Carlos M. N. Eire, a professor of history at Yale, is a Cuban exile. He has written an excellent piece about how the U.S. media and Hollywood portray Cuba.
He describes one incident in which Castro fell ill and appeared to be near death. In response, several Cuban exiles openly rejoiced. Shortly after, a New York Times editor called him for a quote:
“I can't help but wonder if this rejoicing is appropriate,” says the Times editor about the street revelers in Little Havana, “since many of them were likely allowed to leave Cuba in the early 60's with Castro's blessing.” Then, as if this were not vexing enough, she asks you to lay all your cards on the table and state your position on this question explicitly, to see whether or not your opinion is worth considering. And when you comply and offer to sum up the ailing tyrant as the consummate Machiavellian prince, you are curtly dismissed…
“We're afraid that this approach is not quite right,” said the editor.
Imagine that.God knows what they were searching for at the New York Times, or what they expected of me. All I know is that the Times made me feel as if I were back in Cuba, dealing with its state-run propaganda rag, Granma. Or like a “negro” in the old South, dealing with segregationists who couldn’t understand why colored folk were so ungrateful about being rescued from Africa.
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Dec '10
Re: Cuba, Cuban Exiles, and Their Portrayal by Hollywood and the U.S. Media
Tim Groseclose
So because Castro opened the sugarcane curtain a couple of times in the last 50 years, he's some kind of benificent philosopher-king?
I also find it sad that the Times editor couldn't wrap her mind around the idea that the celebrants in Little Havana weren't rejoicing for themselves, but at the idea that their families and friends in Cuba might soon be free of the murderous tyrant. Sad, but hardly surprising.
Jul '10
Re: Cuba, Cuban Exiles, and Their Portrayal by Hollywood and the U.S. Media
I've said this before and I'll say it again:
U.S. Foreign Policy towards Cuba is horrible.
If only they had oil.
Dec '10
Re: Cuba, Cuban Exiles, and Their Portrayal by Hollywood and the U.S. Media
Dr. Eire has hit the nail (liberal) right on the head. The problem is that the left isn't ever quite sure that Communism isn't somehow correct and will eventually be vindicated.
Even after Stalin's horrific show trials of the 30s, even after the horrific low tech genocide of Pol Pot in Cambodia, even after the Marxists starved whole tribes to death in Africa, the MSM will always cling to the possibility that Marxism is OK. The MSM says we must keep an open mind and respect all points of view. Of course, no Marxist has an open mind and a Marxist not only has no respect for other points of view but will murder those with other points of view.
Marxists still control China. Because of the pseudodetente with China we have allowed a giant fig leaf from the MSM to cover the titanic crimes of the Marxists. Finally, when they are revealed, people will be sickened tremendously. However, the truth does set you free. The World will have a great burden lifted from it's shoulders.
Edited on Jan 20 at 2:23amSep '10
Re: Cuba, Cuban Exiles, and Their Portrayal by Hollywood and the U.S. Media
Thanks for posting this. I'm not surprised that the NY Times won't publish Professor Eire's views.
Aug '10
Re: Cuba, Cuban Exiles, and Their Portrayal by Hollywood and the U.S. Media
Michael Tee: I've said this before and I'll say it again:
U.S. Foreign Policy towards Cuba is horrible.
If only they had oil.
They have plenty of natural resources, including oil, and gas, and lots of foreign companies do business there. Sherritt International, for example.
Oct '10
Re: Cuba, Cuban Exiles, and Their Portrayal by Hollywood and the U.S. Media
It's a joy to live near Cuban Americans. You can bring up politics and stand a very good chance of getting a reasonable response. Last year a Cuban-American doctor and I solved most of the country's problems while he carved skin cancer off my ear. When I bought my car, the twenty-something salesman who had come to the U.S. from Cuba at age thirteen was as enthusiastic about Rubio as I was, but he felt that he needed more seasoning before running for president.
And then there's the food. Tomorrow I drive up to see my Cuban Dermatologist and, if I'm lucky, an excellent plate of Ropa Vieja afterwards.
Jul '11
Re: Cuba, Cuban Exiles, and Their Portrayal by Hollywood and the U.S. Media
Severely Ltd.: It's a joy to live near Cuban Americans. You can bring up politics and stand a very good chance of getting a reasonable response. Last year a Cuban-American doctor and I solved most of the country's problems while he carved skin cancer off my ear. When I bought my car, the twenty-something salesman who had come to the U.S. from Cuba at age thirteen was as enthusiastic about Rubio as I was, but he felt that he needed more seasoning before running for president.
And then there's the food. Tomorrow I drive up to see my Cuban Dermatologist and, if I'm lucky, an excellent plate of Ropa Vieja afterwards. · 7 minutes ago
Try the plantains. When the makeshift rafts hit land, the illegals often kiss the sand and many pray. I have been tarpon fishing and witnessed such a sight. Mixed emotions.
