Estefan to Lead March on Cuba

NBC Miami ^ | Tue, Mar 23, 2010 | Todd Wright

[nickcarraway]

Rally designed to support the Ladies in White activists in Cuba

After seeing women protesters dragged through the streets in Cuba, Gloria Estefan figured the best way to fight the injustice was to dress in white and carry on the march. The Cuba native is calling on all Cubans in Miami to come out and rally against the Castro government on Thursday in Little Havana at 6 p.m. Estefan called on participants to dress in white, walk in silence and hold flowers in the style of the Cuban group.

"Cubans and non-Cubans alike that live in liberty need to take the opportunity at this moment in history to come together and show them that we care," Estefan said at a press conference, "We are all united in the love and the need for a free Cuba and freedom for the Cuban people that are enslaved right now on the island."

The march will travel along Calle Ocho and will be led by the Grammy award-winning singer and song writer.

The protest is expected to be peaceful, unlike the one held in Havana on March 17, when the Ladies in White were attacked by Cuban police, dragged into buses and hauled away.

Ladies in White, or Las Damas de Blanco as they are known in Cuba, is a group of wives and mothers whose relatives are in prison for opposing Fidel Castro's government. If you are interested in attending the march, meet at Beacom Blvd., between 7th and 8th Streets, before the start of the march. The march will go from 22nd to 27th Avenues.

[ETL]

They have been doing it for 51 years — why stop now?

They are also bringing the anti-Communist agenda into the spotlight, a very important thing for young folks to be aware of in these most dangerous times we are in today.

[freedumb2003]

>>Pro-life activists have been agitating against Roe v. Wade for nearly forty years, with no discernible returns.<<

Bad analogy. Protests in support of life have had significant results, if not in all completely visible. The Castro regime is external and impervious.

It just seems like a waste of time and energy, but it is hers to waste.

[originalbuckeye]

I had a big argument last week with my British husband's British cousin about Cuba. He said that poor American citizens are able to go to Cuba to get the Cuban Cadillac Health care to have the cataract operations that they can't afford in America. This is the propaganda that foreign newspapers are promoting. Cuban Health care is Cadillac care. Americans are desperate to get to Cuba to get better care. Our foreign neighbors are delusional. I just told him it is a lie. Americans can't get a Visa to go to Cuba for any reason. Period.

[freedumb2003]

>>They are also bringing the anti-Communist agenda into the spotlight, a very important thing for young folks to be aware of in these most dangerous times we are in today.<<

Fair enough — some side effects good may come from it.

[Lancelot Jones]

But the Miami Cubans are "temporary Americans" in their minds, awaiting the day when they go back after the Castros all die out.

Really?

After 51 years, as you have pointed out, I am surprised to find that they would be able to take on the rigors of re-migration, moving, and acclimating themselves to what is an all actuality, a foreign land.

In fact, considering the passage of those 51 years, one would think that most "Miami Cubans" (do your opinions not apply to Cubans in say...Madrid, or San Juan, or even Union City?) would now be not only American citizens by birth, but actually "natural born citizens"?

Why on Earth would they be waiting to go back to some country that they neither know, nor belong in?

Am I perhaps detecting a bit of "personal" animosity here?

If by "personal" one could include an entire nationality that is.

Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis.; In memoria æterna erit justus, ab auditione mala non timebit.

Beauseant!

[Lancelot Jones]

Roe v. wade stands, and abortion on demand remains the law of the land.

But no expression of free speech, and support for a cause that one believes in, is either a waste of time, or superfluous, so pro-lifers should continue to agitate, and "Miami Cubans" should continue to march in support of what they believe in.

NOT marching for those things that you hold important is far more destructive in nature, than marching in support of a lost, or even futile cause is inane.

Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis.; In memoria æterna erit justus, ab auditione mala non timebit.

Beauseant!

[nickcarraway]

I doubt that very much. Do you think the Irish are waiting to go back to Ireland, too? I think most Cubans actually do the U.S. proud. If I was president I would end that stupid wet foot/dry foot policy. Anyone who turns a 57 Chevy into a boat to escape to our country, is welcome to it, in my mind.

[ETL]

I believe she is a supporter of Obama. Go Figure!

Do you have anything to support that? I haven't found anything yet.

[editor-surveyor]

"I honestly think they have zero allegiance to this country, except as a stepping stone to their eventual return."

Beats the Aztlan mafia that came in conquest!

[Lilpug15]

She used to be a Republican but there were reports that she jumped the shark on the Iraq war after 2004 - said she supported Hillary originally but also mentioned the Republican presidential primary debates on the view in 2008 and how she wanted them to debate an actual plan for immigration. [eventually she said she was an independent - didn’t consider herself tied to either party]

I have no idea how she ultimately voted but it’s sad that she used to be a solid Republican and possibly got bamboozled. I’m not sure if she was a PUMA or went for Obama - unfortunately most Hollywood types got rabid when Palin became the candidate - as well as a lot of my younger friends.

[Lilpug15]

VP Candidate that is

[denydenydeny]

They have been doing that for 51 years with no discernible results. Hey, if she wants to have at it, then have at it. It is just yelling into a whirlwind.

Yadda yadda yadda. It was cool in the seventies and eighties to laugh at, say, the Ukrainian or Latvian exile groups, insisting that their countries would be free again someday.

Oh, and that took 73 years. Dumbasses didn't know when they were "yelling into the whirlwind." If only they'd had you to advise them.

