The Gantt Report
Miami Marlins baseball manager Ozzie Guillen got in trouble recently for comments he made about Fidel Castro and the Cuban Americans in Dade County got extremely upset. No one said Guillen lied but the Venezuelan American former baseball player was suspended for offending Miami’s Cuban comunity.
Not too long ago Fidel Castro announced his retirement from his position as leader of the Caribbean island country.
Cuban-Americans far and wide have expressed mixed reviews of the sudden announcement, which came on the heels of an extended illness of Cuba’s fiery leader.
Many Florida politicians were quick to disparage Castro calling him a “dictator” and other less than amorous names.
To many African-Americans and people of African descent throughout the world, the end of the Castro regime has much different connotations.
Blacks see Castro as a friend and somewhat of a freedom fighter. This view of Castro stems mainly from his role in sending Cuban troops to Africa to fight alongside the Africans fighting for their lives against apartheid and other colonialist powers in the Motherland.
Castro even offered to help distressed Blacks in New Orleans with medical and other support but that offer was thwarted by the US government.
When the world’s super powers turned their heads and allowed racism and colonialism to thrive and flourish in African countries, Castro sent troops and equipment to the continent that was essential in turning Africa’s political tides.
South Africa’s Nelson Mandela has spoken very highly about Fidel Castro’s and Cuba’s contributions to African freedom. For showing his love for Castro and Cuba, Mandela was routinely booed by Cuban Americans whenever he visited the United States.
If you didn’t know, Cuba has a history of many revolutionaries and freedom fighters of African descent. Today, Cuba has a very diverse government compared to governments in Western countries. There are Blacks that hold very high governmental positions right now in Cuba.
Though many of the United State’s most ardent and vocal critics of modern day Cuba are not of African descent, Black Cubans living in America oftentimes are not as hostile.
Many Blacks remember when Cuba was a playground for organized crime families. When casinos where thriving and money was flowing into the island, American Jews were a prevalent part of the Cuban community. In fact, a rudimentary investigation will reveal that many Cuban-American politicians, businessmen and professionals in the United States practice Judaism right now.
I think the people of Cuba should decide what government they want and also which government leaders that they want just as we are deciding who we want as government leaders in the United States right now.
How long will Americans try to influence or decide who runs the governments and countries around the world? Interference in the affairs of Cuba is no different, to me, than interfering in Iraq, Pakistan, Iran, Lebanon, Grenada, Palestine, Libya, Egypt or anywhere else.
I can understand why some Cuban Americans seek to have a distinguishable change in Cuban politics and/or government. They certainly have a right to disagree with the status quo.
However, as far as Fidel Castro goes, I ain’t mad at him. Plus his country puts out some pretty good boxers, baseball players and track and field stars.
May the best political philosophy win this battle of ideologies!
