Saturday, May 31, 2008

The Damas de Blanco Reach Down to Obama

Marc Másferrer put it very succinctly recently in Uncommon Sense: "Damas: 'We Like Obama.'" I think a better take on their endorsement of Obama's plan to meet with Rául Castro would be: "Damas: 'We Should Like to See Again Our Imprisoned Husbands, Sons and Brothers.'"

The Damas de Blanco are not naive as some have suggested in attempting to explain their by no means new embrace of detente. In fact, the Dama de Blanco are more politically savvy than their self-appointed apologists. They have realized that their loved ones in Castro's prisons are hostages and that none will see the light of day again until such a meeting takes place.

The 230 political prisoners officially recognized as such by the major human rights organizations, although they constitute exactly .001 percent of those incarcerated by Castro, are, by virtue of their celebrity and the exertions of the Damas themselves in calling attention to their plight, the reserved stock of Castro's jails. They are not going to be given away to just anybody. The days are long past when any official visitor to the island could bring his wish list and get his pick.

In fact, Raúl has called a moratorium on such reckless expenditure of Communist Cuba's most important bargaining chips. All 230 are reserved for Obama himself as surely as if they had been branded with his name. They are his reward for meeting with Raúl and his political cover: the MSM will see to it that Obama is hailed as their "liberator" and not as the president who capitulated to Castro unconditionally.

It is likely that if Obama is elected, or even in anticipation of his election, the 230 may be accorded better treatment. Slaves also, when their masters had decided to sell them down the river, were put on double rations and their various infirmities attended to so that they would make the best possible appearance on the auction block.

Of course, the Damas de Blanco would welcome any improvement in their living conditions and rejoice at the prospect of their release. One would have to be bereft of any sense of empathy or divorced from humanity itself to criticize them for petitioning Obama on behalf of their family members.

What we do find unconscionable is the fact that Obama put them in this position in the first place. An off-the cuff remark by him, which he could later have modified but chose instead to codify as the "Obama Doctrine," held out the promise to Raúl and all the world's tyrants that the U.S. would accommodate them and expect nothing in return but the pleasure of their company. Hopeful and emboldened by Obama's pledge, now reiterated on numerous occasions, they have frozen everything in place in expectation of that golden hour. This includes, of course, the fate of political prisoners.

What Obama holds out to them, and what they are all too eager to receive from him, is a totalitarian "New Deal." All the wrongs of the past, the crimes and the usurpations committed on their people, will be forgiven by one who has no right to presume to do so. No restitution will be required of them in exchange for this plenary indulgence nor any pledge extracted to alter their customary behavior. They can continue to be exactly what they are and what they have always been -- the scourge of their countrymen. The only difference will be that the U.S. shall not challenge their right to be tyrants.

The "Obama Doctrine" is far from progressive; it is, in fact, the very definition of reactionary, a throwback to the divine right of kings. Had he never enunciated it, he would never have received the support of the Damas de Blanco because their hopes for the freedom of Cuba's political prisoners would still be centered around freedom for all Cubans. Now they are convinced that if Obama is elected president in November the prospect of all Cubans regaining their freedom will be reduced to almost nothing, while, ironically, the prospect that 230 Cubans, among the least free of Castro's subjects, will regain theirs is almost guaranteed. Under such circumstances the Damas de Blanco are entirely right to get what is within their reach especially since it is what they most want.

36 comments:

Fantomas said...

YA NO QUEDAN MAMBISES
Las damas de Blanco quieren a sus familiares libres a como de lugar. No importa si es Obama, Hillary or Mc Cain . Igual que la Fundacion ellas no se casan con nadie. De acuerdo a Joe Garcia todos estuvieron invitados para el almuerzo del viernes. El unico que se presento fue Obama
Leave politics alone, The Ladies could care less. They want their relatives freed, and I dont blame them. Same as the mayority of 12 million cubans, they care less about Raul , Bush etc, all they want to do is improve their lives, eat, emigrate,dance reggaeton,start a business that's all . There is no desire among Cubans to fight for what is right. Ya no quedan MAMBISES

Anonymous said...

Mat: que "tacto" que "tacto" tienes para decir lo que casi no quieres decir- I agree/disagree with some of your points... but, I have to go now --sunny here in so cal... be back later...

PS unconscionable ? no utilizes palabras tan "grande" como esta..nosotros los balseros no tenemos un vocabulario extenso..

Anonymous said...

I'm with Fantomas. No Mambises left in Cuba

Anonymous said...

Cuba no cambiara nunca su politica de Estado. Porque es tan dificil aceptarlo desde este lado del charco

Anonymous said...

Manuel reaparecio el F man?
Como lo hicistes?

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

fantomas:

The Cubans of today are no different from the Cubans of 1895. Circumstances alone have changed.

Even our glorious mambises would not have been able to overcome the obstacles which have been placed to thwart our freedom by practically every nation of the world (and particularly this one).

Fantomas said...

Manuel you are like Marti..To much writing skills but poca accion on the battlefield, No wonder why Maceo was always at odds with Marti while he was getting busy with young girls

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

fantomas:

Thank-you for the compliment. To be compared to Martí, in any context, is a compliment.

