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A Contrast in Class
Take a look at these two pictures.
This one shows members of castro's goon squad (courtesy of Babalu).
This one of the Ladies in White:
You know what they say...a picture is worth 1,000 words.
The Ladies in White's grace and dignity under constant and intense harassment is something that, quite frankly, some people on BOTH sides of the straits could use a bit more of.
This one shows members of castro's goon squad (courtesy of Babalu).
This one of the Ladies in White:
You know what they say...a picture is worth 1,000 words.
The Ladies in White's grace and dignity under constant and intense harassment is something that, quite frankly, some people on BOTH sides of the straits could use a bit more of.
Labels: Ladies in White, Repudio
posted by Robert at 4:33 PM
8 Comments:
Don't be quick to make personal judgments. You know this has more to do with politics than with anything else.
MW,
You have an innate knack for finding the silver lining in every dark castroite cloud. That chusma and the others with her were shouting down and insulting the Damas de Blanco.
Trying to even attempt to justify their actions is just a thinly veiled excuse for what they did. Why don't you just be honest with yourself and the rest of us and tell us how you really feel?
There's no disagreement that such behavior by the "goons" is despicable. I think that any behavior which is antagonistic is disappointing and shameful.
But, this particular phenomenon has its roots in US/Cuba relations. There's no controversy there, its facts.
Do you believe that racism in the US during the '50's was do to innate hatred towards blacks? I don't think so. My view is that is was the result of the socio-political climate.
In my opinion, the same applies here to Castro's "goons." The same explanation applies to anti-americanism around the world.
Its more political than anything. So I don't see any good reason to engage in ad hominems, and make this personal.
MW, how does politics change the fact that one group of people is harassing another? It sounds like you are saying that the harassers are not responsible for their own actions. Yet the Ladies in White, by protesting against the government at obvious risk to themselves, are clearly responsible for theirs. This fact alone makes your suggestion that the goons' behavior "has its roots in US/Cuba relations" difficult to believe. It looks to me like the goons are harassing the Ladies because the Cuban government wants them to and they have decided to do the government's bidding. They are responsible for their actions.
If you do something that you have every right to do, but I don't like it and start harassing you, then I'm the one that's at fault, not "politics," and certainly not you for creating controversy. The blame here goes entirely to the Cuban government and its collaborators, not to the Ladies in White or the USA.
Well said Jonathan.
Jonathan,
Thanks for pointing out some possible assumptions on my argument, but I'll clarify because I believe many of those assumptions are inaccurate.
I am not in disagreement about the behavior of harassment against the Ladies in White. We can agree that they are victims of intimidation and abuse, as are all Cuban dissidents.
And, we are not in disagreement about personal responsibility, both dissidents and their abusers have the duty to explain and justify their actions before their peers.
But, the antagonism (my focus) occurs within a larger social climate: US/Cuba relations. To again go back to other examples of social discrimination (US segregation laws, womens suffrage, gay rights) all occur within a larger societal and political perspective. They DO NOT originate from personal and innate beliefs, but from the development due to several socio-political factors. In the case of Cuba, its perceived US aggression that dominates the socio-political climate.
My main argument is not to excuse the actions against the dissidents. I oppose any intimidation of political dissent, in any context. But, once we begin to make false attributions about the individuals of opposing sides, then we only perpetuate and feed the antagonism that already exists between them, and ignore the very reasons why the conflict exists.
In my opinion, the origins are in US/Cuba relations, which we well know go back decades. And, I could say the same would apply to any other example of social discrimination, having origins that are complex and with historical and political precedence.
MW, I don't think that calling the harassers goons is a "false attribution." And I don't think we "feed the antagonism that already exists" (as you put it) between the harassers and the LIW by pointing out what is going on. You imply a false moral equivalence. In fact, the antagonism goes one-way, against the LIW and other dissidents, and is being driven by Cuban government policy. It's not the fault of the LIW or US government that the Cuban regime has been abusing Cubans for almost fifty years.
"Moral equivalence"?
Oh no you didn't!
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