Seven Questions
I wholeheartedly support the work and efforts of Yoani Sanchez. She has, in many ways, singlehandedly exposed the realities of life in Cuba under the castro dictatorship for all of the world to see. She is courageous, puts herself on the line with every single word she writes, and has even been subjected to physical violence at the hands of her government.
We havent always agreed on everything. I have had issue with some of her postings and she and I do not see eye to eye, for example, on the embargo, and I certainly dont think of a President Obama in the same way she does. Despite this, though, again, I support her work.
Notwithstanding our differences of opinions, I only have one criticism of Yoani. Call it her being a bit naive or call it her being a bit too idealistic - I prefer to see it as the latter - but sometimes from her writings I get the impression that she believes the castro government will change of its own will. That, despite fifty years of iron fisted rule and oppression and subjugation, the powers that be in Cuba will one day wake up and say "Hey, let's treat the Cuban people like real human beings. Let's afford them human rights and empower them with civil liberties. Let's open the cage doors for all prisoners of conscience to be free. Let's allow the Cuban people to be equal to foreigners. Let's let them have a say in their own lives."
This we all know is never going to happen. Yoani can write a thousand posts a day, seven days a week, four weeks a month and twelve months a year and the castro regime will remain as stoic, as manipulative, as controlling and as oppressive as ever, if not moreso. The castro regime's primary and only concern is to remain in power indefinitely, the will of the Cuban people be damned.
In her latest post, Yoani poses seven questions to the "leaders" of both Cuba and the US. You can read them right here. They are innocuous enough questions I suppose. And she has posted responses to same from the Obama administration - probably responded to from someone at the 4th floor of the Harry S. Truman building. I dont think - I know - she will not receive responses from raul castro for the reasons I highlighted above.
My beef with Yoani's seven questions hinges on one single word: "dispute." She speaks of this dispute between the US and Cuban governments as if it is the crux of the matter. As if the US trade embargo - a paper tiger if ever we've seen one and one she alluded to in a previous post - and the elimination of same and the opening of official diplomatic relations between the two governments will somehow be the end of all of Cuba's woes.
If only that were the reality.
The only true dispute that exists in this context is the one between the castro government and the people of Cuba. The US government doesnt attempt to stifle Yoani's voice, quite the contrary. The US government didnt incarcerate Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet, Dr. Darsi Ferrer and a myriad other Cubans. The US government doesnt control and monitor every aspect of Yoani's life. The US government didnt pick her up a few Fridays ago and violently beat her and her colleagues. The US government doesnt ration her food. The US government isnt the one that has agents parked in front of her house and following her around all day.
The US government - and moreso the American people - dont have a dispute with the Cuban people. Nothing would please us more - all of us: the US government, the American people and the Cuban-exile community - than to have the full interaction between our peoples. Than to have diplomatic relations and a mutually beneficial association. To be good neighbors.
But right now, the price for those associations and those diplomatic relations is much, much too high.
Having President Obama visit Cuba and open diplomatic relations with the Cuban government, and, by default lift the trade embargo, means, exactly and in no uncertain terms, that he and the US Government and the American people accept the beating Yoani and Claudia and Orlando took a couple of Fridays ago. It means that the freest country in the world has no problem with the subjugation and enslavement of 12 million people. It means that the home of the free has no problem with the home of the unfree.
The US Government will not solve the dispute between the castro government and the people of Cuba. Governments deal with governments. For decades, the US government has been ready to deal with the Cuban government, all it has asked, all it asks and I truly hope all it continues to ask is for that Cuban government to settle its dispute with the Cuban people first. To make even the slightest concession with regards to human rights, civil rights and the mistreatment of its citizens.
This may be difficult for some people to comprehend but, the US Government and its trade and travel sanctions and embargo on the Cuban government are the only absolute allies the Cuban people have. Spaniards and Canadians and Europeans of all stripes fill Cuba's resort hotels and beaches and attractions. Those governments meet with and trade with and deal with the Cuban government and have done so for decades and yet "the dispute" between the castros and the Cuban people continues.
