Joaquin M. Perez-Febles
DEDICATORIA
Para nuestros hijos e hijas, así como nuestra familia y amigos
íntimos con el cariño y el respecto de siempre!
"YOU ARE BETRAYING YOUR WHOLE LIFE IF YOU DON'T SAY WHAT YOU THINK – AND YOU DON'T SAY IT HONESTLY AND BLUNTLY" Charles Krauthammer
Today as I reflect on the chaotic, unlawful, and violent event of January 6 at the Capitol Building, it must be said loud and strongly clear that VIOLENCE CAN NEVER BE ACCEPTED! It has never solved any human discrepancies! VIOLENCE IS NEVER A SUBSTITUTE FOR A CIVILIZED DIALOGUE!
It has been suggested that some supporters, together with Antifa and Black Lives Matter members, hijacked the protesters' movement for their planned and destructive agenda. These impostors cannot be allowed to pretend that they were pro-Trump followers. It was just the ideal moment to go fishing on a turbulent out-of-control river.
In the preceding summer months to the November 3, 2020 election, when the left violent elements were setting fire to large cities across the country, the well-coordinated Left Media never denounced the atrocities that were taking place. It was completely ignored by most of the print and electronic media. The uncontrolled left thugs vandalized stores and private properties with complete impunity. In essence, they were hypocritically speaking from both sides of their mouths! The American public was outraged that nothing was being done to contain these thugs, police officers and other security units were not responding, and none of these rioters were being held responsible or arrested for their criminal actions. In many U.S. cities, there was complete anarchy.
It must be said that the civic march at the Mall in support of the legitimately elected President Donald J. Trump was a patriotic, peaceful, civic demonstration. Before going forward, let me repeat, violence is never a substitute for a civilized dialogue; it only generates more violence. President Trump's movement adhered to "law and order."
In an article published in The Washington Times on 01/06/2021, it was reported that President Trump and Vice President Pence had a discussion in the Oval Office on Tuesday afternoon 01/05/2021 to agree on a basic action strategy. Based on the constitutional right that Congress has to refuse to count the states' votes when it is believed that they acted fraudulently or illegally, Mr. Pence's position was simply to return the electoral college votes to the individual states in question. In this case, it has the inherent power to seize the decision for itself and render the electoral college superfluous.
Now let us think for a moment: If the Founding Fathers had intended to give this power to Congress, why did they go to all the fuss and bother designing an electoral college at all? Benjamin Franklin once warned us that as creatures of reason, we have the faculty to come up with whatever reason we need to do whatever we want. However, credibly constitutional sources indicate that Vice President Pence should not have decided the way he did.
The correct action would have been to return the states' dubious electoral votes to the respective states' legislatures to complete the certification process. Logical human reasoning must conclude that this action was wrong because by doing so, it closed the door to other constitutional avenues. We must always remember that constitutionally, certification of electoral votes rests with the States, not Congress. Having returned the electoral votes to the six states in question would have allowed the constitutional dialogue to continue peacefully. We need to highly respect our system for the good of the country and the perpetuity of the Constitution.
Let me emphasize The Washington Times article again on January 6, "Certification of electoral votes, rests with states, not Congress." by California Representative Tom McClinton. We need to respect our system for the good of the country. Still, if all the disputed states' electoral vote results were considered questionably, they should not have been accepted but returned to the individual states. Vice President Pence instead proceeded to complete the certification process. Doing so closed the door to other possible constitutional avenues, which was unfortunate.
President Trump never said or incited the patriotic protestors to attack, destroy, and vandalize the Capitol Building. His movement has always adhered to respect "law and order." The demonstrators were anxious to find a receptive ear who would listen to their complaints regarding considerable voting fraud. The clamoring voices of millions of people on January 6 resulted from not having found a responsive ear to listen to their legitimate complaints!
On the January 15 issue of the Washington Times front page, there is an article titled: "Evidence Undercuts Claim of Presidential Incitement," and according to the report, the Democrats call for impeachment claims that President Trump provoked the attack on the U.S. Capitol by whipping his supporters into a violent mob has come under scrutiny, as evidence mounts to the contrary. The siege of the capital was not spontaneous but planned well in advance by extreme left elements. Also emerging are media reports that investigators believe the assault was coordinated and "not just a protest that spiraled out of control," as CNN reported.
