"The noblest way to avenge an insult is not to imitate he who has offended us." - Jorge Valls
We are living in an age of political polarization that is threatening democracy in the United States. On both sides of the political divide there have been calls by leaders to disregard standards of civility for the sake of political advantage. This is a mistake that endangers the Republic and opens the door to escalating political violence. Consider for a moment a small sampling of incidents of politically motivated violence and terror over the past two years.
At least five explosive devices and suspicious packages targeting the homes of George Soros, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz and the New York offices of CNN were intercepted this week. The packages had the return address of Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
On November 5, 2017 while mowing his lawn Senator Rand Paul was viciously attacked by a neighbor who is a liberal democrat. Some media accounts attempted to downplay the politically motivated nature of the attack.
On June 14, 2017 a Bernie Sanders supporter fired at least 70 rounds at Republican members of Congress while they were at baseball practice. The FBI initially claimed that the attack was spontaneous and not an act of terror, but other news contradicted this initial assessment. CNN reported months later that the shooter had cased the area for months and had taken cell phone video of the field as far back as April 2017. Six were injured. Most seriously injured was House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana.
On October 9, 2018 Hillary Clinton stated: "You cannot be civil with a political party that wants to destroy what you stand for, what you care about." Congresswoman Maxine Waters in June 2018 called on Trump opponents to target members of the Trump Administration and to engage in what amounts to acts of repudiation. President Trump has engaged in name calling and will not be accused of being a practitioner of civility.
Earlier this month in Miami, Republicans copied their Democratic counterparts in engaging in act of repudiation against Liberal Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Barbara Lee when the Congresswomen visited Miami in order to support the Democratic nominee for Congress Donna Shalala.
Protesters were particularly outraged by news that Congresswoman Barbara Lee, a supporter of the Castro dictatorship, who admires the Castro brothers and saw that admiration reciprocated by Fidel Castro in 2004 would be joining Congresswoman Pelosi in supporting Donna Shalala in Miami.
This led to a protest that ironically mirrored one of Castro's acts of repudiation. However, in Cuba these type of repudiation acts are organized by State Security to silence dissenting voices. Witnessing this I was horrified and commented on it over social media at the time.
What is not needed is shouting down political leaders in order to shutdown speech you disagree with. This holds politically true for those on the other side of the political divide. Former Iowa Congressman Jim Leach explained its essence when he observed that "Civility is not about dousing strongly held views. It's about making sure that people are willing to respect other perspectives." Sadly in too many cases this is not where many people are today.
This descent into intolerance reminded me of the words of an old friend, who is no longer physically with us and that describing Cuba in the 1950s seems prophetic today in the context of the United States.
Jorge Valls, a poet and former Cuban prisoner of conscience who had unjustly spent 20 years and 40 days in a Cuban prison passed away three years ago on October 22, 2015 in Miami. He'd fought against two dictatorships and in favor of human rights and dignity and paid a heavy price for being a free man with a conscience. He explained what happened in Cuba, and what appears relevant today in the United States.
Let us pray that his words are heeded and that there is a return to civility before its too late.
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| Poet, former prisoner of conscience Jorge Valls |
At least five explosive devices and suspicious packages targeting the homes of George Soros, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz and the New York offices of CNN were intercepted this week. The packages had the return address of Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
On November 5, 2017 while mowing his lawn Senator Rand Paul was viciously attacked by a neighbor who is a liberal democrat. Some media accounts attempted to downplay the politically motivated nature of the attack.
On June 14, 2017 a Bernie Sanders supporter fired at least 70 rounds at Republican members of Congress while they were at baseball practice. The FBI initially claimed that the attack was spontaneous and not an act of terror, but other news contradicted this initial assessment. CNN reported months later that the shooter had cased the area for months and had taken cell phone video of the field as far back as April 2017. Six were injured. Most seriously injured was House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana.
On October 9, 2018 Hillary Clinton stated: "You cannot be civil with a political party that wants to destroy what you stand for, what you care about." Congresswoman Maxine Waters in June 2018 called on Trump opponents to target members of the Trump Administration and to engage in what amounts to acts of repudiation. President Trump has engaged in name calling and will not be accused of being a practitioner of civility.
Earlier this month in Miami, Republicans copied their Democratic counterparts in engaging in act of repudiation against Liberal Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Barbara Lee when the Congresswomen visited Miami in order to support the Democratic nominee for Congress Donna Shalala.
Protesters were particularly outraged by news that Congresswoman Barbara Lee, a supporter of the Castro dictatorship, who admires the Castro brothers and saw that admiration reciprocated by Fidel Castro in 2004 would be joining Congresswoman Pelosi in supporting Donna Shalala in Miami.
This led to a protest that ironically mirrored one of Castro's acts of repudiation. However, in Cuba these type of repudiation acts are organized by State Security to silence dissenting voices. Witnessing this I was horrified and commented on it over social media at the time.
There are other ways to send Donna Shalala a message. One is not to vote for her, and politely calling Congresswoman Pelosi's and Lee's offices to explain that Congresswoman Lee's position on Cuba and friendship with the Castros was a decisive factor in how you decided your vote. Another is to write a letter to the editor or an oped piece. How about holding a protest (but make it a non-violent one) highlighting the victims of the Castro regime and why the old tyrant needs to be condemned not honored?"No one is obliged to take part in the spiritual crises of society; on the contrary, everyone is obliged to avoid the folly and live his life in order.” - Eric Voegelin https://t.co/FnWAKa5C9H— John Suarez ن (@johnjsuarez) October 20, 2018
What is not needed is shouting down political leaders in order to shutdown speech you disagree with. This holds politically true for those on the other side of the political divide. Former Iowa Congressman Jim Leach explained its essence when he observed that "Civility is not about dousing strongly held views. It's about making sure that people are willing to respect other perspectives." Sadly in too many cases this is not where many people are today.
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| Jorge Valls with Pope John Paul II |
Jorge Valls, a poet and former Cuban prisoner of conscience who had unjustly spent 20 years and 40 days in a Cuban prison passed away three years ago on October 22, 2015 in Miami. He'd fought against two dictatorships and in favor of human rights and dignity and paid a heavy price for being a free man with a conscience. He explained what happened in Cuba, and what appears relevant today in the United States.
Like Mr. Castro, I wanted a radical change in Cuban society, but I also knew that authority would never become legitimate unless the pure power of violence was submitted to reason, and strict respect for individual rights was guaranteed.My first encounter with Jorge Valls was in the 1987 documentary Nobody Listened. Janet Maslin of The New York Times in 1988 reviewed this important film at the time and highlighted the imprisoned poet:
Without civil rights, the best intentions turn into a trap, and societies become prisons and asylums. There is a danger that we become as alienated and as fierce as the evil we think we are fighting.
That is what happened in Cuba under the Castro regime. In 1964, I was convicted of "conspiracy against the state," because I testified against the Castro government in a political trial, and I spent 20 years and 40 days in jail. I don't regret my time there, because I was defending this essential respectability of the human person.
Jorge Valls, a writer, on the other hand, points out that at least ''free thinking dwelt behind prison walls; it was truly the free territory of Cuba.'' As for public free expression at the time of the revolution, Mr. Valls says: ''None of that in 1959! Just extraordinary exaltation, fanatical idolatry of the victorious warrior, and rampant folly that made everything acceptable.''Jorge in this documentary on the human rights situation in Cuba in the early years of the Castro regime gave a powerful testimony in defense of freedom of expression and human dignity that remains relevant today.
Let us pray that his words are heeded and that there is a return to civility before its too late.
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| Jorge Valls (1933-2015) |
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