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In Cuba, stability has highest priority LETTER FROM CUBA EDITOR'S NOTE: This is a second letter from Cuba from Poppy Alexander, a senior at Ashland High School. She and nine other Ashland students are among the 27 Americans involved in a historic debate with Cuban students the past few days in Havana. By POPPY ALEXANDER HAVANA, Cuba -- For the first day of debating, we were at a school for Cuba's smartest high school students. The school comprised sprawling, barrack-like buildings of gray cement. Welcoming us with smiles and kisses, the Cuban students, all dressed in blue uniforms, led us into a room decorated with signs demanding Elian's return and commending Cuba history. The debate started slowly; baseball team exchanges was the first topic, and no one disagreed with the idea of furthering contact. We have found only sweet and accepting people here and are therefore fully in support of improving all personal relations. The Cubans are eager to break down the blockade (as they call the U.S. embargo) and are all in favor of exchanges. The next resolution directly asked for the end of the embargo. Each Cuban listed numbers of children who died because of lack of medicine and explained the difficulty of receiving basic needs -- even from other countries because of their diplomatic ties with America. Hesitant at first, our group responded that the embargo was against Cuba's election system. When we did, the Cubans looked at us in shock. "Who told you we don't have free elections? We leave all elections to the people," they said, and outlined the entire election process. We did not have the firsthand experience or the knowledge to argue effectively. The debate got so heated that we took a 30-minute break, which most of us used as time to talk to the Cuban students. In that half-hour, students could talk freely, face to face. Developing true friends is invaluable when trying to create an attitude of peace and discussion. The most interesting debate to me was a discourse on human rights. Once again, Cubans were shocked that we thought Cuba did not have certain freedoms. To them, Cuban democracy was ideal. I was sitting next to a history professor who leaned over to me during the debate. He looked around the room and asked me to do the same. "Do these people look unhappy?" he asked. They certainly didn't. All of the Cubans were smiling and eagerly discussing with us. The professor smiled and said, "These people are happy. They would not be if they did not have rights and lived under a dictator. This is not the case." I asked him whether newspapers could print what they wanted; for, in my opinion, a uninformed public could be happy with anything. He responded that only five or six newspapers are allowed to print, since "any more confuses the public." It was my turn to be shocked. To me, allowing all opinions is the only way to have a democratic and just society. But apparently in Cuba, stability is more important. Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA