Liberty Bell Visit by Fidel Castro’s Niece Angers Cuban-Americans

[Judi Lynn]

May 3, 2013, 12:21 pm

Liberty Bell Visit by Fidel Castro’s Niece Angers Cuban-Americans

By FRANCES ROBLES



A foreign visitor’s plans to view the Liberty Bell during a trip to Philadelphia on Friday afternoon has upset a prominent member of the Cuban-American community.

Mariela Castro, Cuba’s premier sexologist and the daughter of President Raúl Castro, is visiting Philadelphia as a guest of the Equality Forum, a gay rights organization that is holding its annual conference there. Ms. Castro plans to visit the Liberty Bell and the surrounding Independence Mall around 3 p.m., organizers of her trip said. Detractors of her father’s government objected to the visit, though.

“It’s insulting that the Cuban dictator’s daughter and standard-bearer of the Castro dictatorship would visit a symbol of America’s successful struggle for freedom from its colonial masters,” said Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Florida Republican. “Ms. Castro and her family represent everything that the colonists fought and died to overcome. She should be ashamed of herself, but that would be asking too much of her.”

Malcolm Lazin, executive director of the Equality Forum, which will honor Ms. Castro on Saturday for pushing for gay rights in Cuba, took a different view, telling The Times, “The Liberty Bell is a symbol of freedom not only for America, but a symbol around the globe.”

More:
http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/03/liberty-bell-visit-by-fidel-castros-sexologist-niece-angers-cuban-americans/

[naaman fletcher]

1. Fuck the Cuban American community nt.

[atreides1]

2. Agree 1000%

[naaman fletcher]

6. I mean, what a bunch of assholes

I MIGHT have been mildly sympathetic 40 years ago but on any basic standards of human decency these asshole serve no purpose other than to prevent decent human behavior and the reconciliation of differences.

Part of the reason, of course, is that like military contractors their livelihoods depend on ongoing conflict.

[joshcryer]

7. Please do not ascribe the actions of a few to an entire community.

Most Cuban Americans are against the embargo now and the picture is a lot different from what it was decades ago.

[naaman fletcher]

12. Yes of course

But in the media "Cuban American community" seems to be defined as a "Cuban Americans who haven't gotten over it".

[dballance]

3. The Anti-Castro Business in S. FL is Big Business.

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Marco Rubio know on which side their bread is buttered. They will continue to play to that demographic for votes.

I heartily doubt her statement: “The Liberty Bell is a symbol of freedom not only for America, but a symbol around the globe.” I seriously doubt that if I asked 10 (or 100, or 1000) foreign tourists if they planned an excursion to see the Liberty Bell because it's a symbol of freedom around the world that very many, if any, would respond in the affirmative. I feel pretty certain Disney World would beat it very handily.

[joshcryer]

8. Yeah, it was definitely loaded.

I'd expect pop music to be the number one symbol for America if you really reviewed all countries' view of America. I'm not joking.

edit: to clarify I don't think she said it but someone else did.

I'd think Mariela Castro would, privately, say that the Liberty Bell is a symbol for imperialism and tyranny.

[dballance]

9. Wow Josh, I Agree With You for a Change

[joshcryer]

10. Ha.

I wasn't aware we had many disagreements.

(For what it's worth I honestly can't think of an instance where I disagreed with your comments.)

[get the red out]

4. If we are a free country

Why shouldn't this lady visit whatever historic site she wants? Big deal over "symbolism". Aren't there real things in this world to worry about?

[flamingdem]

5. That dumbell La Loba gets loca over anything!

So now no sightseeing here or there?

How about if we all wear blinders.

[DCKit]

11. She's certainly predictable. nt

[bemildred]

13. Anything that pisses them off must be good for the country. nt

[flamingdem]

14. A little historical note

It's so interesting that she chose to go to the Liberty Bell. That echoes a different time when that bell meant a lot in rhetoric.

My ancestor wrote about it in the late 1800s and that's how I know this - in relationship to Cuba and freedom from Spain. And I bet she knows about that time period and the Spanish American war so it interests her. She has every right to visit that bell because it does have to do with her country and its history.

[Judi Lynn]

15. Had no idea about this. Thanks for illuminating the time relationship!

It will take a while for that freedom from all outside would-be overlords to be finalized in the eyes of the WHOLE world! (One country is a late learner!)

[Daniel537]

16. Lol. Ileana is such a goon. n/t

[Judi Lynn]

17. A goon with fangs! n/t

[Judi Lynn]

18. Why do the corporate media call Mariela "Fidel Castro's niece" instead of Raul Castro's daughter?

Kinda makes you wonder what they really are up to, doesn't it?

Little creepy.

They don't seem to realize that Cold War actually IS over. Guess they miss it.