My good friend Scott of Burton Terrace just sent me the following link from today's "Impromptus" column at NRO by Jay Nordlinger. It is a letter sent to Jay and reads as follows:
Jay, longtime reader of your column. Consider myself a 9/11 Democrat — one who actually uses his brain for thinking through issues. A few weeks ago, my wife and I were invited to a birthday dinner at the home of some friends. All are quite liberal (we live on the West Coast), and I often find myself the lone dissenter.Also attending this dinner was a couple from Cuba, friends of the birthday people through the art world. We had normal chit-chat during dinner, then someone asked the Cuban husband how long he'd been in the States.
"Three years," was his response.
What followed was amusing and troubling at the same time. Everyone (except me) immediately jumped in and started raving about what a great country Cuba was, compared with the U.S.: better health care, lower infant mortality, and the music!!! Plus, Fidel, Che, and the revolutionaries — how romantic!
If I hadn't been reading NR and NRO, I might have just checked out. But I paid attention. Specifically, I watched how the Cuban couple reacted to these statements.
To put it mildly, the look on their faces was one of disbelief. In response to comments about health-care and infant-mortality statistics, the wife said, "And you believe the information coming out of the Castro government? They make those numbers up to look good to other countries."
The responses from the liberals were along the lines of "Well . . .," "Uh . . ." "Well, the U.S. should have a better infant-mortality rate in any case." They weren't ready to concede that people who'd lived in Cuba all their lives knew more about what was going on than they did. Because, of course, we knew better, thanks to reading the New York Times and The New Yorker.
I followed up and asked the husband what had motivated him to move to the U.S.
"I was persecuted."
Silence.
I asked what had happened. What did he do? How long was he persecuted?
"I was associated with the wrong people and was persecuted for seven years. Finally had enough and spent a year going to the American and Cuban authorities to get permission to leave."
Dead silence. It was clear he and his wife had endured some pretty horrendous treatment, all because he had associated with the wrong people.
I didn't feel comfortable asking him what they did to him. It was a birthday dinner. What did come out was that he had recently passed his citizenship test and was on his way to becoming an American citizen.
"This is my country now."
I said, "Welcome to our country."
The liberals at that party are exactly like those Hollywood elites we are always talking about here. The "free healthcare, 100% literacy and low infant mortality rate" spewing myopics who cannot stand Cuban-Americans because we actually know what the hell we are talking about when it comes to Cuba and it bursts their little moral superiority bubble.
Along the same "Hollywood loves communism" lines, dont miss this editorial from the Opinion Journal, sent to me by Ramón Miró of CubaFacts.com (Do check out CubaFacts.com, it is an excellent website and source of information on Cuban issues.):
Annoying as the Che adulation is, a recent comment by a 14-year-old on an online movie message board was truly disturbing: "I just saw The Motorcycle Diaries, which further made me question: Why is communism bad? . . . Young people are told how bad communism is, but we are not told why. . . . The Motorcycle Diaries showed me how Ernesto Guevara wanted to help people. . . . But this did not explain why he was such a 'bad' person and apparently deserved to be murdered by the U.S."Is this a legacy of dangerous ignorance that the makers of "Che" wish to continue? Might this teen be taught that the product of Guevara and Castro's "revolution" is a nation whose inhabitants still risk their lives to escape--and an estimated one-third die trying? A nation where neighbor spies on neighbor, where dissent lands one in the clink--or worse--and persecution is punishment for everything from religion to homosexuality?
I wont editorialize any further on Hollywood's love for dictators and murderous Marxists. All I will say is that they would be hardpressed to express any of their "artistic freedoms" in a country like Cuba, whose government sees the stifling of individuals' freedom as the number one priority.
Oh, and, kiss my Cuban-American ass, Hollywood. You bunch of panzy ass, holier than thou, self-righteous, morally abject, living in lala land collection of hypocritical elitist pricks.
Posted by Val Prieto at March 30, 2005 11:44 AM
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» CHE = WAY LAME: "being impaled by a Bolshevik isn't pretty." from WILLisms.com
Bridget Johnson, a.k.a. "GOP Vixen," writing in OpinionJournal, has a great piece on Hollywood's unfortunate love affair with Ernesto "Che" Guevara: Annoying as the Che adulation is, a recent comment by a 14-year-old on an online movie message board wa... [Read More]
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» CARLOS SANTANA, JACKASS from Publius Pundit
You'd think Carlos Santana wouldn't make a mistake about what's hip and what's out, but that's just what he did at the Academy Awards last month, showing up in a big Che Guevara tee shirt. So old. So out. So out of it. And so damn despicable. Santana ... [Read More]
Tracked on April 5, 2005 02:12 AM
There you go again Val, getting your ass kissed agin. Keep up the good work.
