Protest Cuban Exhibit © 2003 ABIP

Fidel Castro, an ally of deposed tyrant Saddam Hussein and international terrorist organizations, in April 2003 summarily executed three black men who wanted to escape his plantation island and sent 75 pro-democracy activists to jail. To date he is continuing to repress others who want freedom and democracy.

According to Reuters on May 13, 2003, “The Bush administration is expelling 14 Cuban diplomats for engaging in ‘activities inconsistent with diplomatic status,’ a U.S. official said on Tuesday, using diplomatic language that can refer to spying.”

Between May 17 and May 20 (the anniversary of Cuba’s real independence) there will be protests against the ongoing Castro regime’s repression in Miami; Washington, D.C.; New York; Spain; Germany; Sweden; Brazil and Costa Rica.

But on May 17 from 2 to 6 p.m., the Josephine Butler Mansion, 2437 15th Street N.W. in Washington, D.C. (202-210-1015) will have an art exhibit of the paintings of Cuban artists living in Castro’s Cuba.

Jews and black Americans would be understandably offended and would not allow official artists from a Nazi regime or one with ties to white supremacists to hold an art exhibit on U.S. soil. Why is it OK or even admirable to constantly offend Cuban Americans with such activities, as if we are a subhuman minority?

Castro has been extremely consistent in his methods and hatred of the U.S. for 44 years. An art exhibit in Washington, D.C., is not going to change him. Anyone who thinks it might is a sad fool. The effect of the thousands of such “engagement” activities over the years is to give credibility to this mass murderer and pain and humiliation to his victims.

I cannot understand why the Bush administration continues to foster these foolish programs of the Clinton era allowing official Cuban artists to come to exhibit or to perform music and promote their CDs and films, resulting in U.S. dollars going into Castro’s coffers.

Cuba is a terrorist country as designated by the U.S. State Department and a major, consistent, long-term violator of human rights. Castro is a mass murderer (he has caused the deaths of 110,794 human beings and counting), he is a declared enemy of the U.S.A. and, according to eyewitnesses in Cuba, he is harboring many of the unaccountable Saddam Hussein henchmen and their families in Cuba who began arriving via Air France in April 2003.

So please call the White House, 202-456-1414, asking for the cancellation of these “cultural” events with Castro’s Cuba.