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Thread: A message from Kurt van Keppel, president of Xikar

  1. #1
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    Default A message from Kurt van Keppel, president of Xikar

    Shared in "Kurt's Corner". This really resonates with me...


    On Cuba

    On December 17, 2014, USA - Cuba detente negotiations suddenly appeared, with much speculation and questions since, surrounding Cuba’s primary exports, tourism and cigars. “Will you go?” “Will this be a new boom to cigars and your business?” are two questions I’ve heard every week since the President’s announcement. My answers are in short: I don’t know.

    The big question among consumers, retailers and manufacturers in our trade is of course, “the new boom”. And the answer, once the legalities are worked out, lies in execution of the production, distribution and marketing of that product. Brands and production quality from the Dominican Republic, Honduras and Nicaragua (among others) are already so well established, that Cuban cigars will hardly receive a red carpet with a free pass to the front of the line. In short, we’ll see.

    Will I go? That depends. I’d like to go visit a beautiful island paradise that makes great cigars, and more importantly respects and celebrates its citizens’ human, natural and political rights. Unfortunately, the President’s address on this topic is vague and ill-defined. Perhaps they have it all worked out – but in absence of that information, I’m hereby taking the liberty of making some suggestions.

    Among the rights I like to observe and enjoy on my visit are the right to due process, including probable cause, and a trial by a jury of one’s peers, under the law. I’d like to know that I and my hosts are not potential subjects of cruel and unusual punishment, including long incarceration for political speech. And I’d like that speech to be free to make, whether individually or assembled in a group.

    And when the government errs, I’d like to see the opportunity for a redress of grievances, without risk of further violations to life and property. I’d like to visit, perhaps even buy a condo, a place that respects the right to private property, without having the fear of unreasonable search and seizure. And finally, I’d like my citizen hosts to have the right to keep and bear arms, so that when the government does err, does violate inalienable human, natural, and political freedoms, they may stand firm in protection and preservation of their rights.

    In return for our consumption, tourism and investment capital, I sincerely hope the current administration secures these rights. Immediate release of political prisoners, and the restoration of private property confiscated from Cuban citizens under the Agrarian Reform Law of May, 1959 would be a good start.

    Under these conditions, I’d love to go to Cuba. And after that, I’d love to go to Venezuela.

    Sincerely,

    Kurt Van Keppel
    President, XIKAR, Inc.
    Amen...

  2. #2
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    Yep, nicely stated.
    Quote Originally Posted by badwhale View Post
    Buzz is smoking our cigars. This probably is his triumphant scam.

  3. #3
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    Geez George, you're beatin' up on the home-town boy. You should be ashamed of yourself.

    I saw a link to that Dropkick Murphy's/Scott Walker thing on our state's political report page, too funny. Yeah, the Boston boys are BIG union backers so Governor Walker isn't on their Christmas card list.
    TBSCigars - "On Holiday"
    Grammar - It's the difference between knowing your crap and knowing you're crap.

  4. Default

    I might go there and vacation if it becomes legal. As far as what happened in 1959 I wasn't aive yet. Will I buy Cuban cigars? yes but only the select few I believe are of quality and there is a short list . Cuba is way behind in agriculture and lets face it other cigar producing countries make cigars equal and better than 95% of the cubans out there. i am gonna dig some Cuban rum though.
    The older I get ,the better I was

  5. #5
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    As far as 1959, a whole lot of Americans who had their property stolen by those rat bastards followers of Castro still have hundreds of thousands of family who won't forget what that son of a bitch did.

    As far as I'm concerned, that's timeless and we shouldn't have anything to do with that country so long as they keep letting the Castro scumbags run that place.

    As we all know, it's not exactly that hard to get their cigars without having to go there. Cuba is probably one of the last places on earth I would ever want to visit anyway and I don't see that changing as long as I'm alive.
    TBSCigars - "On Holiday"
    Grammar - It's the difference between knowing your crap and knowing you're crap.

  6. #6
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    But, we like their cigars.
    The powers that be might take it all away
    Together we burn, together we burn away

    Uncle Tupelo

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