Furthermore, on the same newspaper's first page, another article titled: "Security Officials See No Overkill." "Authorities find signs of premeditation in the assault on the U S. Capitol." Additionally, the editor of "La Nueva Nacion,” Alfredo M. Cepero, stated that "the FBI affirmed that the civic disorders that took place in the march took place before President Trump's speech; therefore, the president had nothing to do with it." The President cannot be blamed for what happened at the Capitol Building. Blaming him would be too simple. It would simply be blasphemous. His supporters were only looking for an attentive ear that would listen to their complaints of significant voter fraud. That was all they wanted – a responsive ear!
It is unfortunate indeed that the plead of harmony and reflection by Ted Cruz in Congress to provide the 70+ million Trump supporters a podium to hear the complaints of irregularities of the election on November 3 fell on deaf ears. Senator Cruz was not concocting this up; he had nothing to lose. His suggestion to form a commission of three members of the Senate, three members of the House of Representatives, and three members of the Supreme Court to investigate the allegations of voter fraud on November 3rd election was, in essence, legitimizing the election, allowing them to get together and come to a credible verdict. This is what I mean by saying that the constitutional dialogue would have been able to continue in a civilized way!
The Washington Times article by Rep. McClinton on January 6 also states, "We desperately need intensive state and federal investigations into the allegations of fraud in this election. Every fraudulent vote disenfranchises an honest citizen. Until there is a full public airing and resolution of the charges, the questions may always remain, and a lingering pall of illegitimacy will stalk the new administration."
Also, Rep McClinton sustained that "Certification of electoral votes rests with the states, not Congress." We need to respect our system for our country's own good. However, if all the disputed states' electoral vote results were questionably resolved, they should not have been accepted but returned to the individual states. Vice President Pence instead proceeded to complete the certification process. It was a very wrong decision!
If the Democratic Party's responsible members had been more willing to cooperate with the political agenda of Donald Trump instead of antagonizing his presidency from day one; it would have made a difference and the country would have had much more to gain!
Also, if Mueller’s special investigation had been conducted with honesty and goodwill, it would not have been a waste of time and money. Remember this investigation (the first impeachment attempt) was never able to determine that there was ever any collusion with the Russian government.
As a Cuban-American, I am genuinely concerned with the unjustified second effort to impeach the President again, less than two weeks before January 20. Socialism and Communism are tortuous and devious systems that have failed everywhere because they have no message of freedom and prosperity for anyone. My wife and I experienced this system firsthand under Fidel Castro's Communist rule. Unfortunately, Cubans continue to endure 62 years of oppression and counting. What a shame!
Regarding freedom of speech, the essential element to stress a thousand times is respecting the Constitution's First Amendment. People need to talk to each other to maintain a constructive dialogue. When the Twitter, Google, or Facebook accounts were canceled for some of us, including President Trump and other conservative voices, the dictator Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela, had the power to continue using these platforms with absolute impunity. The argument frequently used is that these are private companies – but in reality, it is a form of censorship instigated by those in political and high-tech circles in their visceral dislike of Donald Trump.
The government should regulate these platforms to prevent legalizing them as a trust. If they do not act, they are legalizing censorship. Needless to say, it goes against the first amendment of the Constitution. The Democratic Party's leftist elements were hungry for a power grip and have used this opportunity to impose censorship.
We ought to mention often to our children that their parents still remember with much sadness and anguish the funeral procession of "Diario de la Marina," the oldest and most prominent newspaper in Cuba, when we started losing ground to the Communist Castro's revolution back in the early sixties. It was the beginning point of no return. The next newspaper that followed that path was ironically called "Prensa Libre." Both of us remember those dark and ugly days when a dissenting opinion was not tolerated, and unfortunately still it is so, after 62 years. I REMEMBER FIDEL CASTRO PUBLICLY SAYING ON THE RADIO THAT IF WE WERE NOT WITH HIM, WE WERE AGAINST HIM.
This is the time to mention a very current news event: On January 23, it was reported by many sources that President Biden, just hours after taking office, asked the Voice of America's (VOA) director and his deputy to resign, as well as Radio Marti's top officials and others, as being nothing but pro-Trump propaganda outlets. He obviously does not know or understand the VOA mission and existence, regardless of who sits in the White House. It is a shame for humanity and the free world!
