Tuesday, July 22, 2008

The Prime of Reverend Al Sharpton

Did I not predict back in 1994 that Reverend Al Sharpton would some day become the conscience of the civil rights movement?

Yes, I did.

Today, Rev. Sharpton redeemed that promise when he publicly denounced the Castro regime for its systemic persecution of Cuban blacks. What for others may seem an aberration to be regarded with suspicion or bemusement is for me the blossoming of a character and fulfillment of a destiny.

When somebody does something right, I don't look into their motives and I let God concern Himself with the purity of their hearts. The fact remains that Al Sharpton is the first black leader to denounce Castro's mistreatment of blacks in 30 years. The others were 1960s black militants who fled to or chose to live in Communist Cuba and learned firsthand there that the"Socialist Paradise" was far from colorblind. The most famous of these radicals, Black Panther Eldridge Cleaver, wrote that not even in the deepest South at the height of Jim Crow had he seen anything comparable to the official persecution to which blacks were subjected in Castro's Cuba.

In denouncing the Castro regime Rev. Sharpton has done what Jesse Jackson never did. His trips to Cuba were always intended to publicize himself not the plight of Cuban blacks. His relations with Castro were in every way "fraternal," and because he was not a critic of the regime and much less an advocate of civil rights in Cuba, Jackson was rewarded with numerous political prisoners whose release was credited to him. Having shown his solidarity with the Revolution, Jackson returned a "hero" to the United States thanks to Castro's "largesse" in disposing of his human trophies.

More than 30 years after he first went to Cuba, Jesse Jackson has yet to condemn Castro for human rights abuses. Neither has Nelson Mandela, who is on record as affirming that he will never condemn Castro. Barack Obama, if elected president, has pledged to meet with Raúl Castro without prior conditions, that is, without demanding any changes whatever in the regime. This has always been the official Castroite position, and in adopting it as his own Obama has in effect already capitulated to Raúl before even meeting with him.

It is at this ominous moment in Cuban-American relations that Reverend Sharpton has taken his historic stand on behalf of black Cubans. If he were successful in securing the release of Cuba's political prisoners by publicly challenging the regime, I would be surprised. Still, he has ended the silence and that is just as important. African-American leaders never tired of condemning South Africa, yet for 50 years, longer than apartheid existed in South Africa, they have lent support to Castro's white oligarchy which subjugates a predominantly black population. Reverend Sharpton's denunciation ends a half-century of complicity and may encourage other black leaders to take the side of the race not of an alien ideology that means them no good.

With Jesse Jackson referring to blacks as "niggers" and calling for their castration, and Barack Obama castigating blacks for their supposed moral failings as men and fathers and what used to be known in the bad old days as "shiftlessness" in order to ingratiate himself to his mother's folks, it may well be that Reverend Sharpton's time has come, as I predicted long ago.

It will certainly come if Brack Obama is defeated. I have to believe that in his heart of hearts he's wishing that even more than me.

[I am looking for that prophetic clipping and will post it as soon as I find it. It was written in the wake of an attempt on Sharpton's life in 1994].

31 comments:

Fantomas said...

Aunque no lo creas Manuel sera un niger el que saque a Cuba de su calvario de 50 años

Fijate bien en el negrito pescador en la virgen de la Caridad del Cobre , era un niño en aquel entonces

Ese es Obama el mesias que ha vuelto a liberar a su pueblo reencarnado en El Presidente de los Estados Unidos

Ya mismo te conseguire el nombre

Anonymous said...

How old are you Manuel ?

Anonymous said...

Manuel is 58

Anonymous said...

Don't EVER say anything like that again.

Have I made myself perfectly clear?

Have you got that clear?

Anonymous said...

Your last comment to fantomas is priceless and hilarious.

Yes I'm sure she was picked up from Mazorra and placed on the boat, that is if she's Cuban!

Anonymous said...

Fantomas is French

Anonymous said...

FANTOMAS,

DO NOT BE AFRAID TO CONTACT THE BFI IF VAL MADE ANY PERSONAL THREATS TO YOU ESPECIALLY IF HOMOPHOBIA WAS INVOLVED.

Anonymous said...

BFI is now Allied Waste

Anonymous said...

FANTOMAS REPEAT AFTER ME:

Manny loves me, he loves me not

Manny loves me, he loves me not

TIME FOR THE THORAZINE NOW, LIKE A GOOD BOY

Anonymous said...

Manuel If Val ask you again to be partners , would you accept the offer?


Manuel A.Tellechea said...
anonymous:

Val and I were never "partners."
However, if he renounces this anti-Cuban cult which he is now propagating, ceases to call for Cubans to be rendered in a pressure cooker or bled for his salvation, then, it will no longer be necessary for me to concern myself with him and others like him. Which is as close as we will ever come to a rapprochement.

