Thursday, May 15, 2008

Notable & Quotable: Gay Marriage Debated At Babalú Apropos of Obama

"Can you [Sr Cohiba] look a gay man in the eye and say, 'You have no right to marry?'" -- thinwhiteduke, "If Obama Wins This Is What You'll Get from the Courts [comment]," Babalú, May 15, 2008

As that riposte indicates, Sr Cohiba, Babalú's resident legal expert, is now engaged in the most animated debate in ages at Babalú. About gay rights. Not in Cuba, but in California. It was not as the legal expert but the Obama-unmasker that Sr. Cohiba warned today that if Barack Obama is elected president he can be expected to pack the courts, and, especially, the Supreme Court, with liberal deconstructionists who might attempt to legislate immorality as their predecessors once attempted to legislate morality. His bone of contention, so to speak, is gay marriage, for which the California Supreme Court claims to have found sufficient sanction in the Constitution to overturn a public vote proscribing it.

Anything to defeat a socialist, I suppose, but aren't there a thousand worse things that an Obama Supreme Court could do than legalize gay marriage? Such as, for example, legalize "intergenerational sex" (otherwise known as child abuse) or partial birth abortion (otherwise known as murder)? Or, how about emptying America's prisons because the disproportionate number of blacks and Hispanics confined there is deemed to be prima facie evidence of racial discrimination?

These are not farfetched schemes by any means but coda of the Democratic Party's lunatic fringe to which Barack Obama belongs. Except, of course, that the lunatic fringe is no longer marginalized with Obama as his party's likely standard bearer. The "fringe" is now the mainstream. They don't, of course, say that they favor the molestation of children, just the elimination or reduction of the age of consent; they don't identify themselves as "baby killers" but they do deny that it is wrong to murder a baby on an operating table because they don't recognize that the baby is a baby though they do recognize that the table is a table; and they don't call themselves advocates of "criminals' rights" but consider imprisoned minorities to be victims of the legal system rather than violators of the law.

Barack Obama is himself the leading exponent of partial birth abortion in the Democratic Party. He is the only senator to have ever voted for it, that is, to affirm the legality of killing babies that have already exited the birth canal (that is, been delivered) by stabbing them with a scalpel, bashing their heads or tearing off their limbs. He has even argued that this procedure might be justifiable to save the life of the mother. Let's see: a "terrible accident" has occurred and a baby has been born despite the best efforts of the abortionist to suction its brains out or turn it to mincemeat inside the womb. What to do? Well, Obama wouldn't want to compromise the mental health of a woman who consented to the murder of her child by presenting her with a living baby. Never that. God forbid! So he would allow the baby to be viciously murdered as it writhes and breathes on the operating table. Barack Obama stands at head of the 5 percent of Americans who are in favor of allowing this atrocity worthy of Mengele (though Mengele himself stopped short of it).

I have always framed the argument against Obama in terms of Cuba because that is the chief concern of this blog. But even if, God be merciful, the Castro regime disappears from the face of the earth tomorrow, it would still be the death of this country and the free world (including its youngest member) to entrust the presidency of the United States to Barack Obama. Imagine Obama's mentor the Rev. Jeremiah Wright as president, or Wright's mentor Minister Louis Farrakhan: it is no different. Obama is the product of a particular mindset without the usual trappings that accompany and define it. The trappings are in themselves inconsequential except as markers of that mindset. Obama has rejected them but refused to embrace the markers or codewords of the opposition -- until Rev. Wright stepped into his campaign (as opposed to his life).

Now he wears his flag pin, salutes the flag, loves America and invokes God's blessing on this great nation. There is nothing that Obama is unwilling to do to secure the presidency: even counterfeit patriotism, which, from his perspective, is the ultimate public sin. Barack Obama's positions on virtually every social issue run counter to the beliefs of a vast majority of Americans, not excluding black and Hispanics, and, indeed, particularly blacks and Hispanics. African-Americans support him despite his views not because of them. So, in fact, do a majority of all his supporters, who have decided that electing a black president would be the final stage in purging racism from this country. The fact that they have chosen someone who exploits racial divisions for his own benefit and will enshrine race as the litmus test for all state policy does not seem to be as important to them as his pigmentation. The desideratum of having a black president outweighs all other considerations.