Posted by: River Rat at March 30, 2005 12:17 PM
Val, that initial letter has a problem: you need 5 years of permanent residence to apply for Citizenship (Three years _only_ if you marry an american citizen).
Posted by: Roberto at March 30, 2005 12:31 PM
You beat me to it Roberto...... One Year and one day to become a resident. 5 full years of residency to become an American citizen. Either way, Welcome!
Posted by: Miguel at March 30, 2005 12:41 PM
And those "periods of time" are when you're lucky. Or ask me. Maybe the person who's telling the story did not understand for how long the Cuban couple had been here. Maybe they had spent three years in California...
There are cases when people come with the green card in their pocket from Cuba. Lotteries, and in some case, high profile refugees. Immigration from Cuba is not an exact science!
Posted by: CB at March 30, 2005 12:54 PM
There are exceptions to the time frame needed. They can get it pushed through Congress, they can get a special deal with the State Department, or they could be ading the US military in some way and get put on the fast track that way.
There are several various scenarios that make 3 years a possibility. It would be nice to get it cleared up, but I'll err on the side of belief with this one. I've seen the rules, and I've seen the way it actually works.
Posted by: Rhianna at March 30, 2005 08:51 PM
This book as just written by Humberto Fontova (aka my wife's cousin). He appeared on O'Rilley's Factor last week. "Fidel – Hollywood's Favorite Tyrant." (Regnery Publishing, 256 pgs.) See Hollywood at its best.
Posted by: manny at March 30, 2005 09:23 PM
Do you think any of the libs at that party were some of the ones that said if Bush got elected they would move to another country?
Maybe their uncle fidel will offer them assylum.
Eat your heart out Alec Baldwin!
Posted by: cohetedude at March 30, 2005 10:32 PM
I know a famous architect and his liberal wife (he is an ultra liberal too) in NYC who told me that they would even go to Cuba is Bush was reelected. I offer to buy the tickets for them. They are so elitist that they tell you that they don't know what part of Jersey is across the river from their place and that they have never been to Jersey. Elitist Republicans go everywhere, elitist Liberals do not even know where their maid lives. Last time I checked, he still owned his company. His wife was as vociferous as always, and they never moved to Cuba. My proposal was one to one, my parents for the two of you. They are going to make good use of your de luxe apartment and you will probably be very happy with their libreta and the comite.
Of course, guys... you guessed right. They have never ever talked to me again. And I feel liberated!
PS. They invited me once to a party full of libzillas where a famous cook (who was there as "the famous chef who caters for us") confessed to me (who was there as "the exotic Cuban born designer who is going to bitch about castro so you can gang up against him") his dislike for liberals, but he makes all his monies out of them. We went to the kitchen, and yes guys, you're right again, we spat in the food and drinks!
Posted by: cb at March 31, 2005 08:25 PM
You should've pissed in the drinks.
Those sophisticated cretins would have thought it was a new Cuban highball full of zest, body, bouquet and tartness. A bit salty like a margarita.
Just the way someone who is full of shit would like it.
And then you should have gone to the parking lot, sprayed pepper spray in the their windshield vents and in the drivers door handle.
Then sat back and watch the fun start as they left the party.
Posted by: cohetedude at March 31, 2005 10:03 PM
We had an awful time with those asses. The cook, an Italian American was almost more gusano that I am. And that's a lot!
I greeted everybody. When then told me that they were castroists, I said, oh! you support murder! how awful of you! I would have never guessed that, you look so nice and sophisticated! Can I tell you something? Go live in Cuba!
Must I confess that I was thrown out of the party? you already new that. The cook left too. He send them a big bill THAT HE NEVER COLLECTED!
Typical commie thing.
They came in the subway. They are cheap New York City Liberals after all. Si I could't piss on their cars'door handles! or on their ragtops!
They don't spend a penny here, no cars, they spend their funds in Cuba! For some reason they love to go there. Sex? Maybe....
Posted by: cb at March 31, 2005 10:30 PM