Does that answer your question, fantomas?

Anonymous said...

Fantomas is the king, the life and blod of this blog

Me quito el sombrero ante el

Anonymous said...

Fantomas es lo mas grande desde que se invento la Coca Cola

My respect to him, I -ucking love this guy

Anonymous said...

it has been a while since you reviewed my blog Mr Tellechea

could you do me the honor again, please.



Manuel A.Tellechea said...
fantomas:

Yours will the the first review of 2008. I only review blogs once a year (with the exception of Babalú). I need hardly tell you to remind me.

Angel Garzón said...

Many times in the past I have been accused of being somewhat detached from the so called unified opinion of the Cuban-American community and just as many, if not more times, I have been given looks of astonishment when I have expressed to other Cubans who reside in the U.S.A. and to Cuban-Americans my belief that by not reaching out to other Spanish speaking and minority communities in the country, our community in Miami and in New Jersey have committed a grave mistake, countless times I have been told by members of those other communities with whom I have come in repeated contact that I am "different" from the Cubans and Cuban-Americans that they had previously met, I have won many minds and hearts to our cause and there have been some that I have not been able to convince, but at the very least I have sparked the light of analytical thinking vis-a-vis Cubans and Cuban-Americans, if only more of our people would reach out to others as equals and without preconceptions, imagine the possibilities and the potential benefits that could have been achieved for our cause, we are known worldwide as an extremely friendly if not one of the friendliest and most welcoming people on the planet, perhaps it is the separatist preponderance of living in this country that has affected so many of our people and not for the better.

I have not always agreed with Reverend Sharpton's approach to the many issues that he has undertaken as an activist, but there have also been many times when I have agreed with him in principle, especially during the Rudolph Giuliani years as Mayor of New York City, let me put it this way, had "Rudy" become the G.O.P.'s candidate for the presidency, I would have found it extremely difficult to vote for him, his quasi-totalitarian personality and command style, as well as, his double standards would have been serious obstacles for me to surmount, Al Sharpton courageously stood against him and his goon squads and for that the Reverend won my sincere respect, I disagree with his political beliefs and ideology 98% of the time, his support of the Cuban cause, even if just partially, deserves the appropriate recognition and credit, as far as whether there may be ulterior motives for his sudden and unexpected show of support or not, I choose to let time tell all, should he be able to accomplish what many others have chosen to ignore, I'd say more power to him and may God bless him and our people.

Anthony Bryant was one of those Afro-Americans that Manuel mentioned in his original post, his account of what he found to be outrageous treatment of blacks in castro's Cuba is found in his book titled "Hijack" (ISBN: 0917639006) Mr. Bryant even joined the cause against the tyranny when he returned to the U.S.A. and remained a staunch supporter of our cause and of armed rebellion against the tyranny till the day he died, his untimely death at a relatively young age was a great loss to all of us, sadly many in our community have never heard of him, I highly recommend his book.

Ms Calabaza said...

"by not reaching out to other Spanish speaking and minority communities in the country, our community in Miami and in New Jersey have committed a grave mistake" ~ very good point.

I've noticed that and never understood what this "we're better or different than them (other hispanic minorities" attitude comes from but I find it repugnant and the reason why Cubans are sometimes looked at as arrogant know-at-alls...and I sense a little racism there too. I don't mean to offend anyone, I'm speaking about the loud mouths that make everyone look bad.

Anonymous said...

I'm speaking about the loud mouths that make everyone look bad.

What loud mouth are you reffering to

Manuel

Babalu

Or KC and Charlie

discuss

Ms Calabaza said...

starting with the anonymi "pot stirrers" . . ..

Anonymous said...

Los mejicanos no pasan a los cubanos

nada en comun

Anonymous said...

The loud mouths are the Mafiosos from NY and DC

Ms Calabaza said...

MaT,

what is amazing to me is how the government of Mexico (in particular) has been able to get away with looting that rich country for over 80 years. I feel for these folks that are only trying to help their families and work 2 and 3 jobs just to send money home but it will continue until something is done about the corruption in their own country. Instead, their insurgents blame the gringo imperialists and yes, capitalist Cuban-Americans for their plight in order to mask their highway robbery of that country. IMHO, "La Reconquista" should be to reconquer Mexico from the corrupt leaders.

Anonymous said...

MaT,

I think that most Mexicans that feel that way have been brainwashed by their media and their politicians. The ones I've had contact with who tend to be poor and really uneducated have no idea about Cuba, Che or communism. They are just trying to help their families. It's sad that they have been influenced in this manner but I think the reason for this is that the folks perpetuating this myth need to blame the "gringos" and Cuban-Americans so that they can get away with looting the country (as they have done for over 80 years).

