Friday, July 13, 2007

BUCL's Last Hurrah


Well, it is over. Or at least that's what BUCL's unelected leader declared in the latest edition of The Babalu (Faux) Radio Hour. The 2nd Campaign has followed the first into the dustbin of history, another exercise in empty if earnest bravado which, in the end, signified nothing. After the monumental failure of its first campaign, BUCL became somewhat less ambitious. The Campaign Against Spain sought to bring a nation to its knees; the 2nd Campaign limited its scope to three or four addlebrained Britons. Well, they didn't BUCL either but remained true to their lifelong Marxist convictions. It was not enough for Henry that these men were hypocrites, long past their prime and virtually unknown among our countrymen; the kind of spokesmen that should be shunned rather than courted. Henry had this infantile obsession with bringing his childhood idols to the cause, much as if Jose Marti had misdirected his efforts towards getting "La Belle Otero" (the Spanish dancer of Verse IX of the Versos sencillos) to make a declaration in favor of Cuban independence.

Sting and The Police in the person of Andy Summers would not budge even when confronted by Henry and his incendiary device (the vigil candle which he admits he was holding when he approached the dimunitive Summers in the restaurant foyer). Fate gave him the opportunity to make his pitch to one of the band members in person; proobably the 63rd or 84th pitch which guitarist Andy Summers heard that day and distinct from the others only because it was not a business proposition. But no luck. Even if Henry had been 1000 times more persuasive, he could not have moved them. Unless you are carrying a suitcase of cash it is unlikely that these "humanitarians" could be moved to assist a blindman across the street, or even to tell their chauffeur to swerve in order to miss him.

Having failed to move their hearts, Henry next attempted to shame them into doing the right thing. Sting and The Police being as shameless as they are, this was quite a tall order. But the banner was painted and the airplane leased, so what the heck. He rubbed the BUCL banner in their faces in the middle of their Miami concert, unaware, perhaps, that these drugged-out sexagenerians were lucky not to fall off the stage and could certainly not be expected to read a banner at 200 feet let alone 2000; for them, the banner, if they saw it at all, was a weird-looking cloud, recumbant eye-chart or a tickertape in the sky with diamonds. It would actually be worse if Sting and The Police had actually managed to read it, for then their non-reaction was an intentional rebuff of the BUCLers and the Cuban cause, purchased and paid for by the BUCLers themselves. At least Henry didn't waste his time or BUCL's money printing up flyers for the concert-goers, who were probably in as "confused" a state as Sting and Police, having just paid $250 to discover that you can't go home again, that youth and their youthful illusions are dead.

It was pointed out to us that on the Pérez Roura Show over Radio Mambí Henry had agreed to a boycott of Sting and The Police if they failed to live up to their good opinion of them. It is well that he has left bad enough alone. To continue this charade would have bordered on the masochistic.

Henry says that he will take 2 weeks off before the start of the Third Campaign. He should take 2 months off or better yet 2 years. Perhaps by then the next campaign may not be necessary or he will finally have grown up. In this time of reflection, however, Henry should consider a campaign to democratize BUCL. Martí founded his own "BUCL" 116 years ago (the PRC) which differed from Henry's organization only in that it was successful. But Marti did not ordain himself leader by divine right but was elected and re-elected by by its members. Now I have no doubt that the 6 or so members of BUCL would elect Henry Gomez Grand Puma or anything else he wanted (hopefully not Delegate). Even if it's only pro forma Henry should submit his leadership to the will of its members (if we may still use the plural in relation to its membership). Having established his democratic bona fides Henry can then preach democracy to the Cuban people. The last thing that the Cuban people need is another caudillo (though, thankfully, Henry would make the most risible caudillo in history).

So, Henry, my advice to you is to get on your white horse — which hopefully won't BUCL — and ride off into the sunset or twilight or whatever you think best becomes you.


POSTSCRIPT:

Do your funny bone a favor and listen to this week's canned Babalú [Faux] Radio Hour. It was the funniest one to date with the BUCLERS trying to credit Henry with BUCL's "success," and Henry, angrily, trying his best to evade their praise.

33 comments:

Mambi_Watch said...

