LETTER (CARTA DE) FROM PAQUITO D'RIVERA TO (A) CARLOS SANTANA

Click here: Babalu Blog: A letter to Carlos "Useful Buffoon" Santana

A letter to Carlos "Useful Buffoon" Santana

Remember Carlos Santana's attire at the Oscar's not too long ago? You know, the Che Guevara t-shirt I gave him the Useful Idiot Award for?

Well, one prominent Cuban-American musician sent Santana a letter to let him know just what a morally abject jerk he really is. The following is Paquito D'Rivera's letter in Spanish followed by my translation:

"Me enteré por nuestro amigo Raúl Artiles que pronto te
presentarás en Miami; cosa que me parece poco recomendable,
ya que no hace mucho cometiste la torpeza de aparecerte en los
Oscar Awards luciendo con orgullo un enorme crucifijo sobre una
camiseta con la esteriotipada imagen del Carnicerito de la
Cabaña, que es como conocen al Che Guevara los cubanos que
tuvieron que sufrir tan lamentable personaje en dicha prisión".
"Uno de estos cubanos fue mi primo Bebo, preso allí
precisamente por ser cristiano. El me cuenta siempre con
amargura como escuchaba desde su celda en la madrugada los
fusilamientos sin juicio de muchos que morían gritando ¡Viva
Cristo Rey!".

"El guerrillero de la boinita estrellada es algo más que esa ridícula
película de la bicicleta, mi famoso colega; y combinar a Cristo
con el Che Guevara es como entrar a una sinagoga con
unaSwástica (símbolo nazi) colgando del cuello; y es además una
bofetada en el rostro de los jóvenes cubanos de los años 60,
que tenían que esconderse para escuchar tus discos de "música
imperialista", según definían el Rock & Roll en la jerga del
mismísimo atorrante argentino y sus secuaces".

"Perdona que te escriba en español, pero es que no creo que
tenga suficientes palabras en inglés para expresar mi indignación
ante tu irresponsable actitud. Y créeme que a pesar de todo,
como artista te deseo buena suerte, porque la necesitarás,
Carlos… sobre todo en Miami".


In English (my translation skills are almost seriously lacking so bear with me):

I learned through our mutual acquaintance Raúl Artiles that you
will soon play a concert in Miami, something I would not
recommend, as you showed the stupidity of appearing at the
Oscar Awards proudly donning a large crucifix over a tshirt with
the stereotypical image of the Butcher of La Cabaña, which is how
Che Guevara is known to Cubans who had to lamentably suffer
under him at said prison.

One of these Cubans was my brother Bebo, incarcerated there
precisely for being a Christian. The same one who always bitterly
tells me how he could hear from his cell the firing squads at dawn
murdering those who without trials would die screaming "Long Live
Jesus Christ Our King."

The guerilla with the starred beret is much more than what's
depicted in that ridiculous motorcycle movie, my famous
colleague, and combining Che Guevara with Christ would be like
entering a synagogue wearing a Swastika necklace. And it is also
a slap in the face to those young Cubans who in the '60s had to
hide to be able to listen to your records, Imperialist music, as
Rock & Roll was defined in the slang of the Argentinian tramp and
his partisans.

Please forgive the fact that I write you in Spanish, but I just dont
think I have enough words or mastery of the English language to
express my indignation at your irresponsible attitude. And believe
me, as an artist I wish you good fortune, because you will need it,
Carlos...especially in Miami.



Bien dicho, Paquito. Gracias.
Well said, Paquito. Thanks.
Posted by Val Prieto at March 29, 2005 10:05 AM TrackBack