The worst part about this whole mess is the circumstances.
For one, relations between Cuba and the United States have been troublesome, to say the least, for those 60 years. Shortly after Fidel Castro initiated his government, the United States began to place trade restrictions on Cuba. As state intervention and take-over of private businesses increased in Cuba, more trade restrictions were implemented. In 1960 things got really hot when a freighter exploded on the Havana harbor for which Castro blamed the U.S. This resulted in the prohibition of all exports to Cuba. Consequently, Cuba began trade relations with the Soviet Union, leading the U.S. to end all remaining diplomatic relations with Cuba.
And secondly, there are many Cuban and Cuban-American communities throughout the United States, but Miami is recognized as the most prominent. Miami has a Cuban American population of nearly 900,000 and thats probably due to its proximity to Cuba. Cuban Americans and Cubans living in the United States are overwhelmingly against Castro and his regime.
Guillen later expressed that he felt his words were misconstrued in the Spanish to English translation. "I don't want to make excuses, but I meant that I was surprised Fidel Castro stayed in power so long. Thats what was missing in the translation...I'm not saying the journalist was wrong. I was wrong. I was thinking in Spanish and I said it wrong in English."
But as my dad says, it’s too late to put the shit back into the
horse.
The Cuban community in Miami was livid. Ozzie was hired to be a Latin voice and face for a team that would represent the city of Miami. For Cuban Americans, Castro is comparable to Hitler. Lets not get into a comparison of atrocities and injustices, but considering all of that, this is the worst possible thing that Ozzie Guillen could have said. If there's one thing I wish I could say to him it would be: "Come on man, know your audience!"
The Cuban community in Miami was livid. Ozzie was hired to be a Latin voice and face for a team that would represent the city of Miami. For Cuban Americans, Castro is comparable to Hitler. Lets not get into a comparison of atrocities and injustices, but considering all of that, this is the worst possible thing that Ozzie Guillen could have said. If there's one thing I wish I could say to him it would be: "Come on man, know your audience!"
The Miami Marlins have decided to suspend Guillen for five games.
It's important to note that while many Cuban and Cuban Americans were deeply angered by Guillen's comments, Cuban-American Miami Marlins first basemen Gaby Sanchez called it "drama for nothing." So it seems like Sanchez really believes Ozzie's comments were not a big deal and stands behind his manager.
I don't think Ozzie was trying to hurt anyone. He did, after all, refer to Castro as a "motherfucker". Maybe he was to express his surprise and admiration at Castro's permanence despite threats and attempts against his life.
Many people interpreted Ozzie's comments as him being in support of Castro and his dictatorship. This idea can't be ruled out considering that in 2005, after he won the World Series as the manager of the Chicago White Sox, Guillen stood on the field holding a Venezuelan flag, and yelled: "Viva Venezuela! Viva Chavez!" Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is a close friend of Fidel Castro and is recognized by many as a dictator.
I was not particularly surprised by Ozzie's comments, because of his history making blunt and odiotic remarks. While I do think his comments were just plain stupid and acknowledge that they did upset and hurt many Cuban Americans, I don't think Ozzie should be fired, nor do I think he will be. But 5 games is nothing out of the 162 regular season games he would have otherwise managed.
Ozzie's apology press conference:
I think Ozzie's apology was sincere and heart-felt and I think he feels genuinely ashamed and sorry for what he said and having hurt so many people.
Do you guys think Ozzie should have been or will be fired? Was the five game suspension enough? Will Cuban and Cuban Americans, who were hurt by his comments, move on?
Sources: http://espn.go.com/espn/commentary/story/_/page/gutierrez-120409/offense-ozzie-guillen-comments-fidel-castro-go-cuban-americans
Oh Ozzie.....
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ReplyDeleteNo, more than enough, and if they don't move on there's something wrong with them. It was just a dumb thing he said people need to get over it.
ReplyDeleteWho cares if Ozzie's a commie? His political beliefs don't make him any less of a baseball coach. I wish we lived in a place where Ozzie wouldn't have to make up this bullshit apology in order to keep his job. People need to stop being so goddamned sensitive.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, his political beliefs shouldn't be grounds to condemn him as a coach. BUT as a public figure/representative of that club, he should have known that something like this would happen.
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