"Frank Velgara, Presente!

  To me, this group has changed greatly in how it functions since Frank Velgara passed away. I had been able to attend Cuba, Si meetings on a regular basis until I was elected by the listeners of WBAI radio to the Local Station Board and had asked several times if Cuba Si, (which began officially when Fidel passed and joined the ancestors. I remember having a meeting in the cafeteria of 1199 to plan the commemoration of his passing. It was then  that we voted on the name "Cuba, Si".) could change the Wed on which it meets  so that I would be able to still be active in the group. The Local Station Board of WBAI meets and has met on the 2nd Wednesday of every month. Right away, Cuba, Si was not willing to be flexible and thus I have not been able to attend regular meetings for the past 3 years.  Obviously, it would have been impossible to change the day and time that the Local Station Board of WBAI met as this change would have effected thousands of people whereas the change of the day that Cuba,  Si meetings are held wouldn't have been that disruptive to Cuba, Si. That was the first time I had an inclination that the Cuba, Si  is truly not inclusive.  That is not acceptable. 
I would like to know why this group voted to kick me off of the email list serve so that now I can't post but only receive posts. What was the hateful reasoning for this? You all need to know that your voting me off of the email list serve has been made public to those groups that Cuba, Si does work with on a regular basis such as The People's Forum and IFCO/Pastors for Peace. Stop the hate. Its repulsive and not how to run any group especially by people who propose to be Cuba activists,  I have also let this be known to people who also used to be active in Cuba, Si  until recently because  planning wasn't done in a  timely manner and the work was no longer happening in a collaborative manner as it was prior to Frank's passing.   
But this is not about me as a comrade reminded me regarding writing this statement. This is about Cuba, Cuba, Si and truly including everyone. That is how Cuba works and thus Cuba, Si needs to take an example from that country. It is also been my observation in attending the demonstrations that Cuba, Si has organized without my ideas being represented like still not handing out bi-lingual flyers, Cuba, Si never had a car caravan in Brooklyn near the Brooklyn Public Library and the Farmers Market as I had suggested. I also had many ideas for doing outreach and getting youth involved however those ideas were never carried out. That's what true movement building is about no matter what the movement or specific cause is.  Cuba, Si was a larger group prior to Frank's passing . Many members who are no longer active were shocked to hear that I was voted to be taken off of the email list serve.  They were  shocked and angered by this because they know that I am all about everyone being involved. Seriously, I would like an explanation of why people voted me off the email list serve. For me, its a form of fascism as  Ike and others post things however I am prohibited from responding.  That states, too, that this group is not interested in what I have to say about things.  Its disrespectful, disregards freedom of speech and politically, is not at all appropriate.  
Ever since I was a child, there has been a conflict between Israel and Palestine. I am Jewish however my parents were very political and I consider myself a cultural Jewish person. Growing up, we celebrated Jewish holidays for my grandparents and my nephews were both circumcised because their mothers parents were both Holocaust survivors. I have learned in all of my  years of being political, that the conflict about Israel/Palestine is still the subject which Jewish people cannot discuss with others  because though they are not anti-Semitic, some Jewish people simply don't want to hear about sharing land.  Is this group so hesitant to come out with a much stronger statement about Israel/Palestine due to some Jewish members feeling hesitant about making a stronger statement such as the one that The People's Forum did due to them having dividing thoughts about any small amount of rights that Israel thinks they have?  I don't know about anyone in this group however I am a Revolutionary.  People in Cuba, Si need to understand that the same literal starving out and preventing medicines and other life saving necessities and not providing medicines and other life saving items not to mention not allowing other countries to do business with Cuba is equal to Biden's approval of what Israel is doing to Gaza and Palestine and our tax dollars pay for that. If Cuba. Si doesn't think the illegal blockade is such a good idea, they need to understand that what has been going on in Israel against Palestine including the latest attack which began on  Oct 7, is the same thing. Its a different country but its for the same reasons. True Revolutionaries stand up for Palestine as well as for Cuba.  I started receiving feeds in my Facebook page of dead children in Palestine due  to Palestine   being bombed by Israel. This has only worsened.  On Sunday, Feb 4, I am going to yet another demonstration for Palestine organized by The People's Forum at Bryant Park.  