I do not think, however, that opponents of Obama will gain much by attacking his position on gay marriage, though this, too, is an idea rejected by most Americans (and particularly African-Americans). It's pretty certain that those who oppose it as a core issue are not supporting Obama. It is also unlikely that fighting Obama on that account will get someone who wasn't voting for McCain to change his mind. What will likely happen, what is in fact already happening to poor Cohiba, is to stir discontent without benefitting anyone (except maybe Obama). Why risk making enemies for McCain by exploiting an issue that may mean little or nothing to you but everything to someone else? And why do so when there are other issues like partial birth abortion that a majority of Americans can coalesce around without the issue being obscured by accusations of "homophobia" and the like? I don't know what the proponents of partial birth abortion would call McCain for opposing it. An "infancidephobe?" Not as catchy.

83 comments:

Ms Calabaza said...

Excellent post as usual MaT.

I really don't care much about the gay marriage issue but I am shocked that anyone could be for legalizing late-term abortion. How can anyone justify this to themselves? I loved this line:

"but they do deny that it is wrong to murder a baby on an operating table because they don't recognize that the baby is a baby though they do recognize that the table is a table"

Vana said...

Killing a baby after it has been born is murder, it is punished if a mother kills it shortly after birth, why is it not murder if a doctor does the killing?

As for gay marriage it does not bother me at all, you should marry if you want when you love someone, who cares if it's same sex, I don't.

Sharpshooter said...

Ladies,
it is so nice to read your comments and not having to put up with the usual fare of the asidual "mequetrefes y comecatibias" commenters which we are so accostumed to recently.
MAT has a unbelievable good disposition and good will to endure some of the inane and meaningless comments I have been reading lately from the usual suspects (and we know who they are).
So is nice to login this morning and read some sensible words bereft of insults and childish accusations and such.
I have commented here before about the horrible crime partial birth abortions are, so I will not repeat myself. Anyone who defends or approves of such horrible and crimanl practices is a criminal in my humble opinion. Period. And I leave it at that. That is why Barack Obama will never get my vote.
We are now back home after a wonderful trip to the Iguazu Falls only marred by a silly accident caused by an inpulsive young man who could not wait his turn to make a simple left turn on a street. As luck would have it, we were saved by my quick reflexes and the wonderful ABS system on our motorcycle. All I have to say is : Thank God for German technology!
If there is one trip you could make in your lifetime you should see these waterfalls. In their presence and mighty view, one feels miniscule in comparison with the power of nature. How powerful the hand of God!
By the way, they make Niagara Falls seem like a small fountain of water for child's play. fountain.

Vana said...

Agustin:

Glad to hear from you and the wonderful trip you describe, happy to know you are well that your quick reflexes saved you and your wife from a horrible accident, stay well my friend. :o}

Sharpshooter said...

Vana,
thank you, young lady. I thank the Almighty we were able to scrape by with just a small fall from a stoppped position, and the results were much more favorable than one could have expected given the terrain conditions. My wife suffered a small muscle tear when she fell off the bike and luckily she is almost recovered from that ailment already. But as it was, it ruined our vacation because our trip came to an abrupt end right then and there. I have to take my hat off to my wife for her fortitude and high threshold of pain because she endured the trip back home on the bike with nary a complaint. Stronger and bigger men would have cried out in pain under the same circumstances, but she rode home quietly and never said stop once!.
It took us 4 days to get there and the trip back was made in only 2 days due to the urgency of reaching the safety and comfort of our own home.
Along the way back we had to suffer the numerous interruptions in traffic caused by the ongoinbg conflict between the Presidenta Cristina and the agricultural producers, which caused havoc on the roads and made traveling a very daunting and risky proposition. But we triumphed over the adversities (geee, it almost sounds like a Jack London novel!) and made it safely back home. When I saw the face of my German Shephard Tango staring at us at the gate, and jumping for joy at the sight of us, I knew we were triumphant. We made it.
There is one fallout from the trip I am working on to reverse. My wife said: "Oye,chico, puesta y convidada,ok?" Este es el primero y el ultimo viaje largo en moto!"
As you can see by her comments, I have my work cut out for me to change that opinion.

Anonymous said...

Agustin:

what shu talking about all commenters on this blog are top notch.