Mr. Tellechea,

Allow me to clarify a bit more about what occurred (based on what I heard)on the Radio Mambi show.

The show was "La Mesa Redonda" hosted by Armando Perez Roura, which airs weekdays from 6-8pm. It was either Thursday or Friday of last week, and Mr. Gomez appeared with other guests to talk about the BUCL campaign at Versailles. The interview I believe took place for the last 30mins of the show.

Mr. Gomez explained the background of the campaign and their goals. From my listening, Perez-Roura seemed uninterested in the whole idea, even befuddled.

But, knowing Perez-Roura's rhetoric and moral position on Cuba, it became very clear when he tried to understand the BUCL campaign for himself. To publicly point out Sting's inconsistency on the issue of Cuban political prisoners, and thus "attack his wallet."

On this point everyone in the radio studio agreed. Note that the boycott idea was not proposed on air by Mr. Gomez or others, but instead by Perez-Roura.

But, I believe Mr. Gomez and other BUCLers knew that a boycott was an alternative, yet was too extreme and would hurt their proposal to Sting, so they scrapped it. Thus this much more toned down version of the first campaign.

But, I don't think the BUCLers or the BUCL idea is dead for good. I think it'll be around for a while. Maybe even more extreme or successful than before.

How about a campaign to raise funds for the prison break of Eduardo Arocena? Now that would be something that Armando Perez-Roura would support 100%!

How bout you Mr. Tellechea?

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

Pancho:

No, but a pardon from Bush is not out of the question. In fact, given how unpopular he already is and how desperate the Republicans are for the Cuban-American vote, I should not be surprised if Arocena were free by next year. And you, Pancho, could well find yourself living on a street named "Eduardo Arocena Way."

We must remember to cover his statues in blankets when you visit a free Cuba some day.

Vana said...

That one was shorter than the first, now we will have to wait for the third, let's see if they come up with a good one this time around, or if they desist, but somehow I doubt it, putting Cuban hopes into people that don't give a damn is futile, it's just a waste of money, and time, let's hope that Henry and his BUCLers put it away for good, end the charade, it makes us Cubans look like fools, stupid campaigns, that reach no one, and lead nowhere, a new name for Henry, pilfered from the Beatles song, Nowhere Man.
He's a real nowhere man
sittin' in his nowhere land.

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

Vana:

Beautiful, just beautiful! And inspired. "Nowhere land" is exactly where this "American-Cuban" belongs.

Vana said...

Yes Manuel, and I forgot the stanza that fits the best...lol

Making all his nowhere plans
for nobody...

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

Vana:

We might as well dedicate the whole song to Henry:

NOWHERE MAN

He's a real nowhere man,
Sitting in his nowhere land,
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody.

Doesn't have a point of view,
Knows not where he's going to,
Isn't he a bit like you and me?

Nowhere man, please listen,
You don't know what you're missing,
Nowhere man, the world is at your command.

He's a blind as he can be,
Just sees what he wants to see,
Nowhere man can you see me at all?

Nowhere man, don't worry,
Take your time, don't hurry,
Leave it all till somebody
else lends you a hand.

Doesn't have a point of view,
Knows not where he's going to,
Isn't he a bit like you and me?

Nowhere man, please listen,
You don't know what you're missing,
Nowhere man, the world is at your command.

He's a real nowhere man,
Sitting in his nowhere land,
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody,
Making all his nowhere plans for nobody,
Making all his nowhere plans for
nobody.

Vana said...

Manuel:
Thank you for posting the whole song, does it not fit perfectly? I think so

bookster said...

Manuel

I’ve noticed you use the monicker ‘AMERICAN-CUBAN’ as opposed to ‘CUBAN-AMERICAN’ or as opposed to ‘AMERICAN’ of Cuban descent.

For me I stopped being a Cuban National when I took the American citizenship oath.

Here’s the oath
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God
-------------------------------

IMHO trying to be both an AMERICAN and a CUBAN creates an identity conflict. Like trying to love two lovers. I’m interested in how you and your readers see this

Vana said...