That movement is growing larger and larger. Code Pink just did an action to support the group at the UN which supports Palestine by giving food, water and other essential life saving supplies.  It is not only disappointing but disheartening and shows that this group is truely not a Revolutionary one.  It is no surprise to me that  people who do attend demonstrations which stand up for Palestine say what they have said about Cuba, Si. Cuba, Si refuses to come out with a stronger public statement about Israel/Palestine especially regarding the war that began on Oct 7 similar to the one which The People's Forum and IFCO/Pastors for Peace came out with shortly after Oct 7. Politically, it is just  bad and as I have reported to this group before this time, though I was accused of fabricating or lying about what I reported,  I was told that this grpup has been accused of being zionist due to their basic non statement. You can believe what you want. I usually believe what people in the street at a demonstration say.  Cuba, Si did not come out with as strong a statement as The People's Forum and IFCO/Pastors for Peace.   Many times people are accused of fabricating or lying about things as they are not comfortable about hearing what others think about them. Silence is compliance.  Cuba, Si has said that it wants to get bigger and really work to end the illegal blockade as well as  have Cuba removed from the State Terrorist List.  The chief way you can accomplish these acts are to join the demonstrations for Palestine with a banner so it is quite visible as to who you are, what you stand for, ensure that all flyers given out are bi-lingual and invite people who you engage with at demonstrations to join  you.  Revolution entails knowing and acknowledging that the war on Palestine and the illegal blockade on Cuba serve the same purpose. It doesn't matter what religion one is. It matters that the United States continues to do murderous things to the good people of Cuba and to the good people of Palestine for the same reason(s). 
It doesn't matter. No one will read this because most people don't read long emails especially from someone they voted off the email list serve and wouldn't rearrange their Wednesday's to include a member in their monthly Wednesday meetings  That's fascistic, not inclusive and put simply, not cool.
 But I do not need Cuba Si to promote ending the illegal blockade or to get the U. S. government to remove Cuba from the State Terrorist list.  There are other groups and young people who understand that these struggles are all one and have to do with fighting zionism and racism.  Recently, the young people who speak at demonstrations for Palestine do in fact understand that the illegal blockade of Cuba and the murdering of Palestinians and starving them out mention are one and the same and they have added the illegal blockade of Cuba when they speak.  If the Presient of Cuba can both lead a demonstration in Havana for Palestine and lead one as well in New York upon leaving the Cuban Mission Cuba, Si can stand for Palestine and write a more inclusive and powerful statement. It would only bode well for Cuba, Si,
Before I forget- It was suggested by a comrade that I demand an apology from the Cuba, Si member who accused me of fabricating and lying about the report I made to Cuba, Si which was that Cuba, Si has been accused of being a zionist organization as a result of them not standing up publicly for Palestine and because their statement about Palestine barely passes.  I am not a liar not do I appreciate bieng accused of being one. This reminds me of what destroyed both the Black Panther Party and the Young Lords-fabrications and lies. Should I not receive an apology, I will be making that public as well. Most of the time, people accuse others of being liars because they are not comfortable about what they hear people think about them. Man or person up.  Its sad to me because I so fondly remember my accuser and I sitting upstairs from the auditorium in the Riverside Church when the Presidents of Venezuela and Cuba came to speak at the United Nations and gave us an audience at the Riverside Church that same evening. While the security checks were being made, my accuser and I sat and talked about Cuba and enjoyed reminiscing about our different trips there.  
But thats ok. You continue on.  Buena Suerte con su trabaja-to translate-”Good luck with your work”.
See you in the streets.  
As we say in Spanish-"alla tu” That means "this is on you".