December 22, 2008

A message for Cathy del Castillo

Robert wrote about a letter to the Miami Herald editors on Saturday written by the person named in the above title. You can read that post here.

I take umbrage to the entire letter in and of itself, but one line in particular stood out for me not only because of it's abject stupidity, but because of the hidden sentiment behind it: disdain for Cuban exiles.

To wit:

I have asked myself why so many Cubans ran instead of staying to fight for what was theirs.

I can't tell you the number of times Ive had this exact same sentiment hurled at me by people who just have no understanding of the history or circumstances of the times. So here's my answer to Cathy, etal, for edification purposes:

Cathy, they did not run.

They were run out.

You fail to grasp the historical circumstances. Revolutions create fervor. They make zealots our of ordinary citizens. The majority of the Cuban people bought into fidel castro's prevarications. Hook, line and sinker. Many who didn't were not only arrested and beaten but in many cases executed. Many others were ostracized by their own neighbors and families. Think about that for a minute. Your own neighbors and family - those whom you've lived with your entire life - turned against you simply because of your beliefs. Because you thought differently.

And Im not talking about shunning and criticism. I'm talking about physical assault. Rocks and bottles and everything else being hurled at you and your family. Your home defaced. Your own neighbors and family denigrating you in public, hurling epithets at you. Calling you and yours GUSANOS!

And still, many more, like my father, did stay and fight. Many more did make sacrifices against all odds. What must it do to the soul to have to fight against men and women you grew up with. People you shared your childhood with. People who were welcome in your homes as you in theirs? Folks whose children played together with your own?

Many many Cubans were willing and able to make those sacrifices. Willing to stay and fight. My father did and was more than willing to give up his well being, his life, for his country.

He was not, however, wiling to put his son's and daughter's life on the line. He preferred to leave so that I and my sister be able to live in freedom, without fear of reprisals from our "neighbors."

My father refused to have me punished for his "sins."

Posted by Val Prieto at December 22, 2008 08:29 AM

Comments

Her parents left Cuba before Castro took over and she was born and raised in the New York area. Neither she nor her parents could possibly know or understand what this whole situation is really about, but of course she feels entitled to not only talk, but talk shit.

Maybe she simply deserves sympathy and remedial help, lots of it, but I'm pretty short of patience for this sort of thing. It's bad enough dealing with non-Cuban assholes, ignoramuses and outright enemies of Cuba's freedom.

Posted by: asombra [TypeKey Profile Page] at December 22, 2008 09:59 AM


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