When I started writing this post I thought that Yoani's Seven Questions post was, well, naive at best, stupid at worst. And even though it will undoubtedly lead to more calls for more dialogue and more calls for the lifting of sanctions from certain quarters, it will prove one thing for all quite succinctly and absolutely.
We will all - the entire world - be able to see just how interested the castro government is in dialogue and diplomatic relations with the Unites States of America. raul castro's reticence will serve as absolute proof.
Silence is, after all, sometimes deafening.
I've said this before, but perhaps the reason Yaoni has been allowed to write is that she was given marching orders from someone in the higher ups in Cuba that these are her parameters. I can't believe anyone who writes so much good stuff is naive enough to use the language you state above by choice.
Perhaps her beating will have removed any naivete that remains.
Honey,
No one can really speak about Yoani's situation other than Yoani herself. And even though I had qualms about her at the beginning, Im not ready to throw her under the bus by stating she's some kind of agent or something.
What I do know, though, is that - whether planned or not - whats "between the lines" in her latest post is of the utmost importance. We can all rest assured that raul castro will absolutely NOT answer Yoani's questions and thus, prove unequivocally exactly what the cuban government thinks of one of and all of its citizens.
Recently I got into an argument with an castro sympathizer. She said, "When was the last time you were in Cuba?" Meaning that I didn't know what I was talking about because I have not been in Cuba for five decades. My response was that I also have not been to Soweto or Memphis, Tennesee either, but I know all about Martin Luther King's assasination and I know all about South African apartied system. My question, to any and all is, what is a good response for a dumb shit question like that?
kenko,
Liberals are always experts on things they know nothing about. When they talk about health care or insurance, you can ask when were you a doctor or an insurer? When they talk about the environment, you can ask what kind of car they drive and how much they drive it, what they set their temperature at at home, how many airplane rides do they take, and a million other things to prove their lack of expertise or their hypocrisy. The response you gave was great. But it wouldn't matter. To liberals, it's all Klavan and the culture - You shut up and let me talk because I have the upper hand on moral authority and what is right for everybody. Don't confuse me with facts and logic.
Bottom line, what does Obama know about Cuba, Honduras or anything for that matter by the same measurement of the Obama lover who asked you the question in the first place?
Yoani has mentioned the "biological solution" in her posts. I don't think she thinks anything will change until the Castros are waxed and in their glass cases.
Excellent write-up Val. As I read the 7 questions posed to Obama, I too felt a vein of distress at the word "dispute". There is no doubt that Yoani's upbringing and education in Cuba has left its indelible mark. She demonstrates a complete void in her awareness of history.
What she's doing is indeed commendable and extremely brave, although like Honey, I hold my reservations towards her, given what I feel are too many nebulous circumstances.
Again, it is great that she has taken this bold step in putting out these questions, and of course we already know the predictable outcome, which is absolute silence on the Cuban side. (Not that I hold much stock for anything coming out of the present US administration)
Ultimately, because of her much misguided base, her questions really need to be addressed and answered by those who could give her a wider and more accurate understanding into the historic realities of the Cuban-US rift 50 years ago. It is then that perhaps she could rephrase her questions more precisely.
Then again, the answer to Cuba's problems can not come from the leadership on either side of "the great divide", being as they seem to be ideological birds of a feather.....
Freedom in Cuba has to be procured by the Cuban people on the island, and in order to do that they need to become aware of some basic truths they ignore. "You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free". Then and only then will the Cubans have a springboard from which to fight for their ultimate independence. Yoani is great spokesperson for starters.
Careful, Val. George Moneo may ban you from this blog for what you've written about Yoani. You know how he is: if you disagree with him even about whether it's going to rain or not, he bans you from this blog and calls you a Commie or a liberal and he has proclaimed Yoani to be a Cuban agent, so that's that. Oh, wait! That's right! It's your blog. He can't ban you from it. (But that's the only reason he won't)
Spygirl,
See? We can always count on you to bring constructive, to the point and on the issue commentary to the table.
Truly, I dont know what we'd do around here without your learned expertise on the subject at hand.
