From A Grand Illusion Blog, my compliments to Alex Barreras for an insightful retort to the hypocrisy of the U.S. Cuba Democracy PAC, tearing apart its inane position and exposing their arrogance at the recent congressional hearing on the travel ban. This embargo PAC claims to represents the views of the Cuban people – yet it is the Cuban people themselves who are standing with the rest of the majority of Americans and Cuban Americans who want an end to the travel restrictions, even figures like Yoani Sanchez and Miriam Leiva. Here is his op-ed:
.
http://www.agrandillusion.com/?p=3089
.
http://www.agrandillusion.com/?p=3089
.
Ah, Yoani. Not only she cofounds the regime in Havana, she’s also becoming a thorn on the side of hardliners. The loudest voice from Havana refuses to conform to their script, first the original sin of returning to Cuba from Switzerland with her family (the horror, taking her son back, ala Elian), then expressing sympathetic views to Obama during the presidential campaign (brainwashed!), then unequivocally supporting the Juanes concert (spy!), then sending a message to the US Congress favoring the lifting of travel restrictions to Cuba (agent of influence!) and the cherry on top, asking seven questions of Obama -and getting responses!
.
Ah, Yoani. Not only she cofounds the regime in Havana, she’s also becoming a thorn on the side of hardliners. The loudest voice from Havana refuses to conform to their script, first the original sin of returning to Cuba from Switzerland with her family (the horror, taking her son back, ala Elian), then expressing sympathetic views to Obama during the presidential campaign (brainwashed!), then unequivocally supporting the Juanes concert (spy!), then sending a message to the US Congress favoring the lifting of travel restrictions to Cuba (agent of influence!) and the cherry on top, asking seven questions of Obama -and getting responses!
.
It’s enough to make hardliners bang their heads against walls trying to figure out how to counteract this arriviste from Havana, and their responses range from the bilious (See here, but especially here) to the Cuban Liberty Council, which trying to scoop some Yoani magic for themselves, came out of irrelevance to give her their pompously-named award. And now, via the usual suspects, this plainly manipulative open letter to Yoani Sanchez, from Capitol Hill Cubans (aka Mauricio Claver-Carone, the hardliner du jour).
.
“You are undoubtedly a heroine, not to mention the future of Cuba.
“You are undoubtedly a heroine, not to mention the future of Cuba.
.
Regardless of any disagreement that we may have regarding U.S. policy towards Cuba, we certainly respect your right to voice that disagreement, as we’re confident you respect our right to disagree.
Regardless of any disagreement that we may have regarding U.S. policy towards Cuba, we certainly respect your right to voice that disagreement, as we’re confident you respect our right to disagree.
.
That is the diversity of our views (and the roots of a future democracy)”.
.
That is the diversity of our views (and the roots of a future democracy)”.
.
[Well, putting aside the brown nosing, that’s certainly refreshing. A hardliner admitting not only that the future of Cuba will be in the hands of the Cubans in the island, but also praising diversity of views. Beats accusing opposing views of being naive, colaborationists, dialogueros or infatuated with Castro, like Ros-Lehtinen just did to Gen. McCaffrey.]
.
“When you were abducted and assaulted by the Castro regime’s thugs on November 6th, not one of the current 178 Members of Congress that have co-sponsored legislation to unconditionally lift tourism sanctions towards Cuba — nor its advocates — raised their voice in concern or condemnation.
“When you were abducted and assaulted by the Castro regime’s thugs on November 6th, not one of the current 178 Members of Congress that have co-sponsored legislation to unconditionally lift tourism sanctions towards Cuba — nor its advocates — raised their voice in concern or condemnation.
.
Similarly, Friday’s physical attack by the regime’s thugs against your husband, Reinaldo, did not seem to disturb the conscience of those Members of Congress, nor their advocates. It was, once again, met with disturbing silence.
Similarly, Friday’s physical attack by the regime’s thugs against your husband, Reinaldo, did not seem to disturb the conscience of those Members of Congress, nor their advocates. It was, once again, met with disturbing silence.
.
Yet, the same people that urged you to weigh-in on behalf of their views during last week’s Congressional hearing on US policy towards Cuba, have left no stone unturned, exerting all of their energy and efforts, to exploit your views for their political gain.”
Yet, the same people that urged you to weigh-in on behalf of their views during last week’s Congressional hearing on US policy towards Cuba, have left no stone unturned, exerting all of their energy and efforts, to exploit your views for their political gain.”
.
This is just laughable. Claver-Carone’s PAC spends tons of money in contributions to legislators trying to defeat the very initiatives Yoani supports -and he’s the one innocently on her side, with no political goal in mind? Following his logic, he’s even more guilty of contributing to the beatings suffered by Yoani and her husband. Their assailants were chanting against the embargo, and they cite it as the main reason why they have to repress free expression in the island.
This is just laughable. Claver-Carone’s PAC spends tons of money in contributions to legislators trying to defeat the very initiatives Yoani supports -and he’s the one innocently on her side, with no political goal in mind? Following his logic, he’s even more guilty of contributing to the beatings suffered by Yoani and her husband. Their assailants were chanting against the embargo, and they cite it as the main reason why they have to repress free expression in the island.
.
Simply put, they seek to take advantage of our family’s diversity, in the hopes of hindering our united purpose.
Simply put, they seek to take advantage of our family’s diversity, in the hopes of hindering our united purpose.
.
What united purpose can Claver-Carone claim, when he is the one frantically spending all his efforts to continue a failed policy of isolation that’s been proven to benefit solely the Castro regime? Since when has unity of purpose mattered when it has come to tarnish and accuse any voice that’s not for isolationism, to belittle any effort other than stubborn confrontation, to defend policies that pit people against people, taking their cues from the same regime they profess to detest so much?
What united purpose can Claver-Carone claim, when he is the one frantically spending all his efforts to continue a failed policy of isolation that’s been proven to benefit solely the Castro regime? Since when has unity of purpose mattered when it has come to tarnish and accuse any voice that’s not for isolationism, to belittle any effort other than stubborn confrontation, to defend policies that pit people against people, taking their cues from the same regime they profess to detest so much?
.
What this letter proves is that hardliners are deadly scared of the moderate alternatives and engagement. If it’s as ineffective as they profess it to be, then let us try it; the lack of results will be all the proof they need to continue arguing for isolation and they have certainly had their opportunity and blew it. But they don’t really care for Cuba, you see, their allegiance is to the Republican party and the plight of Cubans only matters to them as a vote collecting device. If there were to be a change in Cuba while Obama is president, they are liable to ask for it to be rolled back, just out of spite.
What this letter proves is that hardliners are deadly scared of the moderate alternatives and engagement. If it’s as ineffective as they profess it to be, then let us try it; the lack of results will be all the proof they need to continue arguing for isolation and they have certainly had their opportunity and blew it. But they don’t really care for Cuba, you see, their allegiance is to the Republican party and the plight of Cubans only matters to them as a vote collecting device. If there were to be a change in Cuba while Obama is president, they are liable to ask for it to be rolled back, just out of spite.
.
One more thing (and Claver-Carone knows this because he’s no dummy): the reason Yoani has achieved the credibility in the international stage is precisely because she doesn’t act like a hardliner.
One more thing (and Claver-Carone knows this because he’s no dummy): the reason Yoani has achieved the credibility in the international stage is precisely because she doesn’t act like a hardliner.
.
Posts
0 Comments:
Post a Comment