September 23, 2015
Page 7
O PINION
Opinion articles do not necessarily represent the views of the
Portland Observer. We welcome reader essays, photos and
story ideas. Submit to news@portlandobserver.com.
The Challenges of US and Cuba Relations
A new
time and
moment for
SHDFHPDNHUV
BY A NGEL
L. R IVERA -A GOSTO
,Q &XEDQ 6SDQ-
LVK MDUJRQ WKHUH
LV D SKUDVH WKH\
use to make bad
WKLQJV RU KDSSHQ-
ings go away. For
H[DPSOH LI LQ WKH
middle of the night
SHRSOHOLVWHQWRWKH
song of the owl, considered an
ominous bird by farmers, they
would say without hesitation,
³6RODYD\D´ $OVR ZKHQ SDVV-
ing a funeral, they would say
“Solavaya” to chase away the
death.
, VXVSHFW WKDW VRPHWKLQJ
bad stayed behind on Dec. 17,
2014, when President Obama
VDLGWKH86IRUHLJQSROLF\WR
Cuba had been “a failure.” I
want to think that a new time
has started for the relations be-
tween the two countries.
I recently attended a meet-
ing in Cuba. I sat with Cubans
and we shared our
best wishes for the
future. They also
raised some real
TXHVWLRQV7KH ¿UVW
RQH LV ,I WKHUH LV
an ending to our
KLVWRULFSROLFLHVUH-
garding Cuba, what
is it that we would be starting?
,WLVDOPRVWLPSRVVLEOHWRWKLQN
that the United States would
JLYH XS LWV SROLF\ FRQFHUQLQJ
Cuba entirely. Cuba has always
ranked high on the list of for-
HLJQ SROLF\ FRQFHUQV IRU WKH
United States.
$QRWKHUTXHVWLRQUDLVHGZDV
Are we talking about a change
of tactics, but same strategy as
always? The truth is that Cuba
UHVLVWHGDQDJJUHVVLYH86SRO-
icy for more than 40 years with
no concessions. That was an
extraordinary show of external
strength.
Nonetheless, it is said that
the strength of any country to
deal with international relations
is measured by internal forces.
The internal reality of Cuba is
one where it has demonstrated
its ability to sustain a survival-
ist economy, but it takes more
WKDQWKDWWRGHYHORSDFRXQWU\
A third challenge arises from
WKH JHRSROLWLFDO ¿HOG RI /DWLQ
America. The recent “Bolivar-
LDQFRQVFLHQFH´GHYHORSHGE\
Hugo Chavez and some other
Latin American leaders, was
GHPRQVWUDWHG LQ WKHLU ¿UP GH-
sire to include Cuba in any
KHPLVSKHULF VXPPLW 7KDW
combined with U.N. votes
against Cuban blockade, has
SXVKHG WKH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV WR
UHHYDOXDWH LWV SRVLWLRQV LQ WKH
face of a more united continent.
There is still a fourth chal-
OHQJH7KHPDMRULW\RIWKHSHR-
SOHLQWKH8QLWHG6WDWHVGRQRW
want to maintain the blockade.
&KXUFKHV KDYH SOD\HG D IXQ-
damental role on changing the
ZD\ WKH $PHULFDQ SHRSOH VHH
Cuba.
(YHQ XQOLNHO\ VXSSRUWHUV LQ
86 SROLWLFV DUH VD\LQJ WKDW
WKHEORFNDGHKDVLPSDFWHGWKH
United States more than Cuba.
Numbers talk –– estimates
of the sanctions’ annual cost to
the U.S. economy range from
$1.2 to $3.6 billion, according
to the U.S. Chamber of Com-
merce.
The idea of lifting the block-
DGHLVFRPSOLFDWHGIURPD&X-
EDQ SHUVSHFWLYH WRR ,W FDQ
seem threatening, as the glo-
EDOL]HG FDSLWDOLVW HFRQRP\
would rush into the island the
ZD\ D ³%D\ RI 3LJV´ JURXS RI
invading soldiers couldn’t.
What will it mean for the val-
ues and achievements of Cu-
ban revolution?
This is an excellent moment
IRUDOOSHDFHPDNHUVWRVD\³6R-
ODYD\D´ WR DOO EDG LQÀXHQFHV
IURP WKH SDVW DQG WR ZRUN RQ
IULHQGO\DQGMXVWUHODWLRQVZLWK
our brothers and sisters in
&XED ,W LV WLPH WKDW 86 SRO-
icymakers remember Jesus’
teachings to “love God with all
your heart ... and your neighbor
DV \RXUVHOYHV´ 0DUN
31)
Angel L. Rivera-Agosto is
the Latin America and the Ca-
ribbean area executive for Jus-
tice Ministries in the United
Church of Christ.
A Movement One Year after #MikeBrown
)RUVRPHSROLFH
DQGSROLWLFLDQV
UHVSRQVHKDVQRW
matured
N ICOLE L EE
$QWLFLSDWLRQ IRU
the commemora-
tion of the one-
year anniversary
of the killing of
Mike Brown Jr. by
then-Ferguson Po-
OLFH 2I¿FHU 'DUUHQ:LOVRQ ZDV KLJK
Clergy community and civil leaders,
gathered to remember “Mike-Mike”’s
OLIHGHDWKDQGDIWHUPDWKWKDWVSDUNHG
a movement.
While Mike Brown’s death unfor-
tunately was not wholly unique, the
UHVSRQVH IURP WKH FRPPXQLW\ ZDV
Community members stayed in the
VWUHHW SXEOLFO\ SURWHVWLQJ DQG QHY-
HU ZHQW KRPH 2SHQ GH¿DQFH ODVWHG
KXQGUHGV RI GD\V (YHQ DIWHU WKH SR-
lice brought out dogs and tear gas, the
community refused to back down.
