Wednesday, December 17, 2008

"Silent Val" Prieto

In 1928, Calvin Coolidge became the first and only U.S. president to make a state visit to Cuba, though several others travelled there before or after their terms. Perhaps I'll write about that some day. Right now, however, it is Coolidge's nickname which interests me -- "Silent Cal." He was called that because he had a habit of speaking no superfluous words, which almost makes him unique among politicians of his or any era. A lady once told Coolidge that she had made a bet that she could get him to say more than 2 words. Replied Coolidge: "You lose." On another occasion his wife, who had been unable to accompany him to church that Sunday, asked him what the subject of the minister's sermon was. "Sin," Coolidge answered. "What did he say about it?" she asked. "He was against it." But let's not get carried away with fascinating Coolidge; he is invoked here simply as a prop and precedent for someone far less interesting if ordinarily more loquacious. We mean, of course, "Silent Val" Prieto, whose parsimony with words is of recent vintage.

A week has now transpired since Val lurked the corridors of power on a day pass, and met and pow-wowed with the "Great White Father" as the chosen representative of our tribe: chosen for us, not by us. He promised on several occasions to inform his "constituents" of the results of his meeting but has to date said not one word about it. He did publish a photograph to document the preposterous scene and foster curiosity about it, which "Silent Val" does not seem disposed to satisfy. Supposedly, Val is still suffering from nervous exhaustion masquerading as a cold, and we can well imagine that such a melding of minds (as it were) between Bush and Val must have been trying on both master and hireling.

The absence of facts has resulted in much speculation about Val's participation at the Bloggers Summit, some perhaps frivolous but not on that account less instructive. Someone even suggested that Val threw his underwear at Bush during the meeting. This would, I suppose, be the opposite of throwing a shoe at him, though not less frightening in other respects. Taking this suggestion as a metaphor, I can think of no other reason that Val Prieto would be chosen as the sole representative of Cuba's international blogging community. At most, Val represents Babalú and its satellites, which is one of the least effulgent constellations in the Cuban blogosphere. Bush's snubbing of Yoani Sánchez, who, unlike other overseas participants, was not invited to appear via teleconference, was the only tangible news that emerged from that event. Her absence might be explained by her naive support for Obama, but, more likely, it seems that it was her lack of support for Bush's policies which led to her exclusion -- that is, the exclusion of the world's most famous and honored dissident blogger. Even more insulting to her was the fact that Val Prieto was chosen as her substitute. We are sure that Yoani would not have lowered the curtain of silence on those proceedings. Even if she were not physically present, she would have intuited more than Val could see with his own eyes. Because the tragedy is not that Val is silent, but that he is blind.

52 comments:

Anonymous said...

Maybe Bush didn't ask much or value his opinion at all. Additionally, maybe he finally realized his "day in the sun" is coming to an end and doesn't want to dwell on the fact. Or maybe, just maybe (this is a strecth for Prieto), he realized declaring himself Supreme Lord of All Cuban Bloggers maybe was not the best move.

JMP said...

I've returned to the Church and pray daily that you continue writing for public consumption. This latest piece of yours is brilliant.

And I mean no disrespect to Val, nor do I have any animosity towards him. I'm just commenting on your prose...and not the subject matter, per se.

Fantomas said...

Acabo de ver el video de Val que hizo la compañia Time

Y es precisamente eso Time... Back to the future

Val quiere jugar el papel de patriota , el papel de un mambi

El tiempo de los mambises ya paso Val. Y si no te pones las pilas la nueva generacion de Cubanos te aplastaran

No somos nosotros los cubanos del exilio los que dictaremos pautas en Cuba respecto a su gobernabilidad futura

Nosotros abandonamos la patria y ni siquiera hemos tenido el valor de regresar como lo hizo Yoani

Val, estarias dispuesto a continuar el Babalu blog desde Cuba?
Ya que estoy censurado en Babalu blog tengo que hacer esto aqui en la casa de Manuel una persona muy paciente conmigo

Espero que el propio Val me pueda contestar esa pregunta aqui o en cualquier otro lugar

En español solamente como dice centurion, el idioma que hablamos casi todos los cubanos

Anonymous said...

Eso te quedo tremendo Fantomas

_--------

Es interesante ver como estos muchachones de Babalu la mayoria de ellos criados o nacidos en EEUU se esfuerzan por tratar de leer y escribir el idioma de la madre Patria , la lengua de Cervantes
¨Pero no importa cual bien lo hagan siempre les faltara algo. Y no me refiero a un punto , una coma , un acento o una ñ. Les faltara la experiencia en carne propia de haber vivido bajo dictadura

Vana said...

Manuel:

Maybe Val was too drunk or hungover and does not remember what went on at the conference, or simply he cannot put it into words without using the word "humble" and is trying to figure it out, or perhaps he's trying to titillate us, I for one have not lost any sleep over it.

Anonymous said...

Yes, It's a soap mold of Obama's face. Now, I like to make handmade soaps for my family, and I use pretty molds and beautifully scented oils. But I cannot see who I could make a bar of Obama soap for who wouldn't throw it at my head. But folks,for just $24.85 you can make all the Obama bars of soap you want, to slather all over your hands, face and body. And then after that you would need another shower.


Please, I beg of you, make it stop!!

A question- what scent would be appropriate for a bar of Obama soap?


Posted by Claudia4Libertad at 10:39 PM | Permanent Link to this Post | Habla (2)


Yes Claudia , the also sell dildos with Obama's face on it. Would you like one for Navidad dear?

Anonymous said...

Enriquito el pajarito Claudia doesn't need it, but everyone knows that you do and your bugarrón Jay plugs away for you, maricón.

Anonymous said...

Claudia is not Sarah Palin

Anonymous said...

For the Babalusian who defends Claudia, please take this question to your master

Val, estarias dispuesto a continuar el Babalu blog desde Cuba
como hizo Yoani

Anonymous said...

Who is Claudia?

Anonymous said...

Val, estarias dispuesto a continuar el Babalu blog desde Cuba
como hizo Yoani


NO HAY AGALLAS , NO HAY WILL, EMPTY SUIT, NO HAY HEART
DE MAMBI NADA

Anonymous said...

El blog de Fantomas está en coma, el mariquita y chivatón sigue cambiando el titulo de los reportajes pero no el contenido, que comemierda es este guajiro maricón, con razón se la pasa en otros blogs buscando pleitos. No pierdas tu tiempo tratando de inyectárme con scripts fanoso, ni el Sitemeter tuyo me detecta.

Anonymous said...

No soy Val, idiota pendejón.

Anonymous said...

El blog de Fantomas está en coma andante

Ms Calabaza said...

MaT: I would like to second JoeP's statement . . .

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