ESPN has just announced that it has hired Tim Hardaway to host a special two-hour round table about gay athletes.
I know, it sounds ridiculous. Almost as ridiculous as asking an avowed Che-lover to appear on an album dedicated to, and about Cuba.
The thing is that one of these ridiculous things happened and I just made the other one up.
You had me there !! LOL !! So ESPN hired Tim Hardaway after the shit he said about gays? I mean, that is the story that is true, right?
Well it is a tribute to Cuba. Santana wanted to pay tribute to castro’s Cuba so he signed on. This way all audiences would accept the music. Those who want a free Cuba can imagine that everyone on the cd feels the same. Those who love Cuba as it is can hang their hat on santana. Wow, this is the perfect touchy, feely story. Everyone is happy 🙂 Keep those $$$$ coming.
pototo,
I saw the clip of the documentary that accompanies the cd where Santana talks about Cuba. While he may not mention che guevara or express any remorse over his public support of the Butcher, in all fairness he does express his wish that Cuba be rid of castro and his government.
Take that for what it’s worth.
Val,
You know that it is not worth much. You cannot separate che from Cuba. If so when Baba Walters makes comments about fidel’s personality and others call him a “heck of a guy” then we should be able to separate that from what he has done and we know that is an impossibility. If santana wants to make a tribute to Cuba he can do so by publicly denouncing what che did to Cuba and that che is inspearable from his actions. Would you ever consider selling pro-che merchandise on your blogsite? Even if it was to celebrate the early che? Of course not and if you did you would be run out on a rail. Ya no mas. Ni un poquito.
Would we buy it if a guy wore a hitler t-shirt and said that he supported a free Israel? Not even if he were one of their own if that were possible. He would be blown off an an opportunist, hopefully.
“in all fairness he does express his wish that Cuba be rid of castro and his government.”
Thanks God Val, hopefully we can move on and put this issue to rest.. There are other things that need our attention such as the visit to cuba del ministro Moratinos. will he see fidel? I doubt it , but not impossible..
I think the best analogy that can be used to represent what Val said about the video and what’s going on with satana is this one: Take a prisoner for example. He commits a “mistake” and spends 8 years in jail. When he is released, he may think that just because he did his time he is a better person. In reality he is labled a “convict” and will struggle to gain back everything he had before making the “mistake”. The same thing applys to satana. He commited a “mistake”. Is going to pay for it for a long time, if not forever. He “apologized” for his “mistake”, but will remain forever with the title of “che-apologist”. satana will NEVER get back to the level he was at with the Cuban community before he made the “mistake”.
Did I miss something? When did HE apologize?
And the “apology” wan no apology. it was an explanation of why he wore the che shirt. Don’t forget Henry’s conversation with santana.
The word apology is in quotations everytime it is mentioned. As is the word mistake. Meaning, SUPPOSEDLY the action was done. The same way when your having a conversation with a co-worker and you say, “I “LOVE” my boss!” and with your fingers you do the quotation marks. Come on, who hasn’t done that.
In conclusion, YES, you did miss something.
Okay I am not a grammarian. I thought you were defending the other point.
If they had Santana on video saying that he didn’t know the truth about Guevara and that he wouldn’t have worn the shirt (and so proudly) if he had known, don’t you think they would have shown it to you?
The question here is not whether Santana claims he wants a free Cuba (while he’s sitting at a table with a bunch of people that are saying that) but instead what are his personal feelings about the most decorated martyr in the church of fidel castro?
Bottom line. They didn’t do this because they like Che. They didn’t do it because they need the money. They didn’t do this because the record company forced them (that would be no excuse). They didn’t do it because they are communists or fidelistas.
They did this because they are musicians and they are friendly with Santana and they are out of touch with us, their core fan base, with regards to what this collaboration would mean.
La cagaron. The sooner they come out and say that the better for everyone. While there is no graceful exit, what they need to say is this:
Carlos Santana has been a friend of ours since long before the 2005 Oscars. While we were saddened, at the time, by his decision to wear Che Guevara t-shirt to that awards show we forgave him because we don’t think Carlos necessarily understands what Guevara actually did, as opposed to what he is believed to have done. When Mr. Santana learned of our project, 90 millas, he asked if he could participate. Of course we jumped at the chance to have a musician of Carlos’ stature participate on our project. And our friendship had always remained in-tact despite the incident at the Oscars. We simply didn’t realize that Santana’s appearance on 90 Millas would inspire such a visceral reaction among our friends in the Cuban-American community and, for that, we are truly sorry. But the fact is that Santana is going to be on this album because to remove his work now would be a betrayal of an old friend. We understand that this will alienate some of our fans, and again we are truly sorry. The only thing we ask is that we be judged by the whole of our actions in public life and not by this decision that was based on personal friendship and not intended to be a slight to anyone in the Cuban American community.”
If they had Santana on video saying that he didn’t know the truth about Guevara and that he wouldn’t have worn the shirt (and so proudly) if he had known, don’t you think they would have shown it to you?
The question here is not whether Santana claims he wants a free Cuba (while he’s sitting at a table with a bunch of people that are saying that) but instead what are his personal feelings about the most decorated martyr in the church of fidel castro?