Apr '11
Re: Cuba, Cuban Exiles, and Their Portrayal by Hollywood and the U.S. Media
People thought is unconscionable that Cubans would celebrate the illness and oncoming death of Castro? I should not be surprised I guess, but it leaves me flabbergasted. My parents while living in Romania under Causescu had a bottle of cognac put aside to celebrate his death. I can only imagine what they would have done if they had more leeway to celebrate his demise.
All people of good will should celebrate the demise of a man like Castro.
May '10
Re: Cuba, Cuban Exiles, and Their Portrayal by Hollywood and the U.S. Media
Too bad he didn't tape record that conversation.
May '10
Re: Cuba, Cuban Exiles, and Their Portrayal by Hollywood and the U.S. Media
Indeed: this vain search for the eventual vindication of Communism is the typical response, isn't it? "Well, Stalin just got it wrong, somehow was not true to the Communist ideal, and Lenin died too soon, and..."
Strikingly similar to those arguments about how the Keynesian stimulus was just not big enough, or too tempered by the objections of non-Keynesians...
Sep '10
Re: Cuba, Cuban Exiles, and Their Portrayal by Hollywood and the U.S. Media
"i can't help but wonder if this rejoicing is appropriate."
Are you as irritated as I am by the Left's use of appropriate and inappropriate? The latter is the favorite word of lefties everywhere. It's what they say instead of "wrong". I can just hear the NYT editor saying this with the voice of a scolding schoolmarm.
Jul '10
Re: Cuba, Cuban Exiles, and Their Portrayal by Hollywood and the U.S. Media
DocJay
Try the plantains. When the makeshift rafts hit land, the illegals often kiss the sand and many pray. I have been tarpon fishing and witnessed such a sight. Mixed emotions. · 3 hours ago
Not certain I understand your "mixed emotions"...
Aug '11
Re: Cuba, Cuban Exiles, and Their Portrayal by Hollywood and the U.S. Media
Valiuth: People thought is unconscionable that Cubans would celebrate the illness and oncoming death of Castro? I should not be surprised I guess, but it leaves me flabbergasted. My parents while living in Romania under Causescu had a bottle of cognac put aside to celebrate his death. I can only imagine what they would have done if they had more leeway to celebrate his demise.
All people of good will should celebrate the demise of a man like Castro. · 3 hours ago
God bless you Valiuth ! And God bless any Cuban able to make it here.
We'll celebrate with gusto when Obama is ousted...and that will be acceptable.
To not celebrate Castro's demise will be the stance of the safe and free - "up in the stands" and not the oppressed that live "in the arena"
May '10
Re: Cuba, Cuban Exiles, and Their Portrayal by Hollywood and the U.S. Media
Marxism isn't tainted by the blemish of racism, unlike Nazism and fascism. Thus it lives on, however tentatively, in the minds of many progressives whose premises, taken literally or fundamentally, imply it.
Dec '10
Re: Cuba, Cuban Exiles, and Their Portrayal by Hollywood and the U.S. Media
Mike,
The difference between Hitler and Stalin.
Hitler was a very proactive and prejudiced murderer. He wanted only Jews, Gypsies..etc. murdered, the task accomplished as quickly as possible. He preferred to machine gun people in a pre-dug trench with bull dozer burial. He only did the gas thing because the price of bullets was too high.
Stalin was an equal opportunity murderer with a passive aggressive style. He would purge anybody for any reason and was willing to wait for their slow death. Stalin would sentence people to Siberian work camps. Without proper winter clothing and little food or water, the time it took for the purgee to die was around 3 months give or take a month depending on the condition of the purgee.
Also, in the middle 30s the purge itself mutated into an Art Form and was called "High Stalinism". Hitler just relied on the dull but oh so efficient Pseudoscience of Eugenics. (Thanks to DarwinGalton).
May '10
Re: Cuba, Cuban Exiles, and Their Portrayal by Hollywood and the U.S. Media
Only because the modern left has suppressed the racist things that Marx said.
Jul '11
Re: Cuba, Cuban Exiles, and Their Portrayal by Hollywood and the U.S. Media
barbara lydick
DocJay
Try the plantains. When the makeshift rafts hit land, the illegals often kiss the sand and many pray. I have been tarpon fishing and witnessed such a sight. Mixed emotions. · 3 hours ago
Not certain I understand your "mixed emotions"... · 14 hours ago
My mixed emotions came from opposing illegal immigration yet at the same time witnessing people falling on their knees in happiness to reach a land of opportunity.
Aug '10
Re: Cuba, Cuban Exiles, and Their Portrayal by Hollywood and the U.S. Media
DocJay
barbara lydick
DocJay
Try the plantains. When the makeshift rafts hit land, the illegals often kiss the sand and many pray. I have been tarpon fishing and witnessed such a sight. Mixed emotions. · 3 hours ago
Not certain I understand your "mixed emotions"... · 14 hours ago
My mixed emotions came from opposing illegal immigration yet at the same time witnessing people falling on their knees in happiness to reach a land of opportunity. · 1 minute ago
Thus, the distinction between "illegal immigrants" and "refugees".