Is this America?
We have, here in southeast Florida. a huge contingent of Cubans.
Many of the most vocal - albeit in Cuban Spanish not English -are only here until the Castro regime is replaced by a Cuban "democracy." I'll explain why the quotes in a moment.
The other day, Ozzie Guillen, the Cuban-American manager of the Miami - maybe "Florida" - Marlins, anyway, the local 9, made a statement that he appreciated Fidel Castro's longevity as a ruler. He may have said some other nice things about the dictator.
For his remarks, the Cuban community got up in arms.
"He can't say that!" they screamed.
They put so much pressure on him he was forced to apologize in all the media - local and national - for daring to speak his mind.
The Marlins' management, in its rush to be politically correct at the expense of First Amendment to the nation's Constitution SUSPENDED OZZIE GUILLEN FOR 5 GAMES! Perhaps the Marlins' management is unable to read simple English; the First Amendment clearly states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." How can some guests in this country do what an American Congress cannot - prohibit free speech?
THIS IS AMERICA??
What happened to freedom of thought and speech?
When did southeast Florida become Iran or Syria where freedom of speech is a crime.
Even in Cuba the Women in White hold their marches to protest the Castro brothers' policies.
But an American citizen, Ozzie Guillen - albeit a hyphenated American citizen - is punished for expressing an opinion in America? Not by the U.S. government, but by guests of this country and other similarly hyphenated Americans - people who CAME HERE FOR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION. It's not Cuban Spanish, but the word CHUTZPAH comes to mind.
This country has had freedom of speech since before the British were encouraged to take their army and go home (c 1775).
OK, you can't yell FIRE! in a crowded theater (or theatre) and suggesting that someone ought to shoot a high government official can get you sent to gaol, but you may cast aspersions on that high government official's linage without fear of legal persecution.
These Cubans who were so upset about Ozzie Guillen's expressed opinion forget that they are, first of all, guests in this country. Secondly, they need to remember this is NOT Cuba. We have, and treasure, freedom of thought and speech here.
There are many things said and done in this country that I find offensive - having all signs in Spanish being one, burning the flag being another. But these are protected by law. Unlike painting a swastika on a synagogue or herding pigs through a mosque, these are not classified as "hate crimes" nor do they, in most places, "incite to riot."
Obviously these Cubans and hyphenated Americans are not ready for "American-style" democracy.
Which brings me back to my Cuban "democracy" remark.
Cubans on the island have several times been handed "democracy" by Americans. Each time, within a generation the people reverted to a dictatorship.
I am not condemning dictatorships; some people - Cubans as examples - cannot adapt to democracy and must have a strong leader who is not easily deposed; in other words, a dictator. There ARE benevolent dictatorships and there are malevolent dictatorships. And there are some that go from one type to the other.
But southeast Florida is NOT Cuba and we - Americans who lost our hyphenation a generation or more ago - should not tolerate a dictatorship in a U.S. state.
We - Americans - have surrendered enough of our rights already; we should be, we must be, vigilant to protect our remaining freedoms.
Permitting foreigners to punish someone - even one of their own - for speaking his mind should not, must not, be tolerated. It is not "the American way."
I am ashamed that the commissioner of the all-American sport of baseball should cave to foreigners and - at best - nouveau-Americans, all of whom fail to respect American democracy on American soil - Miami still was part of the United States the last time I checked
I grew up in "Greater" Miami. back then it was a more tolerant society; hardly perfect, but "better" than what I see happening now.
The self-imposed Cuban ghetto is called "Little Cuba" and apparently the residents of this area want Cuban rule on American soil.
That's not right. They didn't like Castro's dictatorship so they want to impose a different, albeit as obnoxious to Americans, dictatorship in Miami.
Someone needs to remind these people that boats go both ways. If they cannot adapt to "the American way," let them go back to Cuba and try to enforce their brand of dictatorship on the island.