I've been to Iguazu- fantastico- el poder de la naturaleza. Did you visti "Ciudad" del Este? horrible- el poder destructivo de nosotros los "humanos"

Michael Pancier Photography said...

hey folks, partial birth abortion is illegal in the US. The law was affirmed by the supremes already thanks to Roberts and Alito.

Vana said...

Agustin;

A woman's perogative is to change her mind, give her time she will see it your way.

You should write a novel about your travels and the risk involved when going by motorcycle.

Vana said...

Wonder if Manuel really left for nostalgia, we have not heard from him all morning.

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

Sr Cohiba:

Thank-you for your legal expertise.

It would not be illegal if the Senator from Illinois had his way. Which is the point.

It may be legal again if he becomes president and can transform the judiciary in the very manner that you apprehend.

In any case, a politician who supported it can still be judged for his position on partial birth abortion. The fact that it is now outlawed (no thanks to him) is beside the point.

Sharpshooter said...

Serafin,
judging by your comments I must say I was not including you in my barb.
No, we did not go to Ciudad del Este in Paraguay because the hotel owner where we stayed advised against it with my bike. It would have attracted too much attention and the seedy and shady characters that inhabit the area would have taken a notice to it and it might have endangered our lives and the vehicle.
So finally we skipped it because we were not looking to shop for any gadgets or electronic gizmos.
As a funny story, we were denied access to Brazil simply because our Argentine documents stated we were born in Cuba even though they were Argentine identity valid documents, the Brazilean customs and Inmigration officer said: Sorry, you ned a visa to enter even with those documents.
As Argentines resdients swe should have been entitled to travel across any MERCOSUR country without any problems but we were Cubans......and so we were considered lepers or international pariahs by the Brazilean authorities. Perhaps they thought we were boxers and wanted to defect and this refusal saved them the trouble of sending us back to Cuba...LOL

Vana said...

Ahh there you are Manuel, are you going to Nostalgia?

Fulano de Cal said...

I keep reading commentaries about the trouncing that McCain is sure to experience this year. However, with the extreme-liberal views of Obama, I am not sure how this could happen, even with the unpopularity of the Iraq war. My God, will Obama's election be the crown jewel/screw-up of Bush's incompetent presidency?

Supporting partial-birth abortion? Whether illegal or not, this definitely is a extreme opinion even for those who support abortion-rights in the first trimester. Lets see: extreme views on moral issues, criminal leftist friends, anti-American advisors, less on-the-job experience than a senior in college, and a longing to befriend the castristas. Hugo Chavez? No, possibly our next president. God help us.

It is now hard for me to remember the Bush-Dukakis race very well and it was the first I voted in, but Dukakis seemed to me just too liberal for the country. Sort of like Obama. Of course, Dukakis lost in a landslide. Hopefully this same result happens again.

As for gay marriage - who cares? Right now that would be #568 on my list of concerns.

Anonymous said...

Berraco No Habra Jama

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

Vana:

I must keep the suspense taut. If I do go, I will see less with my two eyes than my rapporteurs will with their 20.

Vana said...

Manuel:

I totally understand, sorry I was so inquisitive, it's the Scorpio in me..lol..(my husband calls me attorney at law when I ask too many questions)it would be great if you went, do any one of them know what you look like?

Anonymous said...

agustin:
you received good advised about Ciudad del Este. I crossed the border to Brazil with a US passport and without a visa thanks to a taxi driver recomended by my hotel-I refused to pay 70-80 usd for a brazilian visa.
I enjoyed Argentina-exceeded my expectations the people were great and did not fit the sterio type.

see you later and pls have an enpanada and a steak at La Estancia ( calle florida)

Anonymous said...

Oye senor Cohiba....deja de ser tan yanqui y vuelve a la cubanidad. I do like your photos though. One of the best things about this great nation is its natural beauty.

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

mamey:

You should read Sr Cohiba's meditations on the U.S. founding fathers at Miami & Beyond. Washington and his cohorts are Cohiba's saints and Americanism is his religion. Martí had a name for Cubans who admired the U.S. excessively while denying the virtues of their countrymen --yankófilo.

http://miamiandbeyond.blogspot.com/2008/04/john-adams.html

Sharpshooter said...