Corgiguy:

I became an American citizen, yes, but it was after living in the USA for TWENTY years, I did not want to give up being Cuban 100% I felt like a traitor, remember, we left Cuba as refugees, not because we wanted to, after realizing that maybe in my lifetime I would not see a free Cuba, I took that step, why not since I was gonna live here, I wanted to enjoy the perks, but still I consider myself 100% Cuban, because that is where I was born, no one can EVER shed the love they feel for their country of birth, no one, no matter how many oaths they take, because of the constitution of 1940, a Cuban national can never lose his or hers citizenship, and if someday Cuba is free I shall have no problem in shedding the American part of it, sorry Corgiguy bur that is the way it is at least for me.
Torn between two countries, yes, I cannot deny I also love this one, but can NEVER love her as I do mine, the one that gave me breath.

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

corgigy:

"American-Cuban" is a title which Henry invented and invested on himself. I use it only when referring to him.

Although the 1940 Constitution does not recognize dual citizenship, I am sure that some accomodation will be made in a future democratic Cuba that will insure the Cuban citizenship of those who were naturalized during the diaspora. Their children (that is, the U.S.-born children of Cuban parents) are considered Cuban citizens by birth under the Constitution of 1940.

As for myself, I still retain my Cuban citizenship having never adopted another.

bookster said...

Vana

You don't have to be sorry, this post is without malice.

For me i'm not torn between two countries, i have not intention of going back to cuba, i've lived here longer than i lived in cuba, i'm like a transplanted tree, my roots are firmly set here. I have not lost my cuban heritage though i still speak spanish and i'm have hunger for cuban culture but when it comes to politics i have an american perspective on things. I think that's what manuel is alluding to when he criticizes val, henry, estefan etc..

This reminds me of this lyrics by the loving spoonfull
-----------------
Did you ever have to make up your mind
Pick up on one and leave the other behind
It's not often easy and not often kind
Did you ever have to make up your mind

Did you ever have to finally decide
Say yes to one and let the other one ride
There's so many changes and tears you must hide
Did you ever have to finally decide
----------------------

bookster said...

Manuel

"American-Cuban" is a title which Henry invented and invested on himself.
----------------------
What i'm trying to say is that having a mixed identity or allegiance, gives you a muddled view of things. Is like trying to serve two masters or tyring to love two lover. I suggest that's why there's so much disagreement within the cuban american community.

Sharpshooter said...

Corgiguy,Vana,Manuel,
Let me put in my two cents on the subject. I have American citizenship as well, but like Vana, I adopted it after living in USA for over 25 years. The issue of 2 lovers in my opinion does not apply in this case. There are 2 different kinds of love, in my humble opinion. Just like you love your mother and your wife. I love them both dearly.
I love the United States because it accepted me as a refugee and gave me shelter and the chance to start a new life when I left my own country because I could not live anymore in it any longer. But just because I love my new wife (USA) it does not mean that I stopped loving my mother (in this case Cuba)I have spent the greater part of my adult life in USA but I am still Cuban until the last day and the last breath of my life and will forever remain so. I see no conflict in this dichotomy.

bookster said...

Agustin

What happens to a tree when is transplanted, it goes into shock until the roots grow and assimilate the new soil. NO?.

For the immigrant the shock is is the identity crisis of being in a new land and new culture, of yearning for what you left behind while dealing with this new reality. Starting to love the new ways, while still loving the old ways.

Each one of us has a different life journey and copes with reality in different ways. I came here young without a family through the peter/pan air lift back in the early 60's, ended up in Montana in a town were there were no other cubans, no one spoke spanish. Talk about culutre shock. The choice was clear for me, sink or swim, assimilate or die.

I'm not suggesting that once you become an american you stop loving cuba, you have to choose where your allegiance is when there's conflicting issues. For me my roots are here, i'm firmly planted here, so i see things from an american perspective.

Cuba is not part of america, when an american looks at cuban issues he is looking at it from what benefits american interests not necessarily cuban or cuban-american interests. That's why all the controvery with the embargo, elian, wet-foot dry foot, BUCL etc...

Unknown said...

Manuel,

I ran across your blog by mistake. I have wasted my time reading through it, thinking there was merit in this, your blog.