Anonymous said...

http://yanomaslibertad.blogspot.com/

invite only

Sharpshooter said...

MAT,
Sharpton's late conversion to the cause of the plight of the political prisoners is nothing else than an oportunistic attempt to help Obama with American voters of Cuban origin. Obama trails miserably with Cuban-American voters and this late conversion where Sharpton all of a sudden discovers after more than 49 years, that there are political prisoners in Cuba, reeks a mile away of political expediency. Why did it take him so long to discover something that the whole world has acknowledged for so long? Is it just coincidence that just now when a black candidate has won the Democratic nomination, "the good Reverend" sudenly finds out that there are political prisoners in Cuba? Certainly Jackson and other black leaders must have discussed this issue with him before? Why now? Why now indeed. Is all politics and an effort to awaken sympathy for Obama.

Vana said...

Finally someone in the African=American community speaks up for our enslaved heroes, was about time!!

Vana said...

What the goverment in Mexico has done for Cuba is to help enslave her, but the people most are humble and well intentioned, of course living in California I have a lot of contact with them, I school them when they realize I'm Cuban, of course my accent gives me away! I get along with all races and nations, I have never demeaned anyone it only serves to demean me and prolong the myth of Cubans being intolerant, intolerance leads to gas chambers.

Angel Garzón said...

Agustin, that is exactly what I thought, now in the interest of fairness and in order not to wind up with our proverbial feet in our mouths, something that many Cubans and C-A's have done ad nauseam, let us give the good reverend the benefit of the doubt, the worse that could come of it is that nothing gets done to benefit our Cuban brethren now suffering in the tyranny's prisons, at the very least some notice could be taken of their plight and the tyranny's true nature, notice though that this news was not widely circulated via the MSM, if you ask the average John Doe he probably did not hear anything about it, even in the greater NYC area, so do not hold your breath; furthermore, remember that no matter what ploy is used by the Obamistas, the amount of C-A votes that their candidate will garner will be minimal, there is no way in God's earth that most of us would be convinced to vote for a neo-Marxist, so as I have told you before, worry not, Obama will not become president.

Ms Calabaza said...

By gosh,

I think you guys have it right! I couldn't figure out what on earth Sharpton was up to ~ that makes a lot of sense. Connect the dots, as they say . . .

Here's another far-out theory:

I've been noticing within the last year or so that Sharpton has become pretty friendly with O'Reilly, Hannity and people over at Fox News. I started to wonder a while ago if Sharpton could be another Hoagy Carmicheal ~ remember him? He turned out to be a spy for the CIA I believe. Then, also remember Ralph Abernathy? It appears he saw the light and the hypocrisy and communist influence of the movement and wrote a book about it ... never to be heard from again ...

but I like your theory. It sounds pretty plausible that Obama "paid" our dear Sharpton to win over some C-A votes. I don't think it will work.

Manuel A.Tellechea said...

Agustín:

Sharpton's conversion is more opportune than opportunistic. If anything it undermines Obama's position that he will negotiate with Castro without prior conditions. The political prisoners are a very big prior condition. By bringing attention to their plight and insisting that it be addressed Sharpton has derailed Obama's planned "happy hour" with Raúl.

Angel Garzón said...

Manuel, that's exactly what I hope at the very least, you know that ol' Afro-American adage that goes: "God don't like ugly," no matter what, God's will shall reign and I hope and pray that such is the case with this polemic.

Sharpshooter said...

MAT,Angel,Vana and Ms. C,
I will like to think MAT's theory will pan out, but knowing Sharpton from many years of living in N.Y.C., I know he does nothing coincidentally. This is not a conversion out of principles. Just ask yourselves the same question I did: Why did it take the black leaders in the USA almost 50 years to discover there are political prisoners in Cuba? I think politics is playing a big part in this new recent conversion of the good Reverend. Obama politics to be clear. We all know our community will not give Obama many votes because of his position on the dialogue with Raul without preconditions. And the fact that he is a left neo-socialist at best and a marxist at worst, does not help his image in our community either. Maybe I am overly suspicious but I find this new change of attitude towards the Cuban prisoners of conscience rather convenient and timely to say the least, just when Obama is running for POTUS. Remember that the CA vote is vey important in Florida and the state is a key state for Democrats to win in November. You do the math, and just add the electoral college votes and the answer will be revealed.

Vana said...

Agustin:

Trust me my friend, I believe no polititian, they are a bunch of liars and thieves.

I understand there are double standards going on here, but am trully glad that though it has taken 50 years, finally a mention.