Serafin
mi options and desire to visit Brazil have waned since. I could have gone there with my US passport but I refused to pay the 125 dolars for a visa just to visit the waterfalls from their side. Once before, I wanted to fly via Sao Paulo to Miami on Varig because it was cheaper than LAN Chile, but the travel agent said I needed a visa to enter Brazil. I questiond the fact I was only stopping over for a few hours changing planes. She said Brazil required a visa for US citizens even for a stop over. I wrote to the Brazilean Consulate here and they confirmed it. I wrote back I never had to do such a stupid thing anywhere else in the worl if I was not even entering the country and just staying at the airport for 3 hours. The response from the knucklehead at the Consulate was: "If the USA requires Brazileans to have a visa, you have to pay for yours if you want to travel via Sao Paulo" and so I went via Santiago de Chile on Lan Chile which by the way, has better service and a better safety record anyway. So they lost the money on both counts.
So, I will not visit Brazil for a long time. Anyway I don't like and despise Lula for being such a corrupt President and his open support of Castro and his gang.

Michael Pancier Photography said...

Mamay, I was born and raised in the USA and have lived here for over 40 years. This is my country and always will be. Because of my families national origins and ancestry, I do have a strong love for a free Cuba as I do the state of Israel.

But to me, the USA will always come first.

I defer to Manny for his knowledge of Cuban history, but his knowledge of American History has much to be desired.

Anonymous said...

Okay Sr. Cohiba...so are you like one of those Americans whose main interest in Cuba is getting and flaunting a illegal cigar? Probably not, but still ese nombrecito. On another note, keep the great photos coming. Have you been to Bandelier in New Mexico?

Anonymous said...

correction: 'an illegal cigar'

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

mamey:

Sr Cohiba's father is Uruguayan and his mother Cuban. His only interest in Uruguay, however, is in its soccer team. Cuba has been far luckier because it receives whatever residual affection is not consumed by his passion for this country.

His knowledge of U.S. history is strictly hagiographic in a 19th century kind of way. He actually accuses me of sympathizing with Marxist historians because I do not exculpate every national sin committed by this country since it was founded (including slavery).

Vana said...

I find Manuel's knowledge of American history amazing, I don't know what Mr Cigar is talking about.

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

Vana:

Reports from the Nostalgia Convention indicate that Val is chugging a few of K-Mart's best with George and Rick while Henry is cursing out the kids at the karaoke machine for making too much noise (no doubt an act of sabotage by Babalú's enemies). Sales are going dismally at Henry's booth where he peddles his anti-"Che" t-shirts. More as news develops, on the spot or not.

Anonymous said...

Val, George and Rick together, sounds like quite a cadre of writers all in one room.

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

Anonymous:

"Magnificent cadre of writers." We wouldn't want to misquote George.

Anonymous said...

manny,
ok now weren't rick and Val enemies? Or is this all theatre?

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

anonymous:

Enemies of convenience.

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

More news from the Nostalgia Convention:

Remember BUCL? The "militant" arm of Babalú? It was all over the place last year. This year its banner has been retired without honors. The Babalunians are flying other banners now. More about that later.

(Don't be surprised if Henry reads this and rushes home to get the BUCL banner from his hope chest. If so, you will surely see the photograph on Babalú in a little while).

Anonymous said...

who dislikes you more manny val or rick? your opinion please.

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

anonymous:

Rick has a nearly homicidal hatred for me though I have always protected what is most valuable to him -- his anonymity. Val nearly passes out when somebody mentions my name to him, and if he had to choose between Fidel and me, he would probably wish me dead first if only because he thinks that Fidel is already dead. So you decide.

If you had asked me which is the more evil, I should have no hesitation in answering Rick. As for the more dangerous, Val. Not to me, of course, but to Cuba.

Vana said...

Wowee Manuel, Val and Rick drinking together, will wonders ever cease, I really believed they were mortal enemies, anyway what's Rick doing at Cuba Nostalgia? what I would give to be a fly on their booth..lol..BUCL is but a thing of the past it was dead before it began, thanks for the news, do keep us informed.

Anonymous said...

manny,
Val dislikes you more because you are a threat to him and rick is just an angry americano who really can't stand cubans I think. this get together is surprising- val, rick and poodle, so maybe obama can meet with castro after all.

