PLAYA, SISTER CITY IN CUBA?
Did I miss something?
 
 
On the front page of last week's East Hampton Star (April 14, 2001) was a story of East Hampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman's and East Hampton Town Board Member Diana Weir's trip to Playa, Cuba.  The story states that Mr. Schneiderman signed a "letter of intention" with a member of Cuba's version of a state assembly.  We at BONAC.COM think that Mr. Schneiderman's actions were presumptuous at best and he and Ms. Weir should have sought buy-in from other East Hampton Town organizations prior to committing our town to a relationship with a foreign country whose government is based on communist principles. As a review, communism is defined as:
 
 
com·mu·nism (kmy-nzm) n.

 1.  A theoretical economic system characterized by the collective ownership of 
property and by the organization of labor for the common advantage of 
all members. 
2.  A system of government in which the state plans and controls the 
economy and a single, often authoritarian party holds power, claiming to make 
progress toward a higher social order in which all goods are equally shared 
by the people. 
3.  The Marxist-Leninist version of Communist doctrine that advocates the 
overthrow of capitalism by the revolution of the proletariat. 

A communist country is not a democracy.  There is no freedom of speech, no freedom of religion, no freedom of the press or any type of individual freedoms Americans enjoy.  Its' officials are not the freely elected voice of the people.  They use, and have used, intimidation, extortion, torture and murder to further their misbegotten ideology not only on their political adversaries, but to any "citizen" voicing an opinion other than the "official position".  Globally, millions have been killed.  Mr. Schneiderman met with Edel E. Correa Mijares, Playa's Municipality Assembly of People's Power and other communist party officials.  Mr. Mijares was not elected by the people.  He has no constituents other than what he is told he has, and his "people" have no power.

We think that Mr. Schneiderman and Ms. Weir can take their vacations anywhere they want.  However, diplomacy should be left to diplomats and foreign policy should be directed by the White House and State Department.  Not by wannabe good-will ambassadors to a murderer (click here).

There are many fledgeling democracies in the Caribbean basin.  We think that relationships/sister cities should be, and could be, developed there, rather than undermining United States foreign policy in an unrewarding and certainly questionable relationship with communist Cuba.
 

Click here to leave your opinion on our Bulletin Board.

Barry W. Leach
President
bonac.com
April 22, 2001