Bottom line. They didn’t do this because they like Che. They didn’t do it because they need the money. They didn’t do this because the record company forced them (that would be no excuse). They didn’t do it because they are communists or fidelistas.
They did this because they are musicians and they are friendly with Santana and they are out of touch with us, their core fan base, with regards to what this collaboration would mean.
La cagaron. The sooner they come out and say that the better for everyone. While there is no graceful exit, what they need to say is this:
Carlos Santana has been a friend of ours since long before the 2005 Oscars. While we were saddened, at the time, by his decision to wear Che Guevara t-shirt to that awards show we forgave him because we don’t think Carlos necessarily understands what Guevara actually did, as opposed to what he is believed to have done. When Mr. Santana learned of our project, 90 millas, he asked if he could participate. Of course we jumped at the chance to have a musician of Carlos’ stature participate on our project. And our friendship had always remained in-tact despite the incident at the Oscars. We simply didn’t realize that Santana’s appearance on 90 Millas would inspire such a visceral reaction among our friends in the Cuban-American community and, for that, we are truly sorry. But the fact is that Santana is going to be on this album because to remove his work now would be a betrayal of an old friend. We understand that this will alienate some of our fans, and again we are truly sorry. The only thing we ask is that we be judged by the whole of our actions in public life and not by this decision that was based on personal friendship and not intended to be a slight to anyone in the Cuban American community.”
Henry, your proposed statement is graceful indeed, too graceful. It fails to denounce and condemn Guevara and his atrocities head-on; it does not explicitly acknowledge that the offense taken by the Cuban-American community is not only understandable but completely justified, and it keeps Santana in the picture without any real retraction from him.
I know you’re thinking in terms of what the Estefans can realistically be expected to say and do at this point, as opposed to what SHOULD be said and done. I’m not questioning or criticizing YOU or how you personally feel about this. And I agree with you, that knowingly or not, the Estefans have put the Cuban community in a bind that should NOT have happened. Given the biased rules of the game, it’s a no-win situation, and I resent being put in that position by people who should have known better.
Let’s take them out back and shoot’em!
Then that would really really remind people of che.
Exactly.
Asombra,
You have gotten what I was trying to say exactly right. The situation sucks and it sucks because they didn’t think. There’s no real graceful exist but from an array of ungraceful choices a statement akin to what I wrote would be optimal coming from them. Then just let time and acts heal the wounds. Abriendo puertas y cerrando heridas. Remember that?
Asombra,
You have gotten what I was trying to say exactly right. The situation sucks and it sucks because they didn’t think. There’s no real graceful exist but from an array of ungraceful choices a statement akin to what I wrote would be optimal coming from them. Then just let time and acts heal the wounds. Abriendo puertas y cerrando heridas. Remember that?
Henry,
I agree with you completely, unfortunately, I really dont think thats gonna happen and this whole issue is going to mushroom at one point or another.
Henry’s proposed statement on behalf of the Estefans is a dead-on description of what’s actually inside their heads.
Henry, what is going on, why are you backpedaling now? Your hypothetical E$stefan apology would still be really weak for most Cubans to accept. The E$stefans, Cuban Americans fully aware of our 48 years of pain, have no excuse for ramming Che loving Santana down our throats. The memory of our dead martyrs, many murdered by Che, is too sacred to allow the E$stefans to trample all over it. Gloria and Emilio are the ones who need to fix this, the sooner the better.
Just my $0.02, but methinks this is turning into an ever-increasing cluster-fuck of nuclear proportions. I suggest we all wait for the album to come out and see for ourselves what they’ve done to assuage the anger of the C-A fan-base.
george,
Dude, you mean you dont want to beat this horse for another 5 months?
Santana worships Che. Gloria metio la pata. I am still not buying the C.D.
Guys, maybe I am wrong for thinking like this, but I’ll give it a shot. I know we might be getting to the point of beating a dead horse, but the situtation has to be handled like if your punishing a child. When a kid “fu*ks up” big time in school, do you wait a few until he gets his report card to tell him he has to do better or do you punish him on the spot? The samething applies here. We all have a lot anger now and in 5 months I don’t think it will be at the same level as it is now. We have to take advantage of the anger and fustration we have towards the Estefans.
Waiting till the CD comes out would be the best thing for the Estefans and the worst thing for the issue. Ignore it and it won’t go away.
Jose,
I’m not backpedaling. I’m actually making the same point that I’ve been making since the the babalu radio show 9 days ago. That they made a terrible error in judgment and that now everyone looks bad. It’s not realistic to think that they will dump Santana from the album at this point. And the idea that Santana and Emilio were friends before the Oscars is not a fabrication on my part.
I was offering the best option out of a bunch of bad options. For them to apologize for making a mistake and throw themselves at the mercy of the court.
Jose,
I’m not backpedaling. I’m actually making the same point that I’ve been making since the the babalu radio show 9 days ago. That they made a terrible error in judgment and that now everyone looks bad. It’s not realistic to think that they will dump Santana from the album at this point. And the idea that Santana and Emilio were friends before the Oscars is not a fabrication on my part.
I was offering the best option out of a bunch of bad options. For them to apologize for making a mistake and throw themselves at the mercy of the court.