----- Original Message -----=20
From: Jose Alex Ybarra=20
Sent: Friday, May 28, 2004 11:44 AM
Subject: Food For Thought This Memorial Day
Food For thought on this Memorial Day.
=20
Dear Friends,
=20
Here we are commemorating another Memorial Day. The United States =
of America, the bastion of world democracy, takes time every year to =
render tribute to its unmatched independence and the men and women that =
have given the ultimate sacrifice to maintain the freedom and rights we =
all dearly cherish. On this, the ultimate date of remembrance of it =
heroes, we in the Cuban American community, a community that has become =
an integral part of the American tapestry, stand and salute the nation =
that has given us shelter and succor in our long denied quest for =
freedom, and those that have died to bring it about.=20
=20
The United States of America, my country of birth which I cherish =
and would stand ready to defend, has for years held an embargo against =
the country of my ancestors and the land which I too consider to be =
home... Cuba. This embargo has helped keep the Castrist government, a =
dictatorship of the most vile nature, from proliferating throughout this =
hemisphere at a greater rate than if we had no embargo at all. But is it =
enough?=20
=20
There are some that look towards the U.S. as the means for the =
liberation of our island nation, but in reality many of us in the Cuban =
American community know that the freedom of our country falls to us to =
achieve. Yet we are shackled by an agreement between this country and =
the now defunct Soviet Union. An agreement signed by the Kennedy =
Administration that obligates them to intercede in the fight for the =
liberation of the very nation they enforce an embargo against.=20
=20
Our freedom fighters are intercepted, our anti-castrist =
organizations are foiled at every turn in their fight for the freedom of =
our native soil. We are constantly subject to arrests and interdiction =
for simply wanting to, in our way, give the people of the island nation =
that lies a mere 90 miles away the same rights and freedoms they, the =
U.S. themselves enjoy.=20
=20
Why does the United States still enforce an agreement with a =
nation that no longer exists? Why are our brave and selfless fighters, =
that very well resemble those that we honor on this day, treated like =
criminals for wanting to do the exact same thing that today's honorees =
have done.... fight for the freedom of their country?=20
=20
Many liberals in Congress want to re-evaluate this country's =
commitment to the embargo. They would like an end to, what they =
consider, an outdated notion. I submit that they should be considering =
ending an outdated treaty with a non-existent country that has tied the =
hands of the Cuban American community for the past 4 decades.=20
=20
Call and write your legislators and representatives and ask them =
to do away with a treaty that keeps the Castrist dictatorship, a =
dictatorship dedicated to the downfall of this very country, a country =
that gives safe haven and succor to terrorists, in power. Lets put an =
end to a treaty signed with a country that fell over a decade ago, yet =
continues to dictate U.S. foreign policy. We are not asking for American =
lives to be put on the line. We are not asking for money to fund our =
freedom. We are not asking for Uncle Sam to intercede in what are =
clearly Cuban national affairs.=20
=20
What we are seeking is the freedom to fight for the liberty of our =
bretheren on the island. What we are asking is for the same opportunity =
that the founding fathers of this nation had to seek their freedom from =
their English overlords. What we are asking is to allow the Cubans that =
are on U.S. soil to participate in shaping the future of their own =
country.=20
=20
Food for thought on this Memorial Day.=20
=20
Jose "Alex" Ybarra
=20
=20
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
Please visit my website: http://home.earthlink.net/~passaic_commish/
=20
"In Germany they came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up =
because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't =
speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade =
unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionists. =
Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a =
Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time there was no one =
left to speak up." Martin Niemoller, Protestant Pastor
=20
=20
"We did not charge hundreds of miles into the heart of Iraq, pay a =
bitter cost of casualties, defeat a ruthless dictator, and liberate 25 =
million people only to retreat before a band of thugs and assassins." =
George W. Bush
=20
"To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intellingent =
persons and the affection of children; to earn the approbation of honest =
citizens and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; =
to find the best in others; to give of one's self; to leave the world a =
bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed =
social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung =
with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you =
have lived - this is to have succeeded."
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-82), American writer, philosopher, poet, =
essayist
=20
--- Jose "Alex" Ybarra
---
--- My AOL IM Screen Name is Oraltrans2
--- My Yahoo Messenger Buddy name is qbanitocigar
--- Please Visit my Yahoo Group. =
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PassaicToday/
=20
=20
---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.686 / Virus Database: 447 - Release Date: 5/15/2004
.
|
