Speak Softly and Carry a Big Megaphone to Throw
Although the issue has died down somewhat by now, the rumblette in Little Havana the other day between the exile group Vigilia Mambisa in support of alleged terrorist Luis Posada and some new outfit calling themselves The Bolivarian Youth had the blogosphere stirred, if not shaken, for a while. Posts and comment threads on Stuck on the Palmetto, Critical Miami, Miami Nights, 26th Parallel, and Mambi Watch, to name a few, had a lot of people snarling and playing with their shit in public. And as always, there was loud talk about the way “those Cubans” conduct themselves like the very totalitarian assholes they claim to be so pissed off about back in Cuba.
Great fun, but for my money, only the meta-issue is worth the ag: Was it wrong for the exile rightwingnut fascist group to physically attack the sloganeering moonbats on the left? Or were they performing a kind of unsolicited public sanitation service?
Then I encountered this article in today’s paper, which, while hardly breaking new ground (or wind) in the debate, phrases it nicely:
A federal judge dismissed a freedom-of-speech lawsuit by members of a conservative Christian group who were arrested while picketing a street festival for gay men and lesbians. “There is no constitutional right to drown out the speech of another person,” the judge, Lawrence F. Stengel of Federal District Court, wrote. Organizers of the 2004 festival initially tried to block the bullhorn-wielding, antigay protesters from entering the event. The police allowed them to enter, but they were surrounded by gay activists blowing whistles. Eleven demonstrators were arrested after they refused a directive to move to another spot. — NY Times
“There is no constitutional right to drown out the speech of another person.” I suppose that includes clocking a protester with a megaphone, as is alleged by the Baloneyian Youth.
The matter has been referred to the police. Let’s keep an eye out for more amusement.
January 25th, 2007 at 1:11 pm
How come the police were on-site? Here in Miami they tend to disappear. Unless, of course, the protesters are potential terrorists like environmentalists and anti-globalization groups at the FTAA conference.
January 25th, 2007 at 1:31 pm
This is exactly how Miami Cubans earned their lousy national reputation. Antics like this, when reported around the country, convince people that they’re no better than the repressive government they left behind and complain about. Bombs under cars, screaming communista! at everybody they disagree with, threatening radio hosts and newspaper reporters, etc., that’s all the stupid shit they need to leave behind, no matter how irritating the provocation. But even today, as this incident shows, they fall for the bait every time.
I know better. I live here. I know that pack of snarl rats doesn’t speak for everybody. But image is important, and they’ve earned the whole community a bad one.
January 25th, 2007 at 2:51 pm
I’m Puerto Rican (mostly), and lots of my friends and colleagues are Cuban, and over the years I get the distinct impression that they’re just kind of fed up and tired listening to these wingnut types. They’re reluctant to say anything (to me, anyway) because so many of their older relatives are from that old school. Nobody likes Castro, period. Most people believe there are better ways to fight the battle than behave like him. Just my observation.
January 25th, 2007 at 4:01 pm
Fuck the Miami Cubans. They whine more than even the Miami Jews.
January 25th, 2007 at 4:31 pm
Bolivarian Youth are useless. They get in my way I kick their asses too. Free speech doesn’t mean you get to be an asshole whenever you want at the top of your voice.
January 25th, 2007 at 5:05 pm
Are there really people walking around Miami in the 21st century who don’t know that in America we have constitutionally guaranteed freedom of expression? And what that means? If they don’t, why did they break their asses to come to America in the first place?
January 25th, 2007 at 5:10 pm
Bitter, centuries-old political aquabbles that divide people and nations should be left back in the nation that gave rise to them. Come to America and start over. This from an Irishmen who’s lost friends and family in Londonderry and Belfast, and in ways too sad to recount.
January 26th, 2007 at 10:00 am
Which ones are the good guys and which are the bad guys? From what I can gather here in massachusetts, right wing gay Cubans walked into a festival of Terrorists…..what the fuck?????
Tom Lehrer sang it best in “National Brotherhood Week”, same song updated for a different year:
Oh, the white folks hate the black folks,
And the black folks hate the white folks.
To hate all but the right folks
Is an old established rule.
But during national brotherhood week, national brotherhood week,
‘Right wing folks and gays and lezzies” are dancing cheek to cheek.
It´s fun to eulogize
The people you despise,
As long as you don´t let ´em in your school.etc