Im honored and humbled. Really.
[...] can almost hear nutwingers heads’ blowing [...]
Couldn't agree more with you Val. I am always pondering: naive? ignorance? wishful thinking?
I admire what she is doing and also disagree with her on several issues, including the embargo claim and the Obamania.
But it is also true that we need to keep in mind where in Cuba history is she (and myself and three generations of Cubans born under the communist dictatorship) coming from.
Unless you have left to a free country and have a personal interest in recovering the time lost due to communist brainwashing, there is always a point when one hits the Stokolm Syndrome, to say the least.
No one badmouths George Moneo and gets by me. Spygirl, George is the best, that's all there is to say.
Spygirl, you obviously don't follow things around here much. I concur (and have concurred) with Val on Yoani since I have disagreed with some of her positions as well. Next time, pull your head of out your ass before speaking. Oops! Did I just say that to a "girl"? Yup.
Thanks, Honey.
In my opinion,Castros brothers are preparing some "regalitos" after they both go to hell.
One of this "regalitos" would be some "famous disidents" with some weight in and out of the island and with real possibilities to get to power or high positions in the new goverment,so "some legacy" and properties of the Castro family and descendants won't be affected under the new sistem,on one hand and on the other,the same "disidents" also will carry out changes for the improvement of the island economy and perhaps also political change.Also some of those "new leaders" will push the idea of "borron y cuenta nueva" in some form,something that is going to be one of the basic stones of the "neo-castrismo.
Im not saying that Yoani is one of those "regalitos",but i don't descart the possibility neither.
Sorry but i lived inside the monster for quite some time and the smell of something "fishy" never goes away.
saludos
Tonny44, you sound like a brilliant cynic. Boy I hope you are very, very wrong........(sigh)
Val, you're a gentleman. Your well written, carefully worded and thoughtful piece basically is a St. Thomas be-damned-approach. Well, I'm not the founding editor of this blog, so, I'll say it out loud without Val's gracious diplomacy: I don't buy it, I don't buy it and I DON'T BUY IT!
Yoani, Yimami, Yomama, or whatever, do you expect me to believe that you can day-in-and-day-out write a "hard-core opposition" blog in today's Cuba (or for that matter in the Cuba of the last 50 years), in the midst of a totalitarian, my-survival-first, el que se revire le arranco el pescuezo communist, stalinist, leninist government without a quid pro quo on the side? Excuse-moi, but I DON'T BUY IT!
Call me whatever you want, but something with this lady just doesn't seem right or equates... I hope I'm wrong and time will tell. In the mean time, keep writing Yoani, who knows, maybe you'll convert a couple of us unbelievers before judgment day (that being Cuba Libre y Democratica!).
Having said the above, if Yoani indeed has grown a mega pair of cojones, immensely bigger than mine in this bucolic safety of exile, I'll take it all back and herald you till Kingdom come. Just allow me the benefit of the doubt...
As some people have already touched on, you can only expect so much rebellion from someone who was raised by a very clever, indoctrinating government.
At the same time,you sit comfortably in the U.S. and condone the embargo because, while it hurts the Cuban people, it hurts the government as well, which will ostensibly bring about a regime change or act as some leveraging tool.
You then become upset when Cubans are not willing participates in your strategy for regime change? She has a right to be angry with the United States, and it is pretty obvious from the totality of her posts that her principle gripes lie with the Cuban government, no the U.S.
Let's stay on Yoani's side, and respect her right to not agree with us on every single issue.
"Yoani's upbringing and education in Cuba has left its indelible mark..." Dittos to that. It's absolutely true and you can see it in the opinions and ideas of other "dissidents" who have moved abroad. It's a tough call because, on the one hand I admire Yoani's guts and tenacity in writing her blog, and on the other she remains an enigma in that she gets better treatment than Biscet, Dr. Ferrer, and all the others incarcerated for doing same or less. It's true also that, given enough time, all things will come out in the wash. But Yoani did live in Europe for a while and did get exposure to a different reality, so.... well, come think of it, Europe (whether east or west) is not much help as an ideological rehab for marxists.