Anonymous said...

jaja! you need to see the smack- down rick gave poodle at 26 parallel.

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

anonymous:

I don't think that Rick's hatred of me is predicated upon my being Cuban. I could be anything at all and he would still hate me. It is the tribute that his kind pays to my kind.

Val has nothing to fear from me but the truth. He is not smart enough to realize that my criticism of Babalú is his blog's greatest asset.

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

Vana:

Two peas in a pot have more in common than not.

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

Anonymous:

Is getting the better of George, Robert or Henry, supposing Rick did, some kind of towering achievement?

Anonymous said...

Manny: I don't see him getting the better of them. I see them as fake. All this feuding between sotp rick and babalu are just BS.

Anonymous said...

Update on Nostalgia:
cat fight between Fantomas and Poodle over who gets to kiss Val's ass more times as Henry struggled to break up the fight, Fnatomas beret fell off and fell on Val's beer bottle knocking it down. Fantomas last seen running out of nostalgia reeking of violets cologne with only one of his patent leather shoes on.

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

anonymous:

Your scenario is entirely plausible, which is the most disturbing thing of all. Fiction cannot ape reality; it can only approximate and assimilate its truths.

Anonymous said...

jajaja! right you are manny

bookster said...

Let's see cohiba is not cuban enough, a yankofolico who want's to protect us from those gay folks, that want go get married in california. in nostalgia val, poodle and rick are drinking, fantoma and poodle are fighting, henry is looking for his BUCL. obama want's to kill babies and wants to talk to raul wearing his flag pin, after het get's his blessing from god.

All this in one post. It feels like i just stepped in into the theater of the absurd.

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

corgiguy:

Life is the theatre of the absurd. Welcome to life.

Anonymous said...

I am an everyday reader of this blog, and never commented here before. I just came back from the Cuba Nostalgia exhibit.
And I have a question, which I didn't ask to the busy blond lady managing the Babalu blog booth or to the busy gentleman talking to others. I saw a Potro Salvaje and a Yoani banner which are prominently displayed on their booth, and I asked myself if they know of it or if they approve of it. If they don't, this is a misrepresentation of the Cubans of Cuba who have nothing to be nostalgic about.

Vana said...

Martin:

I'm sure Yoani and Potro Salvaje know nothing of this, that's the same Yoani who Val was so sure was G2, now he extolls her virtues.

Vana said...

BTW..LMFAO..loved the cat fight scenario.

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

Martín:

A very astute observation on your part, and, yes, it is instinct with meaning. Last year, in the Wall Street Journal, no less, where he was interviewed in regard to Yoani, Val Prieto committed that "unpardonable sin" of which he so often complains: he dumped on his own.

Yoani, already a phenomenon hailed for her courage and brilliance, did not need Val's seal of approval to cap her success. Val, nonetheless, felt compelled to withhold it, and, for good measure, suggested that she might be a Castro strooge as so many others that had fooled him in the past as if fooling Val Prieto were her real agenda.

But now that Generation Y is an international sensation and its author one of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people in the world, Val has revised his opinion of her. Now she is called "the bravest woman in Cuba" by Babalú and banners celebrating her are displayed prominently from its booth at Cuba Nostalgia. When she needed them, Val & Co. refused to say one word on her behalf; and now that she doesn't need them, they are weighing her down with their unctuous praise.

But, worse than that, they are exploiting her for their own purposes. Did they even seek her permission to make her their poster child?

They still disagree with Yoani on everything from remittances to unrestricted travel to the island. More cynically, they believe that they can use her to promote their own agenda for the island even if it is at odds with everything she believes and stands for. I don't believe, for example, that she would ever approve of Val's pressure cooker or of washing the streets with Cuban blood.

Vana said...

Good Morning Manuel, getting ready to go to Presencia Cubana, today is the last day for Nostalgia, if you get anymore news post them please, I will read them upon my return.

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

Vana:

Henry has devoted a post to lamenting the fact that Rick did not go to the appointed rendezvous. Quoth: "I was expecting a visitor to our booth today that never came, or at least he didn't make his presence known. Too bad."

Some of the Babalunians didn't know what Henry meant. One begged him: "Pray tell us, who was this mysterious visitor that never showed up?"