As a former Cuban refugee and now as a legal naturalized American citizen of this great country, I wish to paraphrase Martin Luther King's immortal speech when he said, "I Have a Dream," which is to say peacefully I wish to live respectfully under the Constitution. My wife and I wish to tell our families and friends that we live our lives in peace with ourselves and God Almighty. Because by His grace and will, we have reached what is called the "golden years." We do not advocate that our family and friends relive our lives and experiences. Instead, we desire that they understand us better, without taboos or areas of silence in our relationship. It is not healthy. On the contrary, if any value and good are found in what we have shared and put into practice, it will be a great compliment for both of us.
Regarding the new administration, we must admit that we do not share their values. However, we sincerely extend to them success and peace for the common good of all of us and the nation at large. We pray for our brothers and sisters in Cuba and Latin American countries. We pray for the preservation of love in our family and friends with valor and tolerance.
Let us always remember that when Padre Felix Varela, a 19 Century Cuban thinker, priest, and patriot, died in 1853 (the same year that our apostle, Jose Marti, was born), he left us this message: SOLO EL AMOR CONSTRUYE; VIRTUDES SE NECESITAN MAS QUE TALENTOS. Which translated is: "ONLY LOVE CONSTRUCTS, VIRTUES ARE NEEDED MORE THAN TALENTS.
In closing, we wish to leave you with the Apostle Paul's message in First Corinthian 13:13: Hope, Faith, and Love, but the greatest of these is love.
Joaquin
January 28, 2021
ADDENDUM FEBRUARY 14, 2021
The Wall street Journal- weekend issue, Saturday-Sunday February 13-14,2021
Report by Rebecca Ballhaus.
The defense lawyers of former President Donald J. Trump argued that the former president in his January 6th speech urging supporters to “fight” (to be interpreted as a standard political rhetoric) and march to the Capitol, was exercising his first amendment rights; not encouraging violence. They said rioters breached the Capitol for their own reasons and not at Mr. Trump’s behest.
Furthermore, at the conclusion of the second impeachment trial, former President Donald J. Trump made a statement indicating that the Senate voted to acquit him with a vote of 57-43. Thus, our Constitution principles have been respected and implemented.
Going forward the prayer time should continue, “LET’S HOPE AND PRAY TO GOD ALMIGHTY THAT ALL THE ACTORS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS PAINFUL AND TRAGIC NATIONAL EVENT.”
The nation must continue the healing process with the conviction that respect, and tolerance must prevail.
Joaquin
REESPECTED POLITICAL LEADERS HAVE A HIGHLY OPINION ABOUT DONALD TRUMP AS A STRATEGIST THAT CARES FOR HIS COUNTRY AND PEOPLE. (ex-secretary of state Henry Kissinger)
Donald Trump: some achievements during his presidency,
- Authentically opposes abortion. First president participant in the pro-life march abortion.
- Continuous and tireless fighter against illegal immigration.
- Continuous supporter of building a wall in the Southern border with Mexico to stem/control illegal immigration.
- Moved US embassy to Jerusalem, a big physical and symbolic achievement.
- Improve life in the Middle East. Worked agreement with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Morocco to sign a pact not to attack Israel. Unbelievable a year ago!
- Strong support for President Guaido being elected president of Venezuela Continuous condemnation of dictatorial communist Cuba and Nicaragua. Cuba has been under 62 years of oppression and counting!
- Brought attention to Biden’s son corrupt deals with Ukraine and the Biden’s family involvement, because of the Main Stream Media (MSM) with complete indifference to cover the scandal.
- Democrats (Schumer impeachment) wasted millions of dollars and time trying to find Russian collusion and found nothing.
- Uncover Obama delivery of millions in cash selling Uranium to Iran.
- Accused the news media silence on the destruction of statues, i.e., Junipero Serra and Christopher Columbus among many others. Denounced the vandalism, fires, and looting by extremists left groups like Antifa and Black Live Matter (BLM) during the summer of 2020.
- Genuine defender against police defunding.
The nation must continue the healing process with the conviction that respect, and tolerance must prevail.
Joaquin M. Perez-Febles
Director de Edición