Wednesday, August 07, 2013

When people write about stuff they know nothing about

(My new Babalu Blog post)


Our good friend and fellow Babalusian Humberto Fontova brought this "cheap shot attack" on Pedro Pan to our attention.
It turns out that The Latin Times wrote this about Pedro Pan and Miguel Bezos, the man who adopted Jeff Bezos:

"Miguel Bezos was born in Cuba and came to the United States alone when he was fifteen as part of Operation Peter Pan - a CIA-run program which spread rumors that Fidel Castro's government would be forcibly putting children in military schools and work camps, and helped Cuban parents place their children with host families and group homes in the United States."
Where do we start?

First, Miguel Bezos was indeed one of the 14,000 plus youngsters who came to the US.  Later, he married Jeff's mother and adopted the young boy. Frankly, I think that's something that should be applauded. My guess is that there are thousands of single mothers in the world who wish that they could find a responsible man like that.

Second, the CIA did not have to spread rumors about the Castro government putting children in "work camps." The editor of The Latin Times should have checked with thousands of our parents. They would have confirmed such a reality. I write about this in my book and the confrontation my mother had with the CDR block chief who wanted to take me to a "work camp." It was the day that my mom told a "comunista" that he would take me over her dead body. The "comunista" did not challenge my mother.

Let me assure The Latin Times that my mother did not hear it from the CIA. She heard it from the Cuban government.

All of this garbage about the CIA is exactly that, garbage. It is a narrative that the Castro regime created to justify their betrayal of the Cuban people. Sadly, there are too many people in the West who would rather believe a Castro narrative than do a little research.

Third, what is the editor's source for making a statement like that? Why didn't they link some source to the statement? My English teacher would have given me a big "red mark" if I had ever made a statement like that without a footnote! (It was footnotes not links when I was in high school)

I'm hoping that the editor of The Latin Times will come on my radio show and discuss this outrageous cheap shot against Pedro Pan children and the many volunteers who helped.

We have a word for The Latin Times, which was made popular by the late Alvarez-Guedes; that word is "comem_____a!"

P.S. We have a little homework for the Editor of The Latin Times:

1) Read Babalu everyday. You will see that we "link" sources to our statements.

2) Check out Carlos Eire, one of The Pedro Pan children. Read his memoir "Learning to die in Miami". The CIA did not pay him to write that book.

3) Read the Pedro Pan chapter in Fernando Hernandez's latest book: The Cubans: Our footprints across America. (The CIA did not pay Fernando to write this book, either)

Check out Wednesday's show with the aforementioned Fernando Hernandez:





Listen to internet radio with Silvio Canto Jr on BlogTalkRadio


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Obama's national security silence is unacceptable

(My new American Thinker post)


Day 3 of the embassy closings and now we are evacuating US personnel from the region. The UK, too!   

Again, we are not second guessing the US government. It's better to be safe than sorry.  

Nevertheless, it's fair to criticize a mind set - the idea that somehow terrorists will go away if we stop thinking about them, announce early withdrawals or promise to close GITMO.  

This mind set has not made us stronger, safer or more respected, whatever "more respected" means.  

The Washington Post makes this point today:  

"From the beginning of his tenure, the president has been reluctant to build a legal framework that would assume that the fight against al-Qaeda and like-minded groups might go on for a long time. He not only proposed closing the prison at Guantanamo, rightly given its poisonous effect on the United States' image, but he also opposed options to hold prisoners taken in future operations. That may be one reason so many alleged terrorists have been killed during his time in office and so few captured. It also helps explain the quandary the United States faces with its non-Afghan prisoners when it transfers control of the Bagram prison to Afghanistan. The United States is holding prisoners of war without fully acknowledging the war. The president also has sought to minimize U.S. involvement in dangerous countries as much and as quickly as possible. He failed to negotiate a follow-on force in Iraq, where violence is again spiraling out of control. He has resisted engagement in Syria, where vicious brigades associated with al-Qaeda are establishing beachheads. He has provided little assistance to Tunisia or Libya, where emerging democracies are struggling to contain Islamist militias. He surged troops to Afghanistan but simultaneously announced a timetable for their withdrawal, which is underway."
Add to this fine editorial that President Obama has not addressed the American people about any of these events. 

We have a president who went out of his way to talk to the press about the Martin/Zimmerman verdict.  He is now on an economic speaking tour as well.  He will speak to Jay Leno again.     

Do you recall the last time that a modern US president was so silent about issues of national security?  I can't.   
 


Tags: President Obama's silence on national security   To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the My View by Silvio Canto, Jr. Thanks!

THE CURTIS REPORT & "CUBANOS IN WISCONSIN"


Last Sunday, I had a chance to speak with The Curtis Report about "Cubanos in Wisconsin".  It was great!

HERE IS THE SHOW LINK:



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