U.S. Lawmakers Should Learn From Kast's Solidarity With Cuban Democracy Leaders
Monday, September 7, 2015
On Sunday, Chilean legislator Felipe Kast was beaten and arrested by the Castro regime for peacefully demonstrating alongside The Ladies in White and other Cuban democracy activists.
What an admirable show of solidarity.
As Kast explained, "The Ladies in White have spent a long time suffering violent arrests simply for demonstrating peacefully for the respect of human rights in Cuba. In my visit to Cuba, the least I could do was accompany them in their Sunday walk."
In contrast, the Associated Press recently reported how more than 20 U.S. lawmakers have traveled to Cuba since February without meeting with dissident groups.
What a sad testament of Obama's Cuba policy.
Many of these U.S. lawmakers' trips have been sponsored by Castro-friendly groups, such as the so-called Center for Democracy in the Americas, which take them on "dog-and-pony shows" that have the blessing of the dictatorship.
Others, such as U.S. Senators Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT), have willfully chosen to relegate Cuba's courageous democracy leaders, in order not to lose access to Castro regime officials.
In other words, they have chosen to submit to Castro's coercion.
And, there's the Obama Administration itself, which even refused to invite Cuban democracy leaders to the flag-raising ceremony at the U.S. Embassy -- then lied about it to the American people.
After all, it's easy to kowtow to the Castro regime, in exchange for access, visas, profits and superficially friendly relations.
But Kast embodies what Cuban poet and independence hero Jose Marti once wrote: "When there are many men without decorum, there are always others who themselves possess the decorum of many men."
There are those without decorum:
And others with the decorum of many:
What an admirable show of solidarity.
As Kast explained, "The Ladies in White have spent a long time suffering violent arrests simply for demonstrating peacefully for the respect of human rights in Cuba. In my visit to Cuba, the least I could do was accompany them in their Sunday walk."
In contrast, the Associated Press recently reported how more than 20 U.S. lawmakers have traveled to Cuba since February without meeting with dissident groups.
What a sad testament of Obama's Cuba policy.
Many of these U.S. lawmakers' trips have been sponsored by Castro-friendly groups, such as the so-called Center for Democracy in the Americas, which take them on "dog-and-pony shows" that have the blessing of the dictatorship.
Others, such as U.S. Senators Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT), have willfully chosen to relegate Cuba's courageous democracy leaders, in order not to lose access to Castro regime officials.
In other words, they have chosen to submit to Castro's coercion.
And, there's the Obama Administration itself, which even refused to invite Cuban democracy leaders to the flag-raising ceremony at the U.S. Embassy -- then lied about it to the American people.
After all, it's easy to kowtow to the Castro regime, in exchange for access, visas, profits and superficially friendly relations.
But Kast embodies what Cuban poet and independence hero Jose Marti once wrote: "When there are many men without decorum, there are always others who themselves possess the decorum of many men."
There are those without decorum:
And others with the decorum of many:
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