Argentinian library blogger on Cuba
I would like to turn your attention to a thoughtful post by Argentinian librarian Edgardo Civallero on Cuba and the debate surrounding the “independent library movement.” Edgardo blogs mostly in Spanish, but also in English, for our benefit. Though he is a self-identified anarchist and anti-authoritarian he’s sympathetic toward Cuba and sees that society from a better informed perspective than most North Americans. I would say that if you follow the Cuba debate you shouldn’t miss Edgardo’s commentary.
5 comments on “Argentinian library blogger on Cuba”
What a treasure. ¡Un tesoro!
Hmm, that is an excellent and very thoughtful post indeed. It is just the type of thing more people up in the States ought to read. I read the English (could have read the Spanish I guess, but I used your link). Anyways, if that is his translation, it is better than a lot of other translators I have read. Anyhow, very well written and informed. As your other commenter said, “un tesoro.”
Best, and keep on blogging.
Those who share Mr. Civallero’s preconceptions might find his essay thoughtful. To me it is just a rehash of what I have seen elsewhere — praising Cuba as a supposedly free society, treating criticism of the government’s repressive policies as it such criticism is an attack on the Cuban people (based on the assumption that most Cubans support such repression), and portraying Robert Kent as if he were the antichrist. Interesting new accusation: that Robert Kent has blocked access to his website from Cuba. I can’t imagine why he would do this, and do not believe it is true. In fact, is not internet access restricted in Cuba?
El Sr Denney habla del pueblo cubano y de la realidad cubana con una ignorancia total, fruto de su entusiasta consumo de propaganda contra Cuba. Curioso caso de autointoxicación desinformativa. Critica a la sociedad cubana como si viviese en una sociedad ideal, libre y democrática, pero olvida que también con mucho entusiasmo apoya a un gobierno, como el de su paÃs, que secuestra, tortura, espÃa censura y reprime, sin hablar de que es responsable por la quema de millones de volumenes en Irak. ¿Quizás debamos empezar por ahà la discusión? En efecto, el Sr Kent no es el Anticristo. Debemos guardar algún respeto por las figuras bÃblicas. No será posible encontrar en la Biblia ninguna referencia al Anticristo como espÃa fracasado en Cuba,a donde arribó el Sr Kent , haciéndose llamar Robert Emmet, con abundante material de espionaje con el objetivo de espiar la casa de un alto funcionario gubernamental. Fracasado como espÃa, y mucho más como propagandista, serÃa más justo compararlo con el Inspector Closeau, de la serie fÃlmica “La Pantera Rosa”
I don’t claim to have any expertise on Cuba, but I would not say I am totally ignorant either. I read the accounts of respected human rights organizations such as Amnesty International or Human Rights Watch on Cuba. I also read the spirited debates that have taken place on various library related forums. If people want to establish their own libraries or newspapers or express political opinions they should be free to do so, whether in Cuba or any other part of the world. No one with a modicum of self-respect or intellectual honesty can defend the rigged political trials and draconian prison sentences imposed on Cuban dissidents three years ago. And speaking of propaganda, in Cuba all the information organs are ultimately subservient to the ideology of the ruling Communist party.
As to Robert Kent I disagree to some extent with his confrontational style, and have told him so, to no avail. But what I have seen from defenders of the Cuban regime is a constant, relentless series of personal attacks, treating him as if he is some kind of inhuman punching bag. And here in this cited blog entry, we have an individual claiming that Mr. Kent is somehow blocking access to his website from Cuba. On the face of that it is completely absurd. But no one here objects to that kind of attack.
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