These acts of civil disobedience in-
VSLUHG SHRSOH DURXQG WKH FRXQWU\ WR
defy the initial storyline of “looters”
DQG³ULRWHUV´DQGWRORRNWRWKHGHHSHU
LVVXHVDWSOD\LQ)HUJXVRQ
7KLVDQQLYHUVDU\ZDVPHWZLWKSUR-
BY
WHVWVDQGUHQHZHGFDOOVIRUMXVWLFHEXW
it was also greeted by music, concerts,
SUD\HU YLJLOV DQG VWUDWHJ\ VHVVLRQV
While the goals remained steadfast
among demonstrators and concerned
IRONVWKHUHZDVGLYHUVLW\LQDSSURDFK
and tactics.
Activists, artists and religious
OHDGHUV ZHUH UHWURVSHFWLYH ZLWK D
OH
k keen eye toward all that still must
b be won. The future of a movement
ZDVLQWKHKDQGVRIQRWMXVW)HUJX-
Z
s son but the nation and as a move-
PHQW LW PXVW EH SUHSDUHG WR DFW
P
locally and nationally.
lo
<HWWKHUHVSRQVHRIWKHSROLFHDQG
VRPH SROLWLFLDQV LQ 6W /RXLV &RXQW\
has not maturated. Once again, vehi-
cles and armament reminiscent of war
scenes, rolled onto West Florrisant in
Ferguson.
On the anniversary of Mike Brown’s
death while a concert headlined by
Talib Kweli and Common rocked the
QLJKWLQ)HUJXVRQWKHSROLFHRUGHUHG
DJURXSRISURWHVWHUVWRGLVSHUVH0R-
ments later, they teargassed the very
SDWK WKH SROLFH RUGHUHG SURWHVWHUV WR
WDNH $ \HDUROG JLUO ZDV SXW LQ
KDQGFXIIV $ KDQGLFDSSHG YHWHUDQ
was maced and tackled to the ground.
Armed white vigilantes roamed the
streets of Ferguson while once again
EODFN SURWHVWHUV IRXQG WKHPVHOYHV
SXEOLFHQHP\
7KH QH[W GD\ SURWHVWHUV WRRN WR
Highway 70 shutting it down for 15
minutes. Those demonstrators who
were nearly run over by an angry
driver were charged with assault.
Demonstrators and onlookers were
DUUHVWHG PDQ\ NHSW LQ KDQGFXIIV IRU
XSWRKRXUV
These actions are merely a mani-
IHVWDWLRQ RI WKH GHHSHU VWUXFWXUDO LV-
sues that remain in St. Louis County.
The entrenched system, never im-
SURYHGE\WKHFLYLOULJKWVPRYHPHQW
FRQWLQXHVWR¿JKWUHIRUPDQGSXQLVK
those calling for it.
6W /RXLV &RXQW\¶V PXQLFLSDOLWLHV
had a banner year in terms of arrests
DQG¿QHVFROOHFWHGIURPLWVUHVLGHQWV
)HUJXVRQKDVUHMHFWHGWKH¿UVWGUDIWRI
WKH FRQVHQW GHFUHH SUHVHQWHG E\ WKH
'HSDUWPHQWRI-XVWLFHLQRUGHUWRDPH-
OLRUDWHLWVUDFLVWSROLFLQJSUDFWLFHV
In an equally brazen move, the
county executive for St. Louis Coun-
W\ KDV GHFLGHG WR SXUVXH FULPLQDO
FKDUJHV DJDLQVW SURWHVWHUV 7KHVH
charges go as far back as last August
DQG RXU FDVHV WKDW WKH VWDWH SURVHFX-
WRU DQG WKH PXQLFLSDOLWLHV FKRVH QRW
WRSXUVXH
I think of the ways in which St.
Louis County continues to defy con-
ventional wisdom treating its own
citizens as enemy combatants every
time I hear criticism of the tactics of
Black Lives Matter activists. From
colleagues to comment sections,
there is a constant refrain citing tac-
WLFV RYHU VXEVWDQFH &ULWLTXHV RI SR-
litical targets over the terror black
communities are facing calls to ques-
WLRQRXUSULRULWLHVDVDQDWLRQ
One year out, I think the tactics of
GLVUXSWLRQ FRXSOHG ZLWK VWURQJ SRO-
icy recommendations that quickly
evolved into reform is the only way
to manifest that black lives matter.
The Butcher’s Bill is growing with
so many dead black men and women
at the hands of law enforcement it is
GLI¿FXOWWRNHHSWUDFNRIWKHKDVKWDJV
If a 12-year-old in handcuffs or in a
body bag is not enough to shake the
HQWLUH FRXQWU\ IURP LWV FRPSODFHQW
VOXPEHUSHUKDSVLWLVQRWVRH[WUHPH
WKDWSHRSOHFRQWLQXHWRXWLOL]HWDFWLFV
that bring them face-to-face with mil-
LWDU\ YHKLFOHV DQG GLVDSSURYDO IURP
SROLWLFDOSDUWLHV
One year out, something must
JLYH1RWMXVWLQ)HUJXVRQEXWLQWKH
hearts, minds, and actions of Amer-
LFDQV HYHU\ZKHUH 7KH WUXWK PDQ\
RI XV VLPSO\ FDQ¶W JR KRPH KRSLQJ
WKDWWKHSURWHVWVZLOODEDWHDQGWKLQJV
will go back to normal. Many of us
DUH¿JKWLQJWKLVV\VWHPOLNHRXUOLYHV
GHSHQGRQLW%HFDXVHIRUVRPHRIXV
they do.
Nicole Lee is the co-founder of the
Black Movement Law Project and the
immediate past president of TransA-
frica.