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Impromptus
"Surprise!" &c.
By Jay Nordlinger, National
Review, June 21, 2005.
Something remarkable happened on Saturday
night. The Cuban Interests Section in Washington
held a little soirée. That's not
so remarkable. What's remarkable is that
it was brilliantly disrupted by freedom
activists.
A group called Professionals in the City
arranged the soirée. They're described
as "a social and networking organization"
(and you can see for yourself, at their
website).
Let me give you a taste of an article about
the event. The complete article is found
here, on a website called TheRealCuba. Scroll
down to the piece headed "Freedom network
outdoes Castro's Security in its own nest."
Saturday night Cuban officials expelled
a group of peaceful advocates from a gala
at the Cuban Interests Section in Washington
for distributing cards allusive to repression
in Cuba. Party organizers had ignored numerous
calls and e-mails objecting to Cuba's totalitarian
regime and asking for the event to be canceled
or the venue changed.
The black tie event at $89-99 per guest
was organized by Professionals in the City,
a social and networking organization. It
had been heavily promoted as an extremely
unique opportunity "to explore the
culture, cuisine, and music of Cuba, one
of the most fascinating and misunderstood
nations of our time."
Partygoers were promised "a true Havana
evening," at the "gorgeous mansion
with thick red carpet and crystal chandeliers."
The house, built in 1917, was once the official
embassy of Cuba. A scrumptious buffet, flowing
alcohol, music, and dance followed salsa
lessons held two days before.
Okay, here's where it gets interesting.
Some freedom-and-democracy types who had
infiltrated the event started to hand out
cards, which highlighted oppression in Cuba
(e.g., the imprisonment of Oscar Biscet,
among many others). The activists were quickly
set upon by Castro's agents and thrown out.
In one case, a woman . . . was surrounded
by several male agents and angrily told
she had to leave as they grabbed her cards.
When she refused to hand over the cards,
two agents squeezed her strongly by both
arms. As they pulled her down the stairs,
she began crying out "Freedom for Cuba."
On Sunday, she proudly showed off her bruises
as her father's day gift to her dad, killed
when she was a toddler at the Bay of Pigs
after he had fought under Castro for democracy
in Cuba.
Nice going, sister. Same with all the rest.
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