Diario las Americas writes about a protest outside the venue of the Orquesta Aragon concert in Miami last week (italics mine):
“The protest was based on the fact that the members of Orquesta Aragon, which for generations has had great prestige and enormous international success, never went into exile and remained with the Fidel Castro regime on the island, contrary to many other Cuban artists.”
Update: At Babalu, Val Prieto objects, fair enough, but I still think that the sentiment that the reporter so starkly attributed to the protesters – that the musicians are to be criticized merely for not leaving Cuba – is ugly. Everyone would agree to the expressions of patriotism Val describes. In Cuba itself, there are those and many more, including many that have nothing to do with politics. While we’re at it, someone should send Val an Orquesta Aragon CD so he can see that they don’t do “soliloquies.”
Seems like you may have touched a nerve, Phil, with the usual suspects.
ReplyDeleteLaughably, the same guys who call Cubans cowards and imply that Yoani Sanchez and political dissidents who say the embargo should end are Castroites have the gall to say you denigrate Cubans.
Cowards is too complimentary a word for those neanderthals.
I loved this from Val:
ReplyDeleteThe true Cuban patriot doesn't put his own interests above that of his homeland.
So according to the Babalu crowd, the true Cuban patriot is one who puts their self-interest above that of their country. Funny, I thought a real patriot might have to actually sacrifice in some way for their country. But no, all you have to do is protest the most Cuban of Cuban bands to be the pinnacle of a Cuban patriot.