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Follow the Leader
In light of the fracas at Friday's pro-Posada rally in Little Havana, a discussion at new blog Mambi Watch is demanding that the Cuban-American leadership in Miami condemn the actions of Vigilia Mambisa.
I'm not going to discuss the actions of Vigilia Mambisa here. I stated my views in this thread, as well as in the above-linked thread at Mambi Watch.
This post is really about something else.
Quite often, you'll hear people refer to the "Cuban-American leadership". I have always been puzzled by that title, because frankly I can't think of anyone who fits that description. Perhaps I'm seeing it wrong or my definition of leader is too narrow.
To me, a leader is (or should be) someone who leads or guides a group of people. Applying this definition, a leader of the Cuban-American community should be someone who has been widely accepted by said community to be their guide. Note that I put widely accepted in bold. Leaders of small factions or groups don't count. Also keep in mind the size and diversity of the Cuban-American community, and I don't think it's unreasonable to think that there really isn't a well-defined "leader".
Can anyone name the leader of the Black community in Miami? The Colombian community? The white non-Hispanic community? I can't either.
Enough rambling on my part.
Now I will kindly ask my South Florida readers for a favor. Can you tell me exactly who you think the Cuban-American leadership in Miami is? Give me your opinions, drop as many names as possible. I might be missing something, so please leave a comment. Thanks.
I'm not going to discuss the actions of Vigilia Mambisa here. I stated my views in this thread, as well as in the above-linked thread at Mambi Watch.
This post is really about something else.
Quite often, you'll hear people refer to the "Cuban-American leadership". I have always been puzzled by that title, because frankly I can't think of anyone who fits that description. Perhaps I'm seeing it wrong or my definition of leader is too narrow.
To me, a leader is (or should be) someone who leads or guides a group of people. Applying this definition, a leader of the Cuban-American community should be someone who has been widely accepted by said community to be their guide. Note that I put widely accepted in bold. Leaders of small factions or groups don't count. Also keep in mind the size and diversity of the Cuban-American community, and I don't think it's unreasonable to think that there really isn't a well-defined "leader".
Can anyone name the leader of the Black community in Miami? The Colombian community? The white non-Hispanic community? I can't either.
Enough rambling on my part.
Now I will kindly ask my South Florida readers for a favor. Can you tell me exactly who you think the Cuban-American leadership in Miami is? Give me your opinions, drop as many names as possible. I might be missing something, so please leave a comment. Thanks.
Labels: Cuban-Americans, leadership
posted by Robert at 10:55 AM
6 Comments:
Dead on balls accurate my friend. I think you identified the "problem" and why it has lasted for so long. Too many chiefs, not enough indians. Or is it too many indians, not enough chiefs? There were many groups/ individuals opposed to Batista but everyone wnated to be the one leading the helm. Perez-Roura DOES NOT speak for me. Nor does Ninoska or Encinosa. Mas Canosa sure as hell did not represent my interests, and neither does Mas Santos. Saul Sanchez isn't my mouth piece, but I think he may be as close to level headed as any of the names I rattle of here. Lesnik and Aruca don't represent the majority of those who oppose Castro but would like to see change in the current approach and attitude towards Cuba. Is Val the "leader" of the anti-Castro bloggers? I don't always agree with his views and I don't agree with his policy of not denouncing any anti-Castro group/ individual regardless of their actions. Not going to get into if the incident should be denounced, lest this thread be hijacked into another direction. The problem is, like you said, there is no clear leadership, due to what I believe are extremes, to both sides if the issue.
no soy de esa area, soy de puerto rico y ni soy cubano ni eso de "cuban amerciaN" ...pero mi opinion es que la comunidad cubana o "cubana -americana" (???) en los estdos unidos estan perdido en el tiemnpo.
mientras los estados unidos han madurado y estan relacionandose con paises comunistas o ex-enemigos ...aun los cubanos siguen con la misma estrategia de antanho.
ahora hay que vero como toda la esperanza cubana o cubana americana (???) esta en la muerte del viejito fidel castro.
es tiempo de entrar en tiempo...si quieren lograr algo bueno para los cubanos - cubanos de cuba.
I gotta be honest here, I dont know what my reaction would be if someone got in my face and started yelling "Viva fidel."
That's something that's been lost a little in the incident: the obvious and blatant provocation of the counter-demonstrator pinheads (i'm been way too nice here).
I still don't excuse what Vigilia did. It looked bad.
Great topic.
I do use the word "Cuban-American political leadership" AND "Cuban-American leadership". In a future post I will define these groups to the best my best efforts.
But, when I use these terms I am referring to those groups or individuals that dominate the public arena with their respective viewpoints, and are Cuban-American(CA).
One quick and obvious example. When Fidel fell ill and transferred power last year, the local news went immediately to certain figures of the community: Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Brian Latell, Jaime Suchlicki, Marta Beatriz Roque, CANF members, and others.
Why? Why not ask the expert advice of Val Prieto, or some other blogger for example?
My definition of leadership in this case refers mainly to those who help shape current views or political views that, then dominate overall discussion.
I don't believe that the CA community is FOLLOWING a person/group blindly for who/what they are. The CA community, in my opinion, is blindly obeying the VIEWS of a specific few. A rhetoric that I believe is a fraud.
If the CA leadership did believe in freedoms of expression, then why don't they condemn the recent actions of Vigilia?
Its a moral issue that we should ask ourselves if the tables were turned.
[My response to your post about Carriles]
Robert said:
"you failed to mention that Posada was acquitted TWICE in Venezuela of charges that he blew up that Cubana plane back in the 70s."
This is a myth that I will try to touch upon on a later occasion. Tellechea actually once said that Posada Carriles was "thrice found innocent".
The best clarification of Carriles' judicial status concerning the bombing in 1976 has been reported by the Council on Hemispheric Affairs.
They say:
"Posada was first tried before a military tribunal, which acquitted him of the crime of treason. However, a higher military court found that the lower one lacked jurisdiction and annulled the entire case, which was then handed off to the civil courts... Initially, the prosecutors in the civil case declined to try him... [but, later]saw fit to bring homicide charges against Posada, and it was during this period that he escaped from prison....In the final analysis, Posada was in the process of facing prosecution for a major crime at the time when he escaped from Venezuela."
Thus, demands for his extradition to Venezuela still apply.
There is much more to why Posada is seen in the press as "innocent", but read the report.
http://www.coha.org/2005/08/11/
unfinished-business-why-luis-
posada-carriles-an-admitted-
cuban-exile-terrorist-should-
face-justice-in-venezuela/
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