La Lucha for Cuba: Religion and Politics on the Streets of Miami

Notes

Notes Chapter 1. An Ajiaco Christianity 1. The term Cuban American, which refers to Cubans residing in the United States, is an artificial designation amalgamating “who they are” and “where they live.” It is the name given to Cubans in the United States by the dominant culture , not a name they choose. Most simply refer to themselves as Cubans. The term attempts to reconcile two distinct cultures into one, creating within the Cuban a dichotomous existence. As “Cuban Americans” they are too Cuban to be accepted by this country and too Americanized to be accepted by their native compatriots. Because self-naming is a powerful and liberating praxis, in this book Cubans are defined as all individuals who were born in Cuba, regardless of where they live now, or all those who were born on foreign land but choose to identify culturally with being Cuban. Resident Cubans refers to those who inhabit the island of Cuba; Exilic Cubans refers to those in the diaspora who reside mainly within the United States, specifically in Miami, Florida. Because exile spans generations , Exilic Cubans also includes those who were neither born nor raised on the island yet whose identity was forged by their parents’ act of (re)membering Cuba from the social location of exile. Although Exilic Cubans are not a monolithic group, they are united, no matter how loosely, by the experience of being separated from the island that defines them. 2. Eunice Ponce and Elaine de Valle, “Mania over Elián Rising,” Miami Herald , January 10, 2000. 3. Wilfredo Cancio Isla, “Los Reyes Mago a los pies de Elián,” El Nuevo Herald , January 10, 2000. 4. Alejandra Matus, “El fevor religioso aumenta entre los manifestantes frente a la casa de Elián,” El Nuevo Herald, April 22, 2000. 5. Joaquim Utset, “Devotos de la Virgen dicen ver una señal contra el regreso del niño,” El Nuevo Herald, March 26, 2000. 141 6. Matus, “El fevor religioso.” 7. Meg Laughlin, “Prayer Vigil Lifts Elián Fervor to New High,” Miami Herald , March 31, 2000. 8. “Ceremony Set to Honor Elián’s Mom,” Miami Herald, May 14, 2000. 9. Amy Driscoll and Sandra Marquez-Garcia, “Thousand Join Glowing Prayer Vigil,” Miami Herald, March 30, 2000. 10. D. Aileen Dodd, “Catholic Leaders Low-Profile,” Miami Herald, April 15, 2000. 11. D. Aileen Dodd, “Elián a Bridge Linking Rival Faiths,” Miami Herald, April 10, 2000. 12. Rui Ferreira, “Vigilia permanente en casa de Elián,” El Nuevo Herald, April 5, 2000. 13. Dodd, “Elián a Bridge.” 14. Joaquin Utset, “Miles de personas participan en virilia en Miami,” El Nuevo Herald, April 11, 2000. 15. Laughlin, “Prayer Vigil.” 16. Maria Travierso and Charles Cotayo, “Elián, un niño ‘milagroso’ hecho símbolo,” El Nuevo Herald, March 6, 2000. 17. Edward Wasserman, “Elian, the Unifier?” Broward Daily Business Review, April 24, 2000. 18. Paul Brinkley-Rogers, “Protestors from Abroad Flock to Home,” Miami Herald, April 19, 2000. 19. Daniel Shoer Roth, “Los cubanos se ven reflejados en el niño balsero,” El Nuevo Herald, January 7, 2000. 20. “Elián’s Lawyer: Why an Observant Jew Is Fighting to Keep Him Here,” Chicago Jewish News, January 28, 2000. 21. Travierso and Cotayo, “Elián, un niño ‘milagroso.’ ” 22. Travierso and Cotayo, “Elián, un niño ‘milagroso.’ ” 23. Ponce and de Valle, “Mania over Elián.” 24. J. Utset and R. Ferreira, “De la protesta cívica al júbilo popular,” El Nuevo Herald, January 9, 2000. 25. Roth, “Los cubanos.” 26. Karen Branch, “Adult Exiles Recall Cuban Childhoods,” Miami Herald, April 15, 2000. 27. Roth, “Los cubanos.” 28. Daniel A. Grech, “Pastors Join Criticism, but Appeal for Calm,” Miami Herald, April 23, 2000. 29. Andrea Robinson, “A Community Looks to Heal,” Miami Herald, April 24, 2000. 30. “Little Cousin’s Dream Strengthens Exiles’ Faith Boy Will Stay in U.S.,” Miami Herald, April 24, 2000. 31. Concilio Cubano is an umbrella organization representing numerous dissident factions that present the most significant political challenge to the Castro regime. It is interesting to note that they do not call for the overthrow of the government ; rather, they are demanding freedom of expression, which remains a violation of the present penal code, punishable by up to seven years in prison. 142 NOTES TO PAGES 5–14 32. Cuba has many competing...