AMID CHANTS OF 'CUBA SI! BLOCKADE NO!'
Cuban baseball team routs Baltimore Orioles 12-6
By
Sharon Black
Baltimore
May 3 was an incredible night for the Cuban people and their
supporters in Maryland and around the world. Cuba's National
Baseball Team beat the pants off the Baltimore Orioles, a Major
League Baseball club, 12-6.
Supporters in the bleachers were breathless and hoarse from
shouting. From Camden Yards to Havana there was celebration and
jubilation.
While some preferred to see it as a night of sports with no
political significance, it was impossible to do so. The Cuban
team represented the "little guy" in the sense that they played
this game in the U.S., where sports owners and the businesses
surrounding sports reap millions and millions of dollars in
profits.
It's different in Cuba. Players are paid like other workers
and there are no big owners or businesses making obscene
profits on the game. Sports in Cuba is about love for the game.
And the Cuban people take tremendous pride in their athletes
and the cultural accomplishments of their people.
Cuba has endured a 40-year war waged by the colossal U.S.
imperialist government and military in the form of invasions,
attempts to assassinate President Fidel Castro, and an inhuman
blockade that has imposed economic hardship on the Cuban
people.
It's in this context that the Cuban/
Oriole's game was played.
Also remarkable was the tremendous support that Cuba has
aroused within the borders of the U.S. Close to 500 people from
Baltimore, Miami, New York, Washington and other areas rallied
for Cuba outside the stadium before the game.
Leslie Salgado of the Howard County Friends of Central
America and Andre Powell of the All-People's Congress chaired
the activity.
Salgado declared, "This is a tremendous victory for
everyone. We are here today to celebrate this game and we have
brought together people from all of the communities, including
Cuban Americans, to say no to the embargo of Cuba and yes to
friendship with Cuba."
Powell said, "I am representing the African American
community in Baltimore that welcomes the Cuban delegation. I
have traveled to Cuba and seen the gains Cuba has made in
fighting racism." Powell later presented a resolution from the
Baltimore City Council proclaiming "its unyielding friendship
with the Cuban people."
Cuban American groups were well represented. Speakers from
the Alliance of Cuban Workers in Miami, the Antonio Maceo
Brigade and Radio Progresso made it clear that anti-Cuba
protesters did not represent all Cuban Americans.
Sally Davies, president of AFSCME Local 1072, declared:
"Only a few blocks from here are thousands of workers who don't
have the right to sit down with their boss and bargain over
their wages. Many make so little that they qualify for food
stamps. But Cuba's constitution directs the government to
support, protect and stimulate the unions. We in the union
movement have much to learn from Cuba, which provides free
health care, education and other benefits to its people."
Unity for Action President Bill Goodin and Marshall Eddie
Conway Support Committee representative Dessalies Kambon
described their support for the Cuban baseball players based on
the shared African heritage of their people.
International Peace for Cuba Appeal leader Teresa Gutierrez
proclaimed, "There are no homeless people lying in the streets
in Cuba like there are here in Baltimore. There are no victims
of police killings like James Quarles. There are no Mumia
Abu-Jamals in Cuba. This is why we must support Cuba and call
for an end to the blockade."
Cops, anti-Cuba protesters
work together
Anti-Cuba protesters gathered at the other end of the
stadium. This group was funded and promoted by the right-wing
Cuban American National Foundation, which poured thousands of
dollars into the counter-protest, paying participants and
lobbying city officials.
The day before the game, officials announced there would be
no arrests of demon strators, only citations. This came after
Cuba supporters were threatened with jail and detention. The
public announcement was seen as a green light for the anti-Cuba
forces, who have a long history of violence.
Police allowed anti-Cuba protesters to violate a neutral
buffer zone that was to be set between the rallies for and
against Cuba.
During the game, anti-Cuba protesters were allowed to run
onto the field. Police appeared surprised and only
half-heartedly keeping them off. Finally, Cuban umpire Cesar
Valdez had enough. He tackled a reactionary who was disrupting
the game and threw him to the ground while supporters of the
Cuban team in the bleachers cheered and chanted "Cuba si!
Blockade no!"
But the small anti-Cuba protest could not dampen the
tremendous victory for Cuba both on and off the field. A blow
had been struck against the blockade and the many friends won
to support the Cuban people will help push back those forces in
the U.S. that want to attack, invade and dismantle the gains of
Cuba's socialist revolution.
This article is copyright under a Creative Commons License.
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