José Martí was the first and only major general in the history of the world to have been killed in maiden combat (i.e. his first battle).

Clearly, Martí did not belong on the battlefield. His place was elsewhere. The greatest tragedy in the history of Cuba was that Martí did not know his place.

But even that fault was a virtue because duty to him did not mean scratching a pen on paper. He was that rare man who would not ask others to do what he would not do himself, and having summoned the nation to a "necessary war," he could not do otherwise than follow it.

The disagreements between Maceo and Martí, or between Martí and Gómez, are notable only in that they all possessed the patriotism and abnegation to transcend them.

Do not lower yourself by slinging mud at them. Their glory is fixed for all time. The mud you sling at them will always land at your own feet.

Fantomas said...

Do not lower yourself by slinging mud at them. Their glory is fixed for all time. The mud you sling at them will always land at your own feet.


History doesnot lie Maceo was at odds with Marti for a long period Their struggle was the same but not their actions. I take the courage of the Bullets over the pen and the paper

Vana said...

As I have said before, I do not begrudge the Damas for their selection, they must do what they believe is best, I only hope and pray that they are not further dissappointed.

Vana said...

Generals always fight to have things their way, of course there were disagreements between our great heroes, also during the 2ndWW they were at odds with each other, Patton wanted it his way, so did Eisenhower, and so on, it is only men trying to assert themselves as men are wont to do.

Fantomas said...

No, Vana they wont be dissapointed if their relatives are released

Fantomas said...

Mat check this breaking news

CNN REPORTS Obama resigns his church membership



nice move Obby , it was about time

Sharpshooter said...

MAT,
Obama's move to resign from his church at this late hour of the game is a political move because he knows if he stays in it, the game is up. Hopefully the American people will see through this hipocrite ploy and vote against him in droves in November.
The only reason for the resignation is because he has been found out and the chucrh has become an albatros around his neck weighing him down. If he really was concerned and troubled by what was being said in his church, he would have resigned many years ago from it, not now, a few months before the elections. This is a damage control move and anyone with any brain can see through it.

As far as the Rubber Head insults and denigration of the Apostle Marti, just consider the source where they come from. You should expect peaches from an elm tree, as the saying goes. Once a moron, always a moron and Comdom Head is a moron with a capital M.

Sharpshooter said...

Correction:
The above comment should read: "you should NOT expect peaches from an elm tree".

Vana said...

IF their relatives are released..IF..like IF I had 10 Million dollars IF only...

Anonymous said...

Vana what is a libreta?

Anonymous said...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0WLX_-P0l4

Ms Calabaza said...

Agustin,

I just heard that Obama "quit" his Church . . . I agree with you that this does not satisfy my curiosity as to why this man and his family sat with these people for 20 years. The people in the last video were cheering the priest on... I don't think I am alone in my fear of who Obama really is. My liberal friends are becoming worried and hoping that Hillary will be able to hold on until the convention. This is going to be a very interesting election, indeed.

Fantomas said...

calabaza dijo
"My liberal friends are becoming worried and hoping that Hillary will be able to hold on until the convention. This is going to be a very interesting election, indeed."
------------------------------------fantomas responded
Bill Clinton will do what it takes to do just that. Getting to the Denver without a winner is the Clinton's goal. Hillary has de VP slot under her sleeve. She even instructed Ickes to reserve her rights to take this to the credentials committee, thus prolonging the impasse until late july . She is no dumb politician . she will take the VP slot y Mc Cain ....


pobrecito

Fantomas said...

Mat mira lo que dijo Dean

On the blogosphere, and the airwaves, emotions have run high and heated discussions have led at times to blatantly racist comments and blatantly sexist comments, particularly by some members of the media," Dean said in prepared remarks. "We know that those comments have no place in our society and certainly no place in our party.

"It has got to stop. We have got to come together and unite our party. Every one of us has the responsibility to help ensure that our party is united

Anonymous said...

I'm back ... Mat Henry "cara de nalgas" gomez has run out of resourses for his pressure cooker "thoery" -- he is quoting the Granma... hahahahahaha

Fulano de Cal said...

Reach down is a perfect way of putting it.

Although it is not clear to me if this so-called Obama endorsement is the opinion of every Dama, I respect their opinion but disagree, and yet I still love them. Honestly, I can empathize with them – my father and uncle were jailed for years as counter-revolutionaries, and it is so terrible worrying for their safety and fate. However, this endorsement should not be a conundrum or wedge issue for us, and we should not start the self-defeating “who is more Cuban” argument. Most of the media showcasing this endorsement couldn’t care less about reuniting Cubans. Many are apologists for the regime and just want to attack the US embargo and the “right-wing” exiles.

Fantomas said...

"Right wingers on the cuban issue have their days numbered"

very soon they will be erased from the faz of the earth

Ms Calabaza said...

"Right wingers on the cuban issue have their days numbered"

"very soon they will be erased from the faz of the earth"
- Fantomas

and you are happy about this? You will regret your words . . . trust me.

Sharpshooter said...

