Let's face it, we don't have many unconditional allies anymore. Democratic and Republican politicians are vying with one another to see which can best serve the interests of multinationals vis-à-vis Cuba. The days are long gone when we could take it for granted that a majority of Republican politicians would uphold sanctions against Communist Cuba. Our firmest ally in the Democratic camp, Senator Joe Lieberman, was practically excommunicated by his own party for supporting us. No, it wasn't just because of his stand on the Iraq War. Go to the archives of the Democratic Underground, an odious blog where more than a million Democrats gather to vent their rage against their country (and us), and you will find there in equal proportion condemnations of Lieberman for his support of the Iraq War, his support of Israel and his support of a Free Cuba. Since Cuban exiles are the favorite bogeymen at the DU, Lieberman's ties to us were used as the definitive proof that he is a "fascist." Yet despite all the criticism he received for it from the stalwarts of his own party, Lieberman has never flinched in his support for our cause. Lieberman prevailed over the party establishment and won re-election in his state as an independent when he was denied his party's nomination. God bless the good people of Connecticut for going against the national tide and rebuking the Democratic establishment's cannibalistic tendencies.
The story of Joe Lieberman holds useful lessons for politicians of both parties who change positions like they change ties. It is or should be a useful lesson for us as well. We should always stand by politicians who support our cause regardless of party. Indeed, regardless of any other positions which they may also hold that have nothing to do with the struggle we have been waging for 48 years. I don't know Lieberman's position on abortion and I don't care. Even if he were a proponent of abortion on demand (which I am not), I would regard the fate of 11 million Cubans who are living aborted lives as more important to me. Indeed, there is no dichotomy here for me: fighting Castro also means fighting the biggest abortionist in the world.
Marc R. Masferrer, author of the Cuban blog Uncommon Sense, has lately been demonstrating very little by thrashing an even firmer ally of our cause than Lieberman (if such a thing is conceivable). The man whom Masferrer labelled an "idiot" on his blog on April 5 I consider a prophet, not because of his religious convictions (which I couldn't care less about) but because he dared to say what had to be said and didn't mince words about it. His public call to assassinate Hugo Chávez was the wisest and most prescient statement that any American politician or religious leader ever uttered in living memory. One would have to go back 150 years to find any parallel. If John Brown was a prophet, then surely so is Pat Robertson. The evil that John Brown combatted as the scourge of this Republic was slavery; the evil now threatening it and the entire American continent is embodied in Hugo Chávez, Castro's chosen "continuator" who may achieve because of U.S. indifference what Castro could not achieve with the opposition of the U.S. Pat Robertson is the only man in American politics who sees this. Surely, as Cubans, we should be able to see it also.
But Masferrer does not see it. His uncle would have seen it immediately but Marc does not. He is no different in his criticisms of Pat Robertson from any of Robertson's adversaries, including Fidel Castro, who, when informed that Robertson had called for Chávez's assassination, demurred: "That is a crime so great that only God could punish it." Odd, Castro never before deferred to God when it came to punishing his enemies. In Castro's mind, Castro's own punishments fall short of what Robertson would deserve if he derailed Castro's legacy as embodied in Hugo Chávez.
Yet Masferrer has the nerve to accuse Robertson, whose ministry has fed hundreds of millions of the world's hungry, and, indeed, would have fed the entire Cuban people if Castro had allowed it, of being a religious hypocrite "claiming to speak for God, who[m] he claims is not a loving, compassionate God, but a God who holds grudges and delivers payback." Guess what, Marc? That's what God does. He hold grudges and He delivers payback. In Him resides our only hope that evildoers like Castro will receive their just deserts in the end.
I don't care that Robertson is more pro-semitic than the Jews themselves. I don't care that he supports creationism. I don't care that he believes that God punishes those like Ariel Sharon who deviate from what Robertson sees as God's divine plan for Israel. I certainly don't care that he called for the assassination of Hugo Chávez (which is the most Biblical thing Robertson ever said as anybody who has ever read the Bible knows).
