December 14, 2009
The Honorable John Kerry
Dear Senator Kerry,
I hope you receive this communiqué in the same spirit and respect in which it is sent regarding United States/Cuba relations. While we have met on several occasions over the years, there is no reason for you to remember me at this time.
However, I vividly recall your appearance before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearings which began
I also recall the committee’s chairman at the time, Senator Bill Fulbright saying to you, “young man maybe one day you will chair this committee”. Senator, I write you today in your capacity as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee!
Accordingly, I respectfully request you go back and read the statement you gave before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in April 1971. Then apply that same logic to solve the United States/Cuba dilemma. As proud of you as I and others were that day in 1971, and on other occasions throughout your distinguished career, I and many are disappointed in your work to enhance U.S./Cuba relations to date.
In my view, your speech last Tuesday and your recent editorial was nothing more than a way to placate those of us who want to enhance U.S./Cuba relations, while at the same time not expending any political capital to accomplish anything substantive. What you said on
Likewise, the hearing held by Chairman Howard Berman, of the House Foreign Affairs Committee on
I would also respectfully like you to refer to the portion of your comments in 1971 regarding “Where is the Leadership?” Just like many members of the senate at that time gave all sorts of reasons why we could not disengage ourselves from the Vietnam nightmare, so it is today many senators give specious reasons as to why we must continue embargoing
Senator, as someone who participated in “vote counting” in the senate, I assure you there are 70 “yea votes” for any legislation that would allow Americans the right to freely travel to
What would be the reaction if congress were to lift the travel ban to
You must know how hypocritical we look in the eyes of every country in the world - friend and foe alike - because we continue to embargo
Finally Mr. Chairman, we must engage the Cuban government as it is, not how we want it to be. There is so much more you can do right now to put this
Just like you led the effort to have diplomatic relations with
Most respectfully yours,
_____________________
Albert A. Fox Jr. is the President of the Alliance for Responsible Cuba Policy
Email: afoxcuba@aol.com
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