[DemforBush]

If your husband’s cousin comes looking for a round two on the health care issue, you could point out that this wonderful care foreigners can get in Cuba is NOT the same health care the average Cuban gets. The care facilities he’s touting are exclusively reserved for people with hard currency - i.e. money - and well-connected party officials.

There’s also the matter of the “sanitorums” uncle Fidel has set up for folks with HIV...

And you’re right, there are a lot of folks in this world who just don’t get it when it comes to Castro (among other things!)

[freedumb2003]

>>I doubt that very much. Do you think the Irish are waiting to go back to Ireland, too? <<

False analogy in many ways. The Irish came several generations ago. The Miami Cubans (many of which were the criminal class released by Castro in a brilliant and successful strategy to export his problems to us) are mostly still ex-pats FORCED to leave. The Irish chose to leave (forced by the Potato famine but not at the point of a gun — big difference).

I agree about wet-foot, dry-foot: it just encourages dangerous behavior and is unfair to the entire rest of the world.

[freedumb2003]

>>Oh, and that took 73 years. Dumbasses didn’t know when they were “yelling into the whirlwind.” If only they’d had you to advise them. <<

You think their yelling had any influence? When the Castros die, the Cuba MAY be open again. All the white suit protesting will matter not a whit.

But if they would have had me to advise them, they would have a lot more energy.

btw: I have never heard of nor seen a Latvian protest. They must have been very polite.

[ETL]

In your opinion, should comparatively small groups like Gathering of Eagles even bother standing up to massive pro-communist organizations like ANSWER?

[Polybius]

Gloria Estefan, great, no balls to do it in Cuba - just mess with Miami. … edcoil

You’re an idiot. … gmartinz

Huh? …. ETL

Sorry, ETL and gmartinz, but I have to agree with edcoil.

I was born in Cuba and came to the U.S. in 1960 at the age of six. Two of my uncles were Bay of Pigs veterans. (So was Gloria Estefan's father.)

The year was 1997. I was a member of a Cuban exile internet political discussion forum (by invitation only). The Pope was coming to Cuba and Gloria Estefan was invited by the Catholic Church to sing for the Pope.

The answer was, "No".

Gloria refuses invitation to sing for pope in Cuba

I couldn't understand the decision.

Yeah, "while Castro is there I will not return .... yadda, yadda, yadda..." I know the drill. That is why I have never gone back to Cuba except for a one year tour of duty at Guantanamo when I was in the U.S. Navy.

But this was different!

This was a perfect opportunity to strike a blow at Castro.

She was being invited by the Catholic Church. She was totally safe from reprisals. After her song, she could say something about a Free Cuba and it would be covered by the international news media.

It was a no-brainer.

I asked the other older and wiser forum members:

"Porque no lo hace? Es una oportunidad perfecta para poder criticar al régimen Castrista al frente del Papa y al frente de una audiencia mundial."

"Why won't she do it? It's a perfect opportunity to criticize the Castro regime in front of the Pope and in front of a world-wide audience."

The forum reply was:

"En America latina, hay muchos izquierdistas. Si ella toma esa posición política, sus ventas sufrirán."

"Latin America has a lot of left-wingers. If she takes such a visible political position, her record sales will suffer."

I have to agree.

Gloria Estefan had the chance to protest on the Big Worldwide Stage in Cuba in front of the Pope and in front of the international news media but, instead, she played it safe.

When it would have been noticed, she had no guts.

[nickcarraway]

Hmmm, I can see why you say that, but I don’t agree. Some people have made a commitment to not go to Cuba under this regime. For the life of me, I don’t think she would have accomplished anything but adulation of Castro. The Pope may have to go- he has a different calling- but not most people.

[rbosque]

She’ll get black-listed by Hollywood for sure. How dare she stand up to Communism!

[ETL]

August, 2000:

Estefan slams 'terrorist' Castro
Havana-born Estefan came to the US following the 1959 revolution

Cuban-American pop star Gloria Estefan has said Cuba's people are "suffering" under the rule of Fidel Castro.

The Cuban-born singer, who was on a trip to Mexico, said the 38-year-old US embargo against the communist-led island was entirely Castro's responsibility.

Estefan said the real embargo was the one Castro, 74, imposes against Cubans: "Fidel has control over the money and over the people."

"There is everything one needs in Cuba, but the only people who cannot enjoy this are Cubans, because of the embargo maintained by Fidel, who is the only one responsible for their suffering," the 42-year-old told the Mexican news agency Notimex.

"Fidel runs an oppressive and terrorist government," she added.

The singer was in Mexico to promote her latest CD Alma Caribena (Caribbean Soul), which she recorded with salsa great Celia Cruz, another anti-Castro Cuban.

She will also be publicising the work of a charity, Mexico's United Foundation programme, which helps children with disabilities.

Estefan, who was accompanied by her husband, music producer Emilio Estefan, will be touring hospitals and recording TV ads to promote the charity's money-raising telethon.

Anti-Castro

Estefan's father worked for Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista, who was overthrown by Castro, and fled with his family to the US after the 1959 revolution.

In April Estefan joined actor Andy Garcia and other prominent members of the Cuban-American community in the custody battle over shipwreck survivor Elian Gonzalez.

The Miami-based community campaigned for the six-year-old Cuban boy to stay in the US against his father's wishes, but was thwarted when the US government intervened.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/885748.stm