Let's just hope she's for real and just support the work she does, while she does it, when it's well done.
Do you think that Yoani or the Ladies in White will ever get the Nobel Peace prize? Nah! Don't bet on it.
Tony44, Abelardo and Gigi,
I share your views, as I have misgivings about Yoani too (my gut feeling tells me to trust my instincts). I hope that I’m wrong, yet I trust my instincts because as Tony44 I grew up in Cuba and saw and understand how the Castro brothers run the show and how the Cuban people behave under their rule.
There is something about Yoani that does not fly by me, like her love fest for Obama which totally turns me off because Obama is another Marxist bent on destroying the fiber of his own country (very much like Fidel Castro but using different methods) and the other issues like travel to Cuba and lifting of the embargo.
Time will only tell who the real Yoani is; in the meantime I’m giving her the benefit of the doubt as age and wisdom have taught me to do when I have misgivings about someone.
On the other hand I must say that I have no misgivings whatsoever about Dr. Oscar Elías Biscet (that’s the leader Yoani should be following, not Obama).
Alley Kat,i really don't know what my sound is,but we agree on something,I HOPE IM WRONG...!!!
saludos
Val, I concur with much of your analysis and commend you for this fine blog.
However, with all due respect, the questions proferred by Sanchez were inane and infantile, at best...They are an affront to reality, be it in the US or Cuba.
As a student of history, as a grandson & son of Brigade 2506 members, (with a father that went on to be a "company man" too), I believe that Sanchez, at best, serves the interests of the regime, albeit in, an un-official manner.
Please recall that she was an Obama goose stepper, a denouncer of the constitutional President of Honduras, Don Roberto Micheletti Bain and of the armed forces of Honduras.
She injected herself into the travel restrictions debate by sending a letter to Cong. Berman, without having the courtesy to provide Ros Lehtinen a copy, although they were on different sides of the issue.
Val, don't you think if they wanted to shut her down, they have the capability and would???? Don't be naive, just like Elizardo Sanchez Santa Cruz in the 80s. (ask Cary Roque, a real Freedom Fighter)
As for the questions specifically, Cubans don't have net access because of the embargo? asking an American President to hypothetically take off the table a military option? traveling to the Cuba??? the framing of exiled Cuban Americans as problematic interlocutors or having too much influence in the policy????
Is she oblivious to all the European, Asian, Canadian, etc tourists which have been coming to Cuba or the corresponding investments/businesses in her nation???
We need to focus on people like Dr Elias Biscet, Blas Roca, Antunez and Beatriz Roque, etc.
[...] Val Prieto comments, My beef with Yoani’s seven questions hinges on one single word: “dispute.” She speaks of this dispute between the US and Cuban governments as if it is the crux of the matter. As if the US trade embargo – a paper tiger if ever we’ve seen one and one she alluded to in a previous post – and the elimination of same and the opening of official diplomatic relations between the two governments will somehow be the end of all of Cuba’s woes. [...]
I just read Obama's responses. Some okay, others ridiculous like that he is trying to help in the communications arena. Didn't he shut down that scroll in Cuba that Cuba tried to hide with trees?
Anyway, I am suspicious about Yaoni's love of Obama or respect for his opinions.
Honey,
I second your suspicions aboutYoanis, as she should know better not to trust and support Barack Hussein Obama.
Yoanis (unlike the majority of Cubans in the island) has access to the Internet and his record, values and choices of associations, therefore she’s fully informed on our current President, and yet chooses to support him (this smells like rotten fish to me).
If one thing I learned living in a Marxist society (and I left that society nearly forty years ago) is to spot a Marxist anywhere around the world and Yoanis is failing this test with an F- (and she’s not a dumb woman), so I don’t know what else to say.
Trust me, it does not take a nuclear scientist to spot a Marxist, just the right values and a good dose of common sense.
And the plain simple fact is that Obama is a Marxist, no if, buts or maybes.
I cannot comprehend how Yoanis can still support him therefore my misgivings about her.
Enough said, in time the truth will be revealed…I sincerely hope that I’m wrong.