Pinko Protest

In light of the protests at the CODE-pinko demonstration in Little Havana today:

For those of you chomping at the bit to broad-brush Cuban exiles as violent, foam-mouthed individuals, here's an El Nuevo Herald article leading up to the demonstration in which Radio Mambi personalities and exile groups exhorted the community to refrain from violence. I won't translate the article, but the CALPC group (support committee for Luis Posada Carriles) and Radio Mambi both called for demonstrators to not be provoked into violent acts.

Of course, most of the people present behaved. A few got a little rowdy, which is inexcusable and shows lack of class, IMO. Maybe I'm being a little hard on a group of individuals who have been through hell and are being figuratively poked in the eye by a small group of radicals who reveled in parading through their neighborhood in order to incite and provoke.

Dialogue with the Cuban community, as Medea Benjamin stated? Yeah right. And the Dolphins will win the Super Bowl next season.

Still, want to bet what will get the headlines? Not the majority of peaceful protesters, but this. And here I go again having to explain it all. When will some people learn that six dorks from San Francisco precisely looking to be provoked don't deserve the reaction that they seek? I obviously understand the deep frustration and pain Cuban exiles feel. But the bad PR we get when even a small minority acts even a little out of hand hurts just as much.

Le ronca el mango.