A still cryptic Henry replied: "The self-appointed pope of South Florida bloggers." Feeling Henry's pain, the ever empathic Claudia chimed in: "[T]here's always tomorrow, Henry."

Yes, tomorrow is another day and Rhett and Scarlett may yet be reunited.

Anonymous said...

manny: how reliable was your source yesterday? you still belive val, poodle and rick had a beer together?

Vana said...

Manuel:

Henry as cryptic as always if you are going to post something you should be straightforward, leaving now will see you tonite if I'm not too destroyed, is very hot here today should reach 98 we will sweat our asses off, but who cares after all tomorrow is another day.

Rhett and Scarlet sigh I hate that ending.

Anonymous said...

MANNY: RICK HAS BEEN KIDNAPPED BY BABALU GUYS! HOSTAGE NEGOTIATIONS TAKING PLACE

Anonymous said...

Henry has a very nice post thanking EVERYONE for their support of Nostalgia Weekend. Guess who's missing from the list?

little Fantomas, again.

Anonymous said...

a los guatacas no hay que dar gracias.

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

anonymous:

When there is contradictory evidence believe whatever outcome is most in keeping with the characters of the principals. Does that help?

Anonymous said...

manny: that helps. I tend to believe something did occur yesterday morning, otherwise we would have had pictures from rick. something smells.

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

Vana:

I admire your cubanidad in venturing to celebrate our heritage in 98 degree weather. To those unacquainted with our country, such extremes are not typical of Cuba. Keep cool by imagining the ocean breezes fanning you and the shade of the royal palms shielding you from the sun's burning rays.

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

anonymous:

Fantomas craves respect and will go far in his exertions to obtain it. Perhaps this is why the Babalunians withhold recognition from him time and time again. They know that they can get more from him that way.

Anonymous said...

On a different note...does anyone know how one can get a copy of the National Lampoon poster that came out in the early 70s with cream pie on Che's face?

MAT: I wonder if Mr. Cohiba knows about the contributions made by Havana women to the American Revolution back in the late 1700s. The help provided by Frenchmen, Spaniards, Cubans, and other Latin Americans saved the American Revolution's cold ass. If one truly appreciates the USA, then one must indeed point out its injustices, past and present. True for the whole world, no? Blind patriotism is at best foolish.

Centurion said...

Nostalgia Update:
Rick, George and Val are now friends. They have many things in common, including the same urologist. ( Rick enjoys his WEEKLY visits to his urologist).

Fantomas, who was last seen running yesterday, was spotted boarding a plane heading to California. A very tall and muscular afro-Cuban gentleman accompanied him. (Not sure why the sudden change of plans---something to due with a new law in Cal.)

SrCohiba was also seen running away from Nostalgia- apparently he was heading to Hialeah to photograph a pair of gorriones.

Next update in one hour.

Anonymous said...

I think you mean proctologist.

Anonymous said...

Henry is a good looking guy. Look at the pic with the congresswoman he posted at Babalu. If he lost 50 lbs, he'd look like a movie star. And he's the one who shaves his legs, not Val.

Ms Calabaza said...

MaT,
I've enjoyed your commenters updates. I can picture Fantomas running out of that convention center. LMAO! You've had about 64 posts without the Madhouse group. Not bad.

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

anonymous:

Oh great, now we are hearing from the Henry Gómez Fan Club. Maybe his old classmate from Belén2, PérezHilton?

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

Vana:

It is true; this thread has managed not only to grow but also develop new content.

Ms Calabaza said...

MaT,

I think you meant me, not Vana... or maybe not. I can understand how you must be flustered after all the post about Henry being good looking took you for a loop! LOL! I don't blame you.

Is that Henry in the picture next to Val and Ros-Lehtinen? If so, MaT, he doesn't look bad from a female perspective ... just sayin'

I would kill to see Fantomas though!

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

ms. calabaza:

You are right. That last comment was suppose to be addressed to you. The comment about Henry's looks did not quite throw me for a loop. In the past Alex (formerly of SotP) has also raved about Henry's looks here.

I am glad to have a female opinion on the subject. I'm sure Henry doesn't look bad from a fantomas perpective, either.

If anyone has a picture of fantomas, please feel free to provide same.

Anonymous said...

