Second Reply to Carlos Alberto Montaner (Litany)

Published in “Especiales,” Opinión, Silvio Rodríguez, on April 9, 2010

Havana, April 9, 2010

Montaner:

I know that, when Marx died, Martí paid tribute to him.  If I remember correctly, he said that Marx had placed himself on the side of the poor.  Please enlighten me and show me the “harsh criticism” that you say the Apostle made of the author of Capital.

Montaner:

Before the triumph of the Revolution, most Cubans couldn’t even dream of having a home of their own—my family included.  The only building I now own is my home.  You should do a better job of checking your facts; I have never held any other property or companies, either in Cuba or abroad.

Montaner:

In some interviews and songs during the past 40 years and more, I have pointed out what I considered deserving of criticism in the revolutionary process.  In others, I have supported this process, never falling into subservience or pamphleteering. There is no duality in this. I am the same Cuban in both facets, trying to help my people.

Montaner:

I’m not upset by having a government of old people.  In many ancient cultures, being old was a requirement for ruling, because of the good judgment implied by that condition. (WALTER—I translated “inmanente”—“inherent”—as “implied by that condition”) Remember that you, too, acquired your “moral judgment, your perception of reality and of social conflicts,” (WALTER—Please check this quote against what CM said) half a century ago.  Don’t try to sell yourself as a representative (WALTER—It said “prospecto de la generaci
ón del dos mil”) of the third millenium; it doesn’t suit you.

Montaner:

The executions took place (WALTER—He said “se originaron” but there haven’t been any more except once, several years ago, when three traffickers in drugs were executed and MAYBE one more time, in the case of one of the terrorists paid by Posada Carriles; “began” gives the idea that they are commonplace, which isn’t true.  How about “Nearly all of the executions took place”?  Also, how about all the executions carried out by Batista?) in the first few months after the triumph of the Revolution, and the people who were shot were war criminals who had worked for Batista: convicted torturers and murderers who were found guilty in the trials that the Cuban people ___. (WALTER—It said “miró sobrecogido”; I think that “convicted” and “found guilty” cover this, so how about ending this sentence at “in trials” or at “in the trials that were held”?) The merciless war that the CIA has waged against us has compelled the Government to maintain the possibility of execution (WALTER—It said “la”—no antecedent; I invented “the possibility of execution”) as a persuasive measure.  With the passing of time, I have realized that the death penalty is uncivilized and should be abolished all over the world.  I am convinced that the cessation of hostilities against Cuba would be the beginning of the end of the death penalty in our homeland.

Montaner:

The members of the opposition face the same problem (WALTER—It said “drama,” which usually means “tragedy,” but this is NO tragedy) in the prisons as in the streets: they have no support, because their positions alienate them from the masses.  In 2008, more than 30 of us artists and intellectuals visited 16 prisons and sang to audiences of more than 40,000 prisoners.  The bad treatment that you talk about has nothing to do with the great care (WALTER—It said “preocupaci
ón”; the dictionary says “concern” but I think “care” is better here; “concern” implies worry that there will be a riot and a break-out) we saw exhibited by the prison authorities in all of the institutions we visited.  The very fact that there is such a powerful movement of fans in Cuban prisons seriously contradicts the version you propagate.

Montaner:

I don’t like condemnation meetings, but other Cubans get so indignant that they hold them.  The Cubans in Miami do the same.  It must be the sad part of our karma.  I find it logical that the mothers and wives of prisoners are concerned about their relatives and that they express this.  It doesn’t seem very honest to me that they should receive economic assistance from another government—much less from notorious terrorists, as seems to be the case with certain women.  As in other countries, there is censorship in Cuba—and where you are right now, too, especially for those who don’t think the same way you do.

Montaner:

It seems to me that it isn’t up to you to say what the Angolans remember.  It is clear to me that they well remember the unselfish assistance the Cubans gave them.  In Cuba, we have never used even a drop of oil from Cabinda, where I’ve been and where I saw extraordinary (WALTER—That’s what it said, but how about “admirable”?) men give their lives in the defense of that oil, so that a sovereign Angola could decide what to do with it. (WALTER—It said “decidiera su suerte”; I don’t know what the “su” refers to—oil, or Angola?  Do you prefer “Angola could make its own decisions”?)

Montaner:

If you are so anxious for Cuba to be better, change your way of thinking and begin to oppose the blockade.  The blockade is genocidal, immoral and indefensible.  As long as it exists, it will be a reason for not relaxing our defensive position.  If you love the Somalis so much, I imagine that you should love Cuban children at least as much.  Well, this year, thanks to the blockade, not as many Cuban children as in the past will be able to enter the music conservatories.  And don’t tell me that the Cuban Government has gone crazy and now wants to destroy what it has built.  Help promote the happiness of hundreds of thousands of children in your native land.

Therefore, Montaner:

Oppose the blockade so that the talent that has been flowering for the past 50 years isn’t thwarted.

With a tested patriotic and internationalist calling,

Silvio Rodríguez Domínguez

P.S.: The all-powerful “mainstream press” that supports you has already begun to publish slanted versions of this confrontation.  Be a real (and patriotic) democrat and ask them to print my comments in full.

