Cubans No Longer Want To Burn Juanes At The Stake Over His Cuba Concert
1 October 2009, 4:14 PM. By Alex Alvarez
True fact: If you are old, Cuban and playing dominos on Calle Ocho, you are probably complaining about something.
Now that Juanes’ controversial concert for “Peace Without Borders” in Cuba has come and gone, many of his harshest critics are reevaluating their initial reaction to the event.
A study commissioned by the Cuba Study Group showed that 53% of Cuban exiles surveyed supported the concert, a number up a whopping 26% from just last week. One of the heads of the Cuba Study Group - which should maybe consider a name change? - explained what this change in opinion might mean:
These results demonstrate what we’ve been saying for years: Miami is changing. It’s clear that the experience of having seen the concert had a profound impact on Cuban and Cuban-Americans of all ages.
One of the more striking aspects of these poll results is that older Cuban exiles - largely thought of as conservative, supportive of the embargo and wary of outsiders weighing in one the issue - changed their minds about the concert. 48% of Cuban exiles over 65 and 59% of those between 50 and 64 years old claimed to support the concert this week, as opposed to a scant 17% and 23% two weeks before, respectively.
Some say that hearing Juanes yell “Cuba Libre!” on stage was a particularly significant turning point for them, causing them to take a break from burning his albums in a giant and ill-advised bonfire and hold their hands over their hearts.
Ah, so Juanes calls you pretty and now everyone wants him to be their boyfriend? Of course, there are some within the older Cuban exile community who are still staunchly against the concert, like those who asked that Cuban singer CuCu Diamantes not be invited to perform at a New Jersey High School.
Who knows what long-term impact this concert will end up having on the exile community, particularly in Miami. Maybe next weekend everyone will go back to wanting to cook Juanes into a ropa vieja.
Cambia opinión sobre concierto de Juanes [Miami Herald]
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What is the deal with these Miami Cubans? I mean to say, why are they so concerned about a peace concert? Do they hate peace? Are they pro-chaos? I’m not trying to be funny here, clearly. Really, I’d like to know the psychology behind the animosity against Cuba and the country’s current leadership. Is it that they were forced into exile about a million years ago while their houses on the beach were distributed to those whom actually deserved them? Is it because the Embargo hasn’t worked to stop the Revolution? Is it because, outside of a few fringe groups (like the GOP), nobody in the US really cares what they think?
Mm. Triggering language. I’ll let someone else handle this, I think. Assuming that you are asking out of genuine interest on some level and not merely as an attempt to be subversive.
I only get angry when people ask dense questions and use “whom” incorrectly.
And I get angry when a guest is too much of a pussy to use his real name. But yeah, you’re right. Whom was used incorrectly. My bad.
I let the committee be the judge of that.