Ms. Calabaza,
Comes November, the Rubber head will have to make a hole on his rubber face in order to be able to stuff his gummy face with that wonderful member of the fowl family: The Crow
Read between the lines on his comment: Where you see right wingers, what he means to say is Cubam American maffia, or old exiles.
It seems he cannot discard the indoctrination lines he received when he was a Pionerito in Santiago. Now we understand why he was so disgusted with his recent visit to Miami and was so critical of it. It all falls into place little by little.
Now do you see why is no wonder he cheers so loud and strong for Obama?. It makes sense.

Nemesis said...

Mr. T -
I have always wondered the validity of Marti's suicidal first battle pushed by the critisism of Maceo and Gomez . Historically were they that far apart in ideals and did Maceo and Gomez dis resent the fact that Marti (although pretty much sole handendly finacing the way effforts with his oratory and diplomatic skills) was not a combatant but was getting most of the glory.
I have said before that in battle , an alligience can never be interperted as a complete meeting of the minds but most often a point of tenue compromises & agreements to battle a common enemy.
WWII was a very god example.
I'd like to read about your knowledge regarding Marti Maceo & Gomez REAL relationship as members of the same contingent.

Nemesis said...

There is no amount of LECHADA in the world that can whitewash all the explaining Obama has to do.
Just reading the latest polls today, if the election was held today McCain would win.
Let us remeber that Hillary can NOT TRULY explout all these petards blowing around Obama's camp, doing so would show a Democratic party at the point of collapse. But McCain will have no problems digging out every utterance, every date Obama attended these "religious" gatherings and his unarguable racism. That is not to even mention his leanings and sympathies for USA enemies and his naive (if not criminal) belive that capitulation will be the cure to all of our ills.
I SWORE I would not speak about this but it has become impossible not to comment on this prick.

Fantomas said...

The closer Obama gets to the White House the more nerviosos people get

Hay que ser tremendo descarao para criticar a Bush por el wet foot policy, el ban en remittances y viajes y entonces no tener los cojones de votar por el que pudiera aliviar el sufrimiento del pueblo cubano

Eso se llama cobardia a las mas alta potencia

But again what can you expect from the usual suspects

Fantomas said...

Comes November, the Rubber head will have to make a hole on his rubber face in order to be able to stuff his gummy face with that wonderful member of the fowl family

Come November if Mc Cain wins nothing will happen. He will be my president for 4 years and the cuban situation and rethoric will maintain its status quo.

One thing is certain, I will not be blogging in 4 years. this hobby of mine will end sooner than that

I have my exit strategy planned , just like Hillary's
lol

Fantomas said...

Ms Calabaza said...
"Right wingers on the cuban issue have their days numbered"

"very soon they will be erased from the faz of the earth"
- Fantomas

and you are happy about this? You will regret your words . . . trust me.

----------------------------------

Calabbaza i will regret nothing..trust you on what, please xplain

Fantomas said...

Farinas dijo
It seems he cannot discard the indoctrination lines he received when he was a Pionerito in Santiago
---------------------------------------------------------------------
There is a pionero inside in all cubans who lived under fidelism. For those who ran to avoid it I have little sympathy

Sharpshooter said...

Rubber Head,
"There is a pionero inside in all cubans who lived under fidelism. For those who ran to avoid it I have little sympathy"

Unlike you, luckily I was never indoctrinated like you were and have nothing to expurgate because I left before any of that.
And you are right, there is a little Fidel inside you judging by your own unit of measure: living under fidelismo.
I did not.
And as far as running away, you did exactly the same thing only a few years later through the Mariel boatlift. How come you did not stay and fight the Pioneritos and the Rapid Response Brigades?
You were only a few kilometres from te Sierra Maestra living in Santiago. How come you did not start a guerrilla warfare to topple Fidel if you hate him so much? I guess because is easy to open your big mouth and accuse others of cowardice while you are eating bacalaitos, asopao de jueyes, pasteles de platano, arroz con coco and drinking piñas coladas in Luquillo beach in P.R.?
Idiot.

Fantomas said...

Mazorra recogelo por favor

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

killcastro:

In their private correspondence and diaries our prohombres expressed opinions about one another that if widely known would cast a shadow on their reputations that might never dissipate. Fortunately, almost all our historians, whatever their political tendencies, have been hagiographers that have avoided, whenever possible, anything that would discredit them or our country.

I may add that Cuban patriots or historians are no different from those of any other country. In the U.S., for example, historians rarely mention that James Madison once accused Benjamin Franklin of being a British spy or quote the pages tinged with bile which Thomas Paine wrote about Washington.

I think the important thing is not the divisions or resentments that existed among Martí, Maceo and Gómez, but the fact that all three were able, in the end, to do what was best for our country. Their love of Cuba and moral greatness transcended all petty rivalries or personal interests.

Two of the three died pursuing the common ideal that bound them and the third demonstrated that he had no personal ambition in respect to Cuba.

As I've said before, the men of 1895 were no better than their descendents today. The times in which they lived and circumstances which they confronted were different, however.

Cubans prove every day their capacity for sacrifice and abnegation. Were they able they would also show their bizarría on the battlefield as their forebears did of old, and whatever their personal differences, now as then, these would be subsumed in the great task before them.