The Antithesis of Michael Moore: Real Courage in Cuba
By John Mendez
There's been much made recently about the vaunted Cuban medical system
since propagandist Michael Moore traveled to Havana with 9/11 heroes in
tow searching for "free" health care. It's Mr. Moore's idea of a clever
way to criticize America and the capitalist system he exploits so
brilliantly. Of course, it never actually occurred to him that while he
was "free" to film in Cuba there were political prisons suffering in
Castro's gulags simply for doing exactly what Moore thinks is his sole
universal right; speaking out. A big mouth coupled with a small mind is
a dangerous combination.
That Moore would use his craft to spew the Castro party line isn't
surprising when you consider they are both geniuses at hypocrisy and
self-promotion. Castro supposedly wanted power in order to depose a
dictator and re-establish the "power of the people," but nearly five
decades later without an election, he has become one of history's most
despicable tyrants, the full indictment of whom won't be known until the
inevitable fall of his particularly vehement brand of communism in
Havana. Moore, for his part, pretends to care about social issues so
long as he makes bundles of cash; only pathologically anti-American
leftists don't seem to notice or care.
Unfortunately for Moore, the totalitarian regime's misinformation
machinery doesn't work quite as efficiently as it did when Castro was at
the helm. So Thursday morning, in the middle of Moore's defiant defense
of Castro and his "accomplishments," Raul, perhaps in one of his
notorious drunken stupors, ordered the detention of Gorki Aguila. For
those unfamiliar with the Cuban punk rock scene, which would mean just
about everyone, Mr. Aguila is the outspoken lead singer of "Porno for
Ricardo," a punk rock band profiled recently by CNN. (That CNN would air
any internal criticism of Castro is in itself incredible).
Gorki, an unlikely threat to the state, had the gumption to criticize
the Cuban system so longingly worshipped by Michael Moore. Yet unlike
Moore, who gets to challenge a former senator and likely presidential
candidate to debate, Gorki gets a prison term. I guess the US system
isn't quite so terrible after all, Mr. Moore.
So now that Mr. Moore has decided to immerse himself into Cuban politics
debate, when will he and the rest of the activist American left begin
calling for the release of Gorki Aguila? The short answer is "never."
Our elitist protesters are nothing more than self-serving narcissists
who can only dream of having the courage of a Gorki Aguila.
Speaking out against America is cheap and easy but is far from
courageous. America doesn't have a secret police or nasty little
military to anchor a leader's repression regardless of the disturbed
claims from an unhinged left to the contrary. Courage means facing
consequences; real consequences not simply a dip in the popularity scale.
So despite the self-aggrandizing calls from a George Clooney to "keep
making courageous films," these faux activists are cowards. While
Clooney may ask for help in Darfur, he doesn't dare criticize the
biggest accomplice to the tragedy, China. He understands fully that the
consequences of criticizing the Chinese government might mean a ban on
his movies; so he walks a fine line instead calling on President Bush to
"stop the genocide" as if the US had any control. But such is the modus
operandi of the "courageous" Clooney who has always been outspoken and
quick to criticize the US, where, of course, there are no consequences.
So will George Clooney speak out for the release of Gorki Aguila and
other political prisoners in Castro's prisons? Not likely, at least not
unless Raul cozies up to the wicked "big oil" cabal and its cohort, the
CIA. Until then, the brave Clooney will take a "courageous" stand and
rid the world of the evils of the ruthless paparazzi. Good luck with
that, Captain Courage.
Perhaps Dixie Chick Natalie Maines will step up and demand for Gorki
Aguila the same freedom she enjoys. Surely she must appreciate that
criticizing your government is a fundamental right, if not for every
citizen, at the very least for artists like her. There but for the grace
of God go you, Natalie. His lyrics of protest are not much different
than your own. Gorki is in prison merely for suggesting to others not to
choose communism (as if Cuba had "chosen" communism). Luckily, or
predictably, your nemesis was an American president and not the Castro
brothers who would not have taken it well had Gorki made a similar
suggestion of "shame" for their leader. Weak record sales and low
attendance figures are the least of his worries.
Code Pinkster Cindy Sheehan won't dare criticize Castro and his minions
for incarcerating Gorki for simply speaking his mind. Cindy apparently
believes it's okay for her to stage very long, very public protests
outside an elected official's home and call for his execution but a
Cuban resident, somehow her inferior, must shut his mouth or have it
shut for him. What is even more hypocritically appalling is that Cindy
must think that her loss of a son is much more tragic than the losses of
"The Ladies in White" who she refused to meet with or even acknowledge
on her recent publicity stunt to the island prison instead choosing to
embrace the man responsible for the murder and imprisonment of their
loved ones. Cindy Sheehan and Code Pink have a greater solidarity to a
heartless repressor of human rights than to the mothers of his victims.
So don't wait for Cindy or the "elitist communists" of Code Pink to
denounce Gorki's imprisonment and call for his release, he and his
opinions like the many lives of the relatives of the "Ladies in White"
mean nothing in their political end game.
Regrettably, we will not hear a single American "activist" call for the
release of Gorki Aguila or any other Cuban political prisoner for that
matter. Regrettable because Gorki Aguila is just like them; an activist
artist. Yet, unlike our Hollywood elite, Gorki faces real consequences.
There is no courage without consequences and Gorki Aguila has shown more
courage in a single interview than Michael Moore, George Clooney,
Natalie Maines and Cindy Sheehan have shown in a lifetime.
Gorki Aguila is courageous; they are cowards.
http://www.americanthinker.com/2007/05/the_antithesis_of_michael_moor.html
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