It shouldn’t surprise anyone to find out that the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) ‘hearts’ communism. Thanks to this article, though, we have official proof of that:
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.â€
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.
It isn’t surprising that a former Black Panther would have much in common with Castro, especially after considering this information from the Black Panthers’ Platform:
We want full employment for our people.
We believe that the federal government is responsible and obligated to give every person employment or a guaranteed income. We believe that if the American businessmen will not give full employment, then the technology and means of production should be taken from the businessmen and placed in the community so that the people of the community can organize and employ all of its people and give a high standard of living.
That’s a document that Fidel himself would be proud of. Well, except that he’s squashed people who’ve dared demand things of their Cuban government. Still, it’s accurate to say that Fidel hasn’t objected to his thugs taking over businesses, which seems to be the goal of the Black Panthers’ platform. Coming to think of it, it doesn’t sound that dissimilar to Obama’s TARP takeover.
Barbara Lee is notorious for being the only person in either house of Congress who voted against the war resolution for Afghanistan. Even Dennis Kucinich voted for it. That’s why nothing proceeding from her mouth surprises me. That’s why it isn’t surprising that she “heaped praise on Castro, calling him warm and receptive during their discussion.”
Just because Fidel’s kept dissidents locked in prisons for disagreeing with him doesn’t mean he isn’t capable of great warmth, right? Who cares that some of those dissidents have been imprisoned for several decades? All Fidel did was flash the CBC a smile and he was miraculously transformed into a man of warmth.
Rep. Laura Richardson (D-Ca.) said Castro was receptive to President Obama’s message of turning the page in American foreign policy. “He listened. He said the exact same thing” about turning the page “as President Obama said,” said Richardson. Richardson said Castro knew her name and district. “He looked right into my eyes and he said, ‘How can we help? How can we help President Obama?’”
What magnamity on Fidel’s behalf! He’s such a caring man that he wants to help President Obama. What munificence! Having such proof of Fidel’s big-heartedness just sends a tingle down my leg.
Seriously, these droppings disgust me. The article doesn’t suggest that the CBC said a thing about Fidel’s imprisoning of dissidents or the harsh treatment they receive. Nothing in the article suggests that they did anything other than lavish praise on a ruthless dictator.
Freedom-loving people everywhere should be repulsed by the CBC’s behavior. In fact, repulsive is a mild adjective considering the things Fidel’s done to people who did nothing more than disagree with him.
In the spirit of bipartisanship, I’m offering this trade: Fidel can keep the CBC’s delegation if Fidel liberates the dissidents being kept in his hotels of death.
UPDATE: Ed has more on the Democrats’ asskissing here.
Technorati: CBC, Barbara Lee, Laura Richardson, Bobby Rush, Black Panthers, Fidel Castro, Dissidents, Torture, Hotels of Death, President Obama, Embargo
Cross-posted at California Conservative
You make some valid points. I was also annoyed by Rep. Richardson’s absolute praise of Fidel, especially–as you mention here–when there are still ‘dissidents’ stuck in prison or worse. Yet, while I don’t think over-the-top praise nor Fidel’s approval were necessary in the recent discussions, I do think the trade embargo is an issue worthy of reexamination. I watched an interesting video on the recent Cuba-U.S. talks at newsy.com. It gives a few different opinions/sources and is worth watching:
http://www.newsy.com/videos/u_s_cuba_removing_the_wall/
Gary, are you saying they harbor anti-American views, or are engaging in anti-American activities, as in something an UnAmerican Activities committee should investigate? Or do you not go that extreme, and leave that level of hardball discourse to the more outspoken reaches of the House of Representatives?
Eric, Don’t hear what I didn’t say. If pressed, however, I’d say that their behavior didn’t live up to the principles of our Founding Documents.
For elected representatives to talk about a man who despises individual liberty as a “great man of warmth” isn’t talking how the Founding Fathers would’ve talked.
Perhaps you can tell me what American tradition Fidel was following when he imprisoned people for simply disagreeing with him or for writing about what his regime was doing?
The Founding Fathers literally wrote the book on thirsting for freedom. What proof do you have that Fidel thirsts for freedom?
At the heart of Americanism is the thirst for freedom. By that standard, yes, Bobby Rush, Barbara Lee & the rest of these useful idiots didn’t measure up to the best of Americanism.
Fidel Castro would always be an icon of history evethough he is against the U.S.-`.
Fidel Castro may not be a hero for western countries but he did a good job in providing subsidized medical care in Cuba~*~