Racism: Cuban Style
December 10, 2009 by blackgirlgrown
Filed under international, race
It is amazing how many African American leaders, celebrities, and the like are STILL in awe of Fidel “presidente por vida” Castro. The same goes for Hugo Chavez.
It’s borne out of a false and nostalgic sense of solidarity for the people’s poor in those countries and solidarity against the United States government. To be sure, both Castro and Chavez treat their people poorly. But how Afro-Cubanos and Afro-Venezuelanos are treated should give pause to anyone still believing the myth.
So it’s nice to see prominent African Americans understanding the plight of Afro-Cubanos.
As the Miami Herald reports (h/t Today’s Drum):
A group of prominent African Americans, traditionally sympathetic to the Cuban revolution, have for the first time condemned Cuba, demanding Havana stop its “callous disregard” for black Cubans and declaring that “racism in Cuba . . . must be confronted.”
“We know first-hand the experiences and consequences of denying civil freedoms on the basis of race,” the group declared in a statement. “For that reason, we are even more obligated to voice our opinion on what is happening to our Cuban brethren.”
Among the 60 signers were Princeton professor Cornel West, actress Ruby Dee Davis, film director Melvin Van Peebles, former South Florida congresswoman Carrie Meek, Dr. Jeremiah Wright, former pastor of President Barack Obama’s church in Chicago, and Susan Taylor, former editor in chief of Essence magazine.
Why is this important?
According to Cuban statistics released in The Challenges of the Racial Problems in Cuba 2008:
- Cuba´s total civil and public leadership is predominantly white (71%), despite a Black population of somewhere between 62-72%
- Privately owned land is 98% white; only 2% of the private sector in land is in the hands of Blacks
- In 2005, 65.8% of able-bodied Black Cubans were unemployed, whereas employment of Whites exceeded 70%. In 2009, 70% of Cuban Blacks were estimated to be unemployed
- The skyrocketing unemployment of Blacks has led to increased “black market” and other criminal activities, resulting in a prison population that is now estimated to be 85% Black
And you thought we had it bad.
