glimpsed when an exodus of historic proportions began. It was not to be the last. A c the associated Prii a _ it s the ounce of crime Quot so the people said something would have to be done. A. A a. A a a Quot but their projects did not at All tally. Quot some said a put a Fence round the Edge of the Cliff a Quot some a an ambulance Down in the  a i kept thinking of that snippet from the John males poem i1 Learned in Grade school whenever i heard the a Midnight basketball debates Over the recently enacted crime Bill. ,. It seemed As obvious to me during the debates As it did during sixth Grade that prevention is better a and cheaper a than cure. _ and yet there were All these Village elders disparage my programs aimed at tempting Young people into organized adult supervised activity As Quot pork a As a waste of Money that might be better spent on cops and prison cells part of what was happening of course was sheer politics legislators wishing to sound tougher than thou on crime for their constituents republicans opposing provisions of. The omnibus Bill for no other reason than that democrats had proposed then but part of it was at least As Heartfelt As the discussion in a Fence or an ambulance. The critics of Midnight basketball Are not opposed to prevention or even to  Point is that when you be got both a limited budget and a crisis it makes sense to abandon the me to have in favor of the must do. _ the children playing near the Edge of the Cliff May be in their View a at risk but they Are not yet a social or budgetary problem. Those who have gone Over the behavioural Edge clearly Are. If Money were not an Issue the naysayers might agree to both fences and ambulances. But Given the fiscal realities it seems Clear to them that the already fallen must be the priority. Besides Many of the pro ambulance people really do not see any worthwhile connection Between recreation and crime prevention. They believe that crime is the product of permissiveness wilful wickedness and warped values. But where do they imagine these values Are formed do they really believe that they can be modified through sterner Law enforcement alone Law enforcement people know better which is Why police departments across America Are involved in athletic leagues and youth clubs. These activities a and recreation centers and drama clubs and yes Midnight basketball leagues a can remind Young people that cops Arentt necessarily their enemy and that there Are adults who care about them even though they done to have to. And these connections with caring adults provide the Opportunity to transmit and alter values. This Isnit just theory. In be seen once defiant youngsters learn to suppress their outrage Over a referees bad Call against them. In be watched selfish kids become team players i be observed the transformation As boys William Raspberry and girls learn to internalize rules that once made no sense to them. In be seen the changed behaviour. And so have you even if its most conspicuous in its absence. The next time you see a fight on a basketball court ask yourself Why such fights Are so rare. Ask yourself Why the youngster whose peer group ethic is to go to War Over an unintended slight does not throw a punch at the kid who has Quot dissed him by  on a spin move and dunking Over him. No its not about protecting athletic eligibility at school or perhaps Landing a College scholarship. A lot of these youngsters can to even make their High school teams. A still their coaches manage to teach them such important lessons As winning without gloating losing with Grace and playing by the rules. Can i prove that any of this prevents crime no. Do i doubt that it does not for a minute. John Malins had it right years before the crime Bill debate Quot. Better guide Well the Young than reclaim them when old Quot for the voice of True Wisdom is calling Quot a to Rescue the fallen is Good but a tis Best a a to prevent other people from  a better close up the source of temptation and crime Quot than deliver from Dungeon or Galley a better put a Strong Fence round the top of the Cliff a than an ambulance Down in the  c Washington Post