Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Castro and the Congressional Black Caucus

2009 is surreal, and not in a good way.

From Politico:

Key members of the Congressional Black Caucus are calling for an end to U.S. prohibition on travel to Cuba, just hours after a meeting with former Cuban president Fidel Castro in Havana.

“The fifty-year embargo just hasn’t worked,” CBC Chairwoman Barbara Lee (D-Ca.) told reporters this evening at a Capitol press conference after returning from a congressional delegation visit to Cuba. “The bottom line is that we believe its time to open dialogue with Cuba.”

Lee and others heaped praise on Castro, calling him warm and receptive during their discussion. But the lawmakers disputed Castro's later statement that members of the congressional delegation said American society is still racist.

"It was quite a moment to behold," Lee said, recalling her moments with Castro.

“It was almost like listening to an old friend,” said Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Il.), adding that he found Castro’s home to be modest and Castro’s wife to be particularly hospitable.

“In my household I told Castro he is known as the ultimate survivor,” Rush said.

More, from FOX News:
Former Cuban President Fidel Castro was "very engaging, very energetic," U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee, a California Democrat, said following a congressional delegation's meeting with the ailing revolutionary.

The delegation that traveled to Cuba featured six members of the Congressional Black Caucus and Rep. Mike Honda, D-Calif., and they returned to Washington late Tuesday afternoon and urged the United States government to begin steps to alter its relationship with Cuba.

"For the past 50 years, the United States has been swimming in the Caribbean Sea of delusion," said Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., who described the United States as "the isolated nation" compared to European countries which have diplomatic ties with Havana.

"This is the dawning of a new day," Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., declared. "Fifty years of foolishness is over. It's time for the children to sit in the corner and the adults to take over."

Rush was one of three members of the delegation to meet with Fidel Castro. A meeting with his brother, Cuban leader Raul Castro, took place Monday.

Tuesday afternoon, the Cuban government released a statement that it indicated was Fidel Castro's assessment of a session he had with the lawmakers. In the statement, Castro said that one of the Members of Congress told him that the United States should "apologize" to Cuba. And another lawmaker told the former leader that despite the victory by President Obama, U.S. society is still "racist."

All members of the delegation denied that those two exchanges took place during their time with Fidel Castro.

I don't know whether to believe Castro or the Democrats.

Although they're denying the truth of the statement from the Cuban government, I find it conceivable that one of the Dems told Castro the U.S. should apologize to Cuba. I also would find it believable that one of the Dems told Castro that the U.S. is racist.

We hear them say that sort of stuff all the time. Why wouldn't they say it to Castro, especially when you consider what an enchanting man they found him to be?

These Democrats are clueless, heaping praise on the Cuban tyrant.

If being an apologist for Castro is what's required of a good global citizen, then I refuse to be one. If this is what Obama meant by change, then I will resist.

Castro is not a good guy. He has oppressed the people of Cuba for 50 years. It's unconscionable for these Dems to blame the U.S. and laud Castro.

Bobby Rush's comment is despicable.

"This is the dawning of a new day. Fifty years of foolishness is over. It's time for the children to sit in the corner and the adults to take over."

Cozying up to tyrants is foolishness.
________________

Read a little about Castro's reign:

The Facts on Castro's Oppression

New Reports Condemn Human Rights Violations in Cuba

Rights abuses unabated in Raul Castro's Cuba: group

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

2 questions:

1) Was it really castro? I think he's dead.
2) How long will it take to get rid of the embargo?

I'm a cuban-american, by the way, living in Miami.

Anonymous said...

And these brainless fools get upset when they are called Communists?

Again, these schmucks marginalize themselves and their intelligence. Who votes these fools into office? Has our education system completely failed us? Most likely.

Mary said...

There is a complete failure to acknowledge reality.

These members of the CBC seem to live in a sort of Michael Moore bubble.

Unknown said...

The Black caucus, why are they speaking for us, the last time I looked I was white. Lee said he was warm, like snuggling up to a boa. Why didn't they ask the people of Cuba what he is really like. Socialism & communism run together. These congressmen that are in office right now should all be thrown in jail for what they are trying to do. The congressmen are worried about still being considered racist, are you kidding me? How many of his own people did he kill? How much did he steal from his people, what about pointing the bomb at us?? What next, go see Chavez and open the borders?? Obama & his flunkies need to be thrown out of office ASAP

Mary said...

The racial aspect is irrelevant.

These members of Congress are clueless.