In a historic speech in Havana, Cuba, a president of the United States used no palliative terms to soften his description of the role played by both the government of the U.S. and that of the Republic of Cuba in sustaining the ridiculous Mexican standoff that has spanned the entirety of that same president’s very life! For the moment, that speech, which will shine in the annals of U.S. presidential profiles in courage, could have been delivered only by the likes of Barack Hussain Obama. The travel on that road toward enshrinement will of necessity be delayed, due not only to the horrendous images forthcoming from Europe, but also by the negative din emanating from the U.S. political cacophony.
The singularity of that particular U.S. presidential pronouncement also was noted by an astonished, Cuban television viewer. Stunned by all of the prohibitive expressions being widely disseminated through the media of his thought-and-word-restricted, island home – especially in the presence of one bearing the patronymic borne by two individuals who have been the successive purveyors of those restrictions – with amazing perception, this long-silenced soul remarked, “He is saying things that no other U.S. president has had the courage to say.”
Yes, indeed, as Raúl Castro sat, probably wondering why he, himself, had opened that very dangerous can of worms, Barack Obama proceeded first by saying all of the proper things about the horrific occurrences in Brussels, Belgium. He then began a review of the U.S.-Cuban standoff that began the same year his father came to America. Not only did Obama cover the political and military missteps on both sides, he also delved into those historic social and racial aspects of each country that usually are ignored by the leadership of both countries. While pointing out the failings of the U.S. government, in some aspects, he also pointedly demonstrated how those failings had been overcome through difficult but effective democratic expression in word and ballot. Obama strongly suggested that such radical applications of human expression might even be achieved on a politically besieged Caribbean island. The unease caused by such blatant heterodoxy, unleashed in the presence of Raúl Castro was noted in the hesitancy of the applause, which had been strong for all of the kumbaya pronouncements. One could imagine all of the hands-over-mouth astonishment rippling before radios and television sets throughout the island.
It was apparent that few in the U.S. were paying attention to the speech. The mere fact of Obama’s presence in Cuba was sufficient fodder for all the usual suspects. His attendance at a baseball game and continuing on the Argentina was to much for those even not among the usual suspects. The general consensus seemed to be that he should have returned to the U.S. or proceeded to Europe. No one, it appears, considers the fact that Air Force One is better fitted for global communication than the Oval Office.
***** ***** *****
BHO is caught in a web.
Where he doth roam, doth good sense ebb.
At the Pearly Gates,
Said by one who hates:
“Git! This here’s reserved for the Reb!”
Comments