Gloria Estefan, great, no balls to do it in Cuba - just mess with Miami.
You’re an idiot.
Huh?
Ahem, this is a Real women.
However she has more cojones than some men.
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.
All Americans should march with her and wear white—we are all Cubans just as we were all Berliners when the wall went up. Where ever freedom is repressed Americans should take a stand. We failed when Iranians march in the streets for free elections—and some died—we failed to notice. Let us not do the same when the brave people of Cuba fall to Castro Brother’s goon squads.