Posted on 03/29/2005 6:48:13 PM PST by The Bronze Titan
Remember Carlos Santana's attire at the Oscar's not too long ago? You know, the Che Guevara t-shirt I gave him the Useful Idiot Award for?
Well, one prominent Cuban-American musician sent Santana a letter to let him know just what a morally abject jerk he really is. The following is Paquito D'Rivera's letter in Spanish followed by my translation:
"Me enteré por nuestro amigo Raúl Artiles que pronto te presentarás en Miami; cosa que me parece poco recomendable, ya que no hace mucho cometiste la torpeza de aparecerte en los Oscar Awards luciendo con orgullo un enorme crucifijo sobre una camiseta con la esteriotipada imagen del Carnicerito de la Cabaña, que es como conocen al Che Guevara los cubanos que tuvieron que sufrir tan lamentable personaje en dicha prisión".
"Uno de estos cubanos fue mi primo Bebo, preso allí precisamente por ser cristiano. El me cuenta siempre con amargura como escuchaba desde su celda en la madrugada los fusilamientos sin juicio de muchos que morían gritando ¡Viva Cristo Rey!".
"El guerrillero de la boinita estrellada es algo más que esa ridícula película de la bicicleta, mi famoso colega; y combinar a Cristo con el Che Guevara es como entrar a una sinagoga con una Swástica (símbolo nazi) colgando del cuello; y es además una bofetada en el rostro de los jóvenes cubanos de los años 60, que tenían que esconderse para escuchar tus discos de "música imperialista", según definían el Rock & Roll en la jerga del mismísimo atorrante argentino y sus secuaces".
"Perdona que te escriba en español, pero es que no creo que tenga suficientes palabras en inglés para expresar mi indignación ante tu irresponsable actitud. Y créeme que a pesar de todo, como artista te deseo buena suerte, porque la necesitarás, Carlos… sobre todo en Miami".
In English (my translation skills are almost seriously lacking so bear with me):
I learned through our mutual acquaintance Raúl Artiles that you will soon play a concert in Miami, something I would not recommend, as you showed the stupidity of appearing at the Oscar Awards proudly donning a large crucifix over a tshirt with the stereotypical image of the Butcher of La Cabaña, which is how Che Guevara is known to Cubans who had to lamentably suffer under him at said prison.
One of these Cubans was my brother Bebo, incarcerated there precisely for being a Christian. The same one who always bitterly tells me how he could hear from his cell the firing squads at dawn murdering those who without trials would die screaming "Long Live Jesus Christ."
The guerilla with the starred beret is much more than what's depicted in that ridiculous motorcycle movie, my famous colleague, and combining Che Guevara with Christ would be like entering a synagogue wearing a Swastika necklace. And it is also a slap in the face to those young Cubans who in the '60s had to hide to be able to listen to your records, Imperialist music, as Rock & Roll was defined in the slang of the Argentinian tramp and his partisans.
Please firgive the fact that I write you in Spanish, but I just dont think I have enough words or mastery of the English language to express my indignation at your irresponsible attitude. And believe me, as an artist I wish you good fortune, because you will need it, Carlos...especially in Miami.
Bien dicho, Paquito. Gracias.
-Val Prieto
What is his background?
Sweet. I just wish Carlos Santana and the rest of the entertainment industry had enough brains to actually care about things like this.
ditto
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