Silvio’s First Reply to Carlos Alberto Montaner: “I Dare You, Carlos Alberto” (WALTER—This wasn’t the title that was given to me to translate)

 




URL del artículo : 
http://www.cubadebate.cu/opinion/2010/04/09/segunda-replica-a-carlos-alberto-montaner-letania/


 

 

   
   

Segunda réplica a Carlos Alberto Montaner (Letanía)

Publicado el 9 Abril 2010 en EspecialesOpiniónSilvio Rodríguez

La Habana, 9 de abril de 2010

Montaner:

Sé que, cuando Marx murió, Martí le dedicó algunas frases de homenaje, si mal no recuerdo “por haberse puesto de parte de los pobres”.  Por favor, ilústrame y muéstrame las “críticas severas” del Apóstol al autor de 
El Capital.

Montaner:

Antes de la Revolución, la mayoría de los cubanos no podía ni soñar con tener casa propia. Mi familia entre ellos. El único inmueble que ahora mismo poseo es mi casa. Infórmate mejor, porque hasta el día de hoy no tengo propiedades o  empresas en Cuba o en el extranjero.

Montaner:

En algunas entrevistas y canciones, a través de una trayectoria de más de 40 años, he señalado lo que he considerado criticable del proceso revolucionario. En otras he apoyado este proceso, sin caer jamás en el servilismo o el panfleto. No hay dualidad en esto. En ambas facetas soy el mismo cubano pretendiendo asistir a los suyos.

Montaner:

No me molesta un gobierno de ancianos. En muchas culturas antiguas tener edad, por la sensatez inmanente, era un requisito para  gobernar. Acuérdate de que tú también adquiriste tus “juicios morales, tu precepción de la realidad y de los conflictos sociales” hace medio siglo. No pretendas venderte como prospecto de la generación del dos mil, que no te queda bien.

Montaner:

Los fusilamientos se originaron en los primeros meses de la Revolución, contra criminales de guerra del batistato: torturadores y asesinos probados en los juicios que el pueblo de Cuba miró sobrecogido. La guerra despiadada que nos impuso la CIA obligó al gobierno a mantenerla como medida persuasiva. Con los años me he dado cuenta de que la pena de muerte es algo que debiera abolirse en todo el mundo, por incivilizada. Estoy convencido de que el cese de las hostilidades contra Cuba sería el principio del fin de la pena de muerte en nuestra Patria.

Montaner:

La oposición, en las prisiones, enfrenta el mismo drama que en las calles: no tienen pueblo, sus posiciones los alejan de las masas. En el 2008 más de treinta artistas e intelectuales visitamos 16 prisiones y cantamos ante más de 40 mil reclusos. Los malos tratos que ustedes manifiestan no tienen nada que ver con la mucha preocupación que vimos en las autoridades carcelarias de todos los penales que visitamos. El mismo hecho de que exista un movimiento de aficionados tan poderoso en las prisiones cubanas contradice profundamente la versión que ustedes propagan.

Montaner:

No estoy de acuerdo con los actos de repudio, pero otros cubanos se indignan hasta el punto de cometerlos. Los cubanos de Miami hacen lo mismo. Debe ser la parte triste de nuestro karma. Encuentro lógico que las madres y esposas de los presos se preocupen por sus familiares y que lo manifiesten. No me parece muy honesto que reciban ayuda económica de otro gobierno y mucho menos de connotados terroristas, como parece ser el caso de ciertas señoras. La censura, como en otros países, existe en Cuba. Y ahí donde estás ahora mismo, existe también, sobre todo para los que no piensan como tú.

Montaner:

Me parece que no te corresponde decir lo que recuerdan los angoleños. A mí me consta que recuerdan mucho y bien la desinteresada ayuda de los cubanos. En Cuba nunca se ha usado una gota de combustible de Cabinda, donde estuve personalmente y vi caer a hombres extraordinarios, defendiendo ese petróleo para que una Angola soberana decidiera su suerte.

Montaner:

Si tanto deseas que Cuba sea mejor, cambia tu lógica y empieza a luchar contra el bloqueo. El bloqueo es genocida, inmoral, impresentable. Mientras exista será la justificación para no bajar ni un ápice la tensión defensiva. Si quieres tanto a los somalíes, supongo que debes querer al menos igual a los niños cubanos. Pues bien: los niños cubanos, gracias al bloqueo, este año no podrán entrar masivamente a los conservatorios musicales. Y no me vayas a decir que el gobierno cubano se volvió loco y ahora quiere destruir lo que construyó. En tus manos queda hacer felices a cientos de miles de niños del país en que naciste.

Por eso, Montaner:

Lucha contra el bloqueo para que el talento que lleva 50 años floreciendo no se frustre.

Con probada vocación patriótica e internacionalista,

Silvio Rodríguez Domínguez.

PD: La todopoderosa “Gran Prensa” que te apoya ya empezó a publicar versiones convenientes de este careo.  Sé demócrata cabal (y cívico) y pídeles que muestren íntegras mis palabras.

Primera réplica de Silvio a Carlos Alberto Montaner: Atrévete, Carlos Alberto

 




URL del artículo : http://www.cubadebate.cu/opinion/2010/04/09/segunda-replica-a-carlos-alberto-montaner-letania/