After doing some reading all I've gathered is that you have a personal problem with a group of readers and bloggers and that you've opened up this blog to vent your anger at them.

It is amazing to see people who supposedly want to see a free Cuba, bashing other people who want the same thing. You have a difference of opinion, good, so be it, that is why we're humans and not robots, but YOU have gone out of you way and dedicated a whole blog to bash other people and to critizise whatever they do, make fun of them, insult them yet I've yet to see you come up with an idea of your own.

That is called flying on someone else's coat tails.

Parece mentira que no eres un niño malcriado, porque de la forma que te expresas yo juraria que lo eres.

Deberias dedicar tu tiempo a aportar ideas para acabar con ese regimen o para deciminar la verdad que tantos mundialmente tapan. Parece mentira que te prestes para formar division en el exilio y no la union. Pero bueno cada uno de su cu.. puede hacer un cartucho.

Have a good Day

Sharpshooter said...

Corgiguy,
what a trip! From Cuba to Montana in one big journey. I have ben there several times during my travels and is a beautiful state. You are so right, no one there speaks Spanish, at least when I visited several years ago. I spent time in Missoula, Helena, Glaciar Park around St. Amry and then we crossed into Canada into Watertown Park on our way to Banf and Jasper. Wonderful sights in that part of the country. How long did you live in that state before moving to a warmer climate, may I ask? The snow storms in Montana are legendary. I bet you were in shock the first time you saw one of those. Boy, we Cubans are spread all over the world for sure!

Fantomas said...

right on constanza great post

Manuel is a JOKE

He wants attention thats all

plus el no se da cuenta que todo lo que escribe sale en google search .. a non cuban who reads this blog must think we are all lunatics ..thanks to manolo

Vana said...

Corgiguy:

I'm Peter Pan too, I ended up in Nogalez Arizona, I was lucky in that there were a lot of Mexican girls there, so was able to keep speaking Spanish, icredible, even though we shared that fate, we are nothing alike, tell me did your parents ever come from Cuba?

Vana said...

Oh Oh Manuel, aqui hay seres enviados

bookster said...

Vana, Agustin

I try to answer you both. When i came from cuba i stayed in miami in a refugee camp, Camp Matacumbe, i was 13. After 3 months i was sent to an orphanage in Helena Montana, then i was sent to a foster home in Anaconda Montana. I lived in Montana for 5 years and though it was a culture shock i have great memories of growing up there, somewere along the line i had to bookmark my cuban roots and become an american. I didn't see it as betrayal just pure survival.

My parents came six year later to california. I joined them and had difficulty relating to their ways. I have become so americanized that had trouble communicating in spanish, I was 18, like a good son i supported them i worked and help them out get established, but it was never the same relationship that we had before i came here.

I don't want to bore with my immigrant story. All I'm tryng to say that we all deal with this immigrant experience differently. I don't see myself as an american or cuban or a californian, my identity comes not from the group but from my own unique experience.

I have no doubt that each one of us loves cuba in our way. Let's not be so critical of each other, in my opinion that only serves to divide us.

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

"Constanza:"

So, "Constanza," you just happened to stumble on this blog by "accident" while googling and remained here for 47 minutes and 10 seconds. I see that this "accident" has happened to you many times before since your IP address identifies you as one of the most frequent visitors to this blog as well as one of the earliest. I know, of course, your real identity. There is only one Babalunian who would adopt a name like "Constanza" and none that could spell it but you. Well, I hope that I continue to do whatever it is that I do wrong which keeps you coming here for more and more of same.

It seems to me that you are not having a happy day.

Unknown said...

I came into your blog from KillCastro. I visited that blog as part of a list of blogs my grandson gave to me some time ago. I am now doing what he asked me to do many months before he passed away.

I have read KillCastro and Babalu and although they have different opinions they are doing their damnest to tell the world the truth about that awful regime. They may go about it in different ways, but they do something.

You on the otherhand have decided to sembrar sisaña y hablar porqueria. Hoy tengo que bajar la cabeza y darle la razon a mi esposo de que no hay peor enemigo del Cubano, como un Cubano, primer ejemplo Fidel Castro y segundo usted.

