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Part 5 A KNOCK AT THE DOOR Big lies constantly repeated were finally believed as truth by the public

Free speech is buried in Cuba



In retrospect of the past Jose' my father-in-law saw in 1962 what we have to worry about today Jose' said "It's Everybody's Battle" -- Ian Jay Germaine Castro's propaganda was as fine as the Communist mind could devise. Each new watchword from the Communists was repeated again and again, and the propaganda network carried it to all corners of the land. Big lies constantly repeated were finally believed as truth by the public.

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A new language appeared, or should I say familiar words assumed new meanings. "Democracy" now meant slavery. "Peace" meant conquest. "Political" literacy" meant belief in communism. Curiously, many honest newsmen and politicians were trapped by the apparatus and in good faith began repeating the Communist watchwords. One of the saddest specimens of the fellow-traveler is the person who actually believed the Communist promises for good times, good health, culture and economic equality for all. When he finally discovered that the promises were not being kept, he tried to change the direction of the movement. Naturally, the Communist's got rid of him for making trouble. If you read the paper or a magazine or book, or listen to radio,, or watched television or a movie or a play, you always encountered the same thing.: Communist propaganda, insults, threats. Gradually, inexorably, the press was being made a mouthpiece of the regime. As one of the first of their steps in confiscating the press of Cuba, the Communist formed newspaper committees to act as critics of the news stories. When a newspaper published an item the committee did not like, the committee would attach a note in bold face type at the end of the item, labeling it a lie. We Cubans had a name for this note. We called it the "coleta"----(a bullfighting term, describing that curled pigtail of false hair hanging on the back of the head of the bullfighter) A sample "coleta": "This article is published by the management of this newspaper in its exercise of freedom of speech, but the committee of the defense of the revolution of this newspaper expresses its belief that the story is a falsehood..." Sometimes this note became a long dissertation, running into more words than the original item. At first, the coleta was attached only to international wire stories such as the releases of Associated Press and United Press International. Later it was attached to items without regard to origin. Eventually, of course, critical comments became necessary, as the Communists began dictating their own stories. The newspaper "Diario de la Marina" was the best, and the oldest, and the most respected newspaper in Havana. It was 100 years old, conservative, and to the end a staunch foe of the Communist's. Cuba new a sad day when this paper fell. Failing to intimidate its editors, the Communist paraded through the streets of Havana that day with a coffin containing the "body" of the newspaper. They took the coffin to the University, made burial speeches over it, then took it to the ocean and pushed it into the water. With that symbolic act, they buried freedom of speech. From that moment forward there was no free press in Cuba. As I say, Diario de la Marina was a conservative newspaper. Another respected publication, Bohemia, was a liberal magazine which collaborated with Castro, but it met the same fate. Conservative or liberal--it made no difference to the Communists. Another Communist device was to cast a cloud of doubt on the reputation and honor of really honest leaders, making them appear as enemies of the people. Defamations and accusations were widely published. Rumors were started. Church leaders, politicians, business leaders who once enjoyed trust were smeared with lies and innuendo. Along with this, the Reds did everything possible to destroy the respected heroes of Cuban history. Jose'Marti , the apostle of Cuban Independence, is a revered figure in Cuban heritage, and he died in a sacred cause. One day after the Communists took over, I heard two little boys at play. One seized the hand of the other and bent it backwards, and the other boy cried out in pain: "Ai!" The first boy, repeating a "joke" circulated by the Communists, said: "That's how Jose'Marti whimpered when they shot him like a dog." This subtle planting of disrespect and contempt in the minds of the young is one of the most disturbing aspects of communism. (NEXT: Education, Communist style) Column reprinted with permission of the Long Beach Press-Telegram


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Dr. José Antonio Serra -- Bio and Archives

Dr. Jose’ Antonio Serra was born in Havana, Cuba, May 22, 1919. Attending a Parochial School, La Salle Secundaria he continued and worked his way through the University of Havana for his Bachelors, Masters and PhD. while working full time for Westinghouse.

During his studies in accounting he managed to start a family and attain employment with Royal Dutch Shell of Cuba where he progressed to the position of Tesorero-(Treasurer) and continued working for his God-Family-Country & Company through the Communist Revolution. He continued with Shell Oil Company until retirement in 1989 at the age of 72.  Passing October 29, 2003 .  His massive “Change” coming to the U.S. gave him special insight to the present.

He was proud of his heritage and proud to be an American.


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