Rick didn't go to Cuba Nostalgia. He says on his blog he was afraid he would be insulted and cursed out or even worse. He was very concerned that Henry would take his picture and use it in a photoshop and that Val would take down the license number of his car and use it to find out his real name and address. Rick says he doesn't trust them as far as he can throw a ham croquette.

Ms Calabaza said...

MaT,
for the record, I was pulling your leg ... It's just that I found that post about Henry's looks and then your response hysterical...

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

Anonymous:

Either Rick is really afraid of Val & Henry or he likes being perceived as the world's most pusillanimous blogger.

As for trusting them as far as he can throw a ham croquette, what does that mean? A ham croquette, like any rocket-shaped object, should travel very far.

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

ms. calabaza:

You are free to praise Henry's looks if you wish. If he really has "movie star good looks," it would explain a lot.

Ms Calabaza said...

uhm, not quite . . .

Anonymous said...

And anyone noticed Mr. Prieto's t-shirt on that photograph? It reads: "the spirit of America". Nothing to do with Cuba. Very revealing.

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

yayabo:

Val's tee-shirt reflects his first allegiance, which is to this country. In fact, all the Babalunians exhibit an inflated patriotism as if to guard against the charge of dual loyalty. No one who is acquainted with their plans for Cuba could ever make the mistake of supposing that they hold her in as high esteem.

Anonymous said...

As a trained observer of human behavior and of people involuntary signals as who they really are, I can tell you that there was something pulling in the direction to assert himself as a "superior" specimen in front to every other Cuban present in that environment. Notice the forced clean cut look, which make those individuals look as used car salesmen or funeral directors taking a day off.
As in taking Cubans for a ride or as in taking a break after burying them, forever.

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

yoyobo:

The picture with Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen which they posted at Babalú could not be more instructive. Still, it puzzles me in one regard.

Ros-Lehtinen and the Díaz-Balart brothers were the first congressmen to support McCain even before he won his first primary.

The Babalunians, on the other hand, dumped on him relentlessly and at one time supported practically every Republican primary candidate in preference to him.

Henry, in particular, wrote numerous posts contrasting Obama's youthful appearance, charisma and eloquence to McCain's senectitude, "U-G-L-I-N-E-S-S" and uninspiring diction.

Now, all that is forgotten, and all that matters is to save the sinecures of our revered representatives in Washington so that they can continue to serve the interests of whomever contributes to their campaigns (and they have been shown not to be adverse to accepting money from even pro-Castro lobbyists or business partners).

In nearly 8 years none has criticized the Bush administration for the "Wet Foot/Dry Foot" policy, the gutting of the embargo or its failure to confront Castro in any arena or enforce any sanctions against him.

In fact, they may even be said to have a vested interest in maintaining Castro in power because without him they would lose what little relevance they have. The Díaz-Balarts, in particular, owe their eminence to their connection to Uncle Fidel.

Anonymous said...

Another telling sign is the fake guayabera of fake Cuban Henry. Fake Cubanness at the fullest. Those slips of the mind are to be treasured, and they have been preserved for posterity in an invaluable photograph.

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

yayabo:

Yes, Henry does look rather uncomfortable in that guayabera. The only proper color for a guayabera is white; it shouldn't fit like a strait-jacket; and no one in his right mind would wear one with sneakers.

Perhaps you are right: they are trying to project a rebellious youthful appearance. That train has passed both Val and the "Conductor" by long ago. What may perhaps have indicated a certain youthful angst in those half their age seems instead contrived and ridiculous on them.

bookster said...

Maybe if henry drops a few pounds, the guayabera would look better. and val looks like he is into to hats and tshirts, what's up with that?

Vana said...

Sorry I'm so late, the Scrub Jays fledged, so busy feeding them worms for their babies, what a sight to behold as she fed them, also my potted plants were giving me dirty looks..lol..needles to say none got watered yesterday.

Manuel actually it hit 105 it was miserable but happend to still have good time, touched bases with a lot of friends, wept like a baby at Marti's bust, also yesterday marked 46 years I left Cuba (May 18th 1962) so it was doubly heartbreaking, cried a lot and laughed a lot, all in all a good day.

Vana said...

Was Val ever a boxer? he has a crooked nose, I find nothing good looking Henry because he has an ugly soul.