Usted es un viejo bretero y crea lo que le de la gana, estoy en una etapa de mi vida que me importa un bledo. No tengo el placer de conocer a ninguno de esos muchachos que se merecen mi estimacion por hacer mucho mas de lo que otros no han hecho.

Both Killcastro and Babalu are on my grandson's favorites and I admire them all.

Vana said...

corgiguy:
It's not your immigrant story, is your regugee story, trust me I went into the melting pot myself, I was 11 years old, of course I became American, seems for a while that's all I was, and wanted to be, but one day I woke up, I realized I was more Cuban, of course if this country ever called me up, I would serve it, I do love it, but it's not the same patriotic love I feel for Cuba.

I guess you lost the pain my friend, how lucky you are, I have never lost it, my heart bleeds for Cuba, I can't help it, I don't hold it against you, to each his own

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

"Constanza:"

I see you have returned; but you always do.

It appears you have changed your story. First you told us that you stumbled on this site through Google, and now you tell us that you were referred here by Killcastro.

I don't recall ever having seen you comment on Killcastro.

Killcastro shares my skepticism about both BUCL and Babalú (to put it mildly). You would know that if you actually read Killcastro.

bookster said...

Vana

Life gives us many pains. There's the pain of leaving your country, there's the pain of being dissapointed by your loved ones, there's the pain of being dissapointed by a friend, the pain of losing your job, the pain of seeing your country torn by a senseless war, the pain of seeing your country menu bickering with one another.

Yes life is full of pains, so you deal with them the best way you know how, you learn from them and you move forward, what else can you do?. The religious folks tell me that is god's way making us stronger turn us into a better person, trial by fire they call it. What do you think?

Fantomas said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Manuel A.Tellechea said...

fantomas:

Never been in a fight — or at a fight — have you, fantomas?

Fantomas said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sharpshooter said...

Corgiguy,
my commentary was not criticism. I am sorry if it was interpreted that way. If so, my apologies.
I simply asked about Montana and your experience there.
Like Vana, I went through a period of let us say, "americanizing" myself to blend in and to be accepted. Only several years later did I realized and discovered in my journey throgh life, that no matter how much I tried to change, I was still a Cuban "guajiro" at heart and no matter how much time I had spent outside of Cuba I still had very strong feelings for my country of birth. After all I was a man when I came at 17, and had spent practically all my youth in Cuba. How was I to make all of those experiences go away in one fell swoop? I found it impossible and they kept coming back to haunt me. Lucky for me I had my mother with me and we shared a very strong bond and we supported each other as best as we could. I survived outside with my friends and she made do with hers. But at home we were Cubans in the whole sense of the word. Be it food, customs, speech and so on. I read very little in Spanish at that time and attended school in New York. It was only later in life that I resume reading Spanish although till this day I feel more confortable reading in English than Spanish. My own wife who is Cuban, complains every now and then, that she is unable to share my extensive library because most of them are in English.
You are right when you say everyone experience is different. We all have coped with this journey in exile in our own way. No one is to be criticized for the way he/she acted. It all amounts to the way we see the world we live in.

Vana said...

Agustin:
I feel as you do, after emerging from the melting pot, I realized I was not what I thought I was, that I was Cuban, that my heart still bled for things Cuban, and for what was going on in the Island, I don't think the pain has ever left me, we were dealt a bad hand my friend, and the after effects are still being felt, we here they there, we are all paying.

Vana said...

Corgiguy:
Trust me I understand about moving on, I have moved on in my life on numerous moments, but cannot move on where Cuba is concerned, understand corgiguy, I cannot help myself, something inside pushes me on and on, I cannot forget, no, nor do I want to, and will not rest in peace, dead or alive, until Cuba is set free.

bookster said...

Vana, Augustin

I didn't take your words a criticism.

I was just trying to share with you my own individual experience. My cuban heritage is part of me, and is folks you that keep it alive for me.

Now here's a truly sad cuban/american immigration story

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/world_us/8161357.html
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2007/07/14/simon.ca.meyer.facing.deportation.cnn

Anonymous said...

They never had the concert in Cuba.