Sunday, July 02, 2006
Gays in Cuba, again (and more)
Just three days ago, I wrote: "The 'Cuba mistreats homosexuals' meme is one that comes up routinely, as it did here two days ago, and previously as well." And, what do you know, the latest copy of The Nation arrived in my mailbox yesterday, with its very first letter to the editor, on the subject of the courage of artists writing protest songs, containing this "example" of a supposed "real" artist of courage: "Or a Cuban singing a song to protest Castro's treatment of gays." As I said, the story that will not die.
On the subject of The Nation, an article (for subscribers only) by Counterpunch's Alexander Cockburn, while correctly (in my opinion, obviously) critiquing the liberal blogosphere for obsessing about Karl Rove, makes the absurd claim that the "blogosphere" (sorry, Skippy) are "loonies, beyond any sanction or reproof by reality." A statement that, without qualifiers, is indeed loony.
And, while we're on the subject of Cuba, the latest issue of Socialism and Liberation magazine has an article which addresses the question of "is Cuba socialist?" (in the face of those on the left who argue in the negative, in favor of a description of "state capitalist"). Worth reading if you have questions on that score.
