State Dept. fails to issue visa to Silvio Rodriguez to Perform at Pete Seeger's 90th B'Day in NY

[magbana]

TOPIC: Silvio Rodriguez blocked from performing for Pete Seeger-Act NOW to
demand entry to US forCuban artists & professionals
http://groups.google.com/group/Cuba-Inside-Out/t/2f6aabfc33506e51?hl=en
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== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Sun, May 3 2009 3:15 pm
From: "Karen Lee Wald"




U.S. State Department fails to issue visa Silvio Rodríguez
Act NOW to demand entry for Cuban artists and professionals

US-Cuba Cultural Exchange
[e-mail]
http://www.cubaresearch.info/uscubaculturalexchange

May 3, 2009

Following is the text of an email from Silvio Rodríguez (English, then
Spanish original), regarding the failure of the United States State
Department to issue him an entry visa. Rodríguez, Cuba's premier
singer-songwriter and co-founder of that country's New Song Movement, was to
perform at Pete Seeger's 90th birthday concert in New York today, Sunday,
May 3.

Rodríguez's entry into the United States to perform might have been a major
breakthrough following years of wrong-headed U.S. policy towards Cuban
artists and professionals. Instead, the State Department, while not
explicitly denying the visa, allowed it to be tied up such that it was not
approved, at least not in time (as of this writing) for the very performance
for which it was solicited.

You can help. Take a moment and call the U.S. State Department and express
your sentiment that Cuban artists be allowed to enter the United States to
share their work with appreciative and deserving American audiences. Tell
them that it is an embarrassment that an artist of the stature of Silvio
Rodríguez be denied entry into the country to join hands with Pete Seeger
along with the dozens of other performers who joined with him today.

Thanks to Bill Martínez for all the work involved in the visa solicitation.

U.S. State Department Switchboard: 202-647-4000

Also, call the White House Comment Line and express your feelings:
202-456-1111

Thanks,

Louis Head



Message from Silvio Rodríguez to his sister in Havana, also his manager:

Today is May 1 and it is 8:40pm in Paris. I just connected online to the
United States Embassy site in France, where information is published
regarding visa solicitations. My visa application is listed as being in
process, the same status that it has maintained since I made the
application. Today being the day that I was to fly to New York, and given
that the visa has still not appeared, tomorrow I will leave instead for
Havana.

You can pass this message to Pete's grandson Tao, and to Bill the attorney,
along with my gratitude for their efforts as well as my sorrow resulting
from the lack of respect shown by the State Department to them for having
invited me to celebrate the 90th birthday of our dear friend Pete Seeger,
living legend of North American song.

I believe that the attitude of the State Department is very contradictory,
given the desire expressed by President Obama to bring the United States
closer to Cuba. As a Cuban cultural worker, I continue to feel blockaded and
discriminated against by other governments. Hopefully this will truly change
someday.

Thanks for your help.

Silvio

*****************
Mensaje de Silvio Rodríguez a su hermana, y gerente, en La Habana:

Es viernes 1º de mayo, son las 8 y 40 de la noche en París y me acabo de
conectar al sitio web donde la embajada de Estados Unidos en Francia publica
noticias sobre las visas solicitadas. La mía figura en estado de trámites,
como ha figurado desde que la solicité. Como hoy era el día en que debía
volar a Nueva York y la visa no ha aparecido, mañana parto hacia La Habana.

Puedes pasarle este correo a Tao el nieto de Pete y a Bill el abogado, con
mi gratitud por sus esfuerzos y con mi pesar por el poco respeto que el
Departamento de Estado ha mostrado a la invitación que me hicieron para
celebrar los 90 años del querido Pete Seeger, leyenda viva de la canción
norteamericana.

Creo que la actitud del Departamento de Estado es muy contradictoria con el
deseo expresado por el presidente Obama de un acercamiento con Cuba. Como
trabajador de la cultura cubana me sigo sintiendo tan bloqueado y
discriminado como por otros gobiernos. Ojalá esto cambie de verdad algún
día. Gracias por tu ayuda.

Silvio

[Judi Lynn]

1. For anyone who's unfamiliar with his wonderful skills, You Tube has good examples.

Here's "Ojala:"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u80ocuvZxmY

Apparently he's well known enough around the world to have gotten over 3,000,000 views on this video alone.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Can't believe they haven't changed Bush's block to artists, yet.

Even Bill Clinton let scholars, scientists, musicians, singers, dancers, athletes, etc., etc. into the country.

Adding another video, "Mariposas:"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_D13MseKAvY

[magbana]

3. And don't forget Silivo's "Hasta Siempre, Comandante" video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=br1VJEN5-x4

[roody]

4. U Stupid A.

[roody]

5. Lovely music. I stumbled across this one---sorry, not Silvio.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Au1OvSYndEY&feature=related

Vamos a Cienfuegos.

[rabs]

7. Wonderful version of "Envidia."

Enough to give one envidia that the group can play so well. Thanks for the link.

[rabs]

6. Silvio fires back at U.S. immigration policy for Cubans

In an interview published Sunday in Buenos Aires, Silvio said the "wet foot-dry foot" policy was "macabre."

He was asked what would have happened if instead of applying for a visa he would have climbed aboard a raft and made it to the United States. Silvio responded, "“Not only would (they) have let me in, they would have exhibited me as a trophy." He added the Cuban Adjustment Act had cost many Cubans their lives.

Article here in Spanish http://www.elcomercio.com.pe/noticia/287986/silvio-rodriguez-sistema-migratorio-eeuu-macabro