What matters to me — the only thing that matters to me and the only thing that should matter to Masferrer — is that Pat Robertson stands and has always stood with the Cuban people. I would never throw an ally to the wolves because he differs from me on trifles. Of course, if Robertson ever deviated one iota from his position on Cuba, I should have no hesitancy in attacking him because of it, but I would never attack him for his religious convictions, not because I necessarily share them but because these are not germane to me. Cuba is what matters, Marc. Nothing else.
The story of Joe Lieberman holds useful lessons for politicians of both parties who change positions like they change ties. It is or should be a useful lesson for us as well. We should always stand by politicians who support our cause regardless of party. Indeed, regardless of any other positions which they may also hold that have nothing to do with the struggle we have been waging for 48 years. I don't know Lieberman's position on abortion and I don't care. Even if he were a proponent of abortion on demand (which I am not), I would regard the fate of 11 million Cubans who are living aborted lives as more important to me. Indeed, there is no dichotomy here for me: fighting Castro also means fighting the biggest abortionist in the world.
Marc R. Masferrer, author of the Cuban blog Uncommon Sense, has lately been demonstrating very little by thrashing an even firmer ally of our cause than Lieberman (if such a thing is conceivable). The man whom Masferrer labelled an "idiot" on his blog on April 5 I consider a prophet, not because of his religious convictions (which I couldn't care less about) but because he dared to say what had to be said and didn't mince words about it. His public call to assassinate Hugo Chávez was the wisest and most prescient statement that any American politician or religious leader ever uttered in living memory. One would have to go back 150 years to find any parallel. If John Brown was a prophet, then surely so is Pat Robertson. The evil that John Brown combatted as the scourge of this Republic was slavery; the evil now threatening it and the entire American continent is embodied in Hugo Chávez, Castro's chosen "continuator" who may achieve because of U.S. indifference what Castro could not achieve with the opposition of the U.S. Pat Robertson is the only man in American politics who sees this. Surely, as Cubans, we should be able to see it also.
But Masferrer does not see it. His uncle would have seen it immediately but Marc does not. He is no different in his criticisms of Pat Robertson from any of Robertson's adversaries, including Fidel Castro, who, when informed that Robertson had called for Chávez's assassination, demurred: "That is a crime so great that only God could punish it." Odd, Castro never before deferred to God when it came to punishing his enemies. In Castro's mind, Castro's own punishments fall short of what Robertson would deserve if he derailed Castro's legacy as embodied in Hugo Chávez.
Yet Masferrer has the nerve to accuse Robertson, whose ministry has fed hundreds of millions of the world's hungry, and, indeed, would have fed the entire Cuban people if Castro had allowed it, of being a religious hypocrite "claiming to speak for God, who[m] he claims is not a loving, compassionate God, but a God who holds grudges and delivers payback." Guess what, Marc? That's what God does. He hold grudges and He delivers payback. In Him resides our only hope that evildoers like Castro will receive their just deserts in the end.
I don't care that Robertson is more pro-semitic than the Jews themselves. I don't care that he supports creationism. I don't care that he believes that God punishes those like Ariel Sharon who deviate from what Robertson sees as God's divine plan for Israel. I certainly don't care that he called for the assassination of Hugo Chávez (which is the most Biblical thing Robertson ever said as anybody who has ever read the Bible knows).
What matters to me — the only thing that matters to me and the only thing that should matter to Masferrer — is that Pat Robertson stands and has always stood with the Cuban people. I would never throw an ally to the wolves because he differs from me on trifles. Of course, if Robertson ever deviated one iota from his position on Cuba, I should have no hesitancy in attacking him because of it, but I would never attack him for his religious convictions, not because I necessarily share them but because these are not germane to me. Cuba is what matters, Marc. Nothing else.
3 comments:
Go with Street Sense Sunday May 5, Kentucky Derby
It was rather interesting for me to read this blog. Thanks for it. I like such topics and everything connected to this matter. I definitely want to read more soon.
Don't stop posting such stories. I like to read blogs like this. By the way add more pics :)
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