The Obama-Castro Handshake that shocked the world

Seriously? Has the press in the free world become intensely stupid, over night? It’s call diplomacy, a simple gesture that can have a positive impact that could result in a phone call and the two parties deciding there is more to talk about. It helped bring down the Berlin wall, free countless political prisoners and forge some of the most lasting friendships across the globe.

Has the brain and soul of our media completely disappeared? Do these people no longer study and idolize the likes of Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite? Don’t these people at least think for ten seconds before blasting out the next “hot scoop” to make sure what they have fished up isn’t just another pile of whale dung? Haven’t some of the more recent embarrassments by our press at least slowed them down to light speed before jumping to even more conclusions?

You can blame it on a lot of things including technology that has caused us to fire this stuff off in the hopes of getting the next “scoop” but if the management of these so called news bureau’s don’t start to actually manage their resources, they could very well start the next major conflict over a meaningless observation that any rookie can identify as just that. Lost is the time to think, analyze, confirm and reconfirm BEFORE broadcasting to the world.

Basic Civic’s lesson: Fidel Castro made his name and reputation on the backs of “the revolution”. He had chi quaver assassinated when chi suggested that the revolution had achieved it’s goals and a new direction was needed. Fidel’s very existence is based upon revolution so when Bill Clinton shook his hand some time before, Fidel could not afford to do anything that was anti-revolutionary. Raul is more of a businessman and diplomat. He understands that with the fall of USSR his funding is all but non-existent. They can no longer export guerilla warfare and mercenaries because they are too well known and easily tracked in a world where mercenary for hire is a dyeing profession. Drug running is out because he simply doesn’t have the talent the Columbians have so why should they throw him a bone? And most of all, he knows of the financial success of Batista and how he could once again return Cuba to financial success along with a reasonable amount of free trade and, God forbid, capitalism! But, until he and Obama open a dialogue, nothing moves forward.

Whether you hate, love or are just tolerating this president, it is important to recognize diplomacy for what it is. Having Secretaries of State communicate is helpful, but when world leaders publicly acknowledge each other with pleasantries and diplomacy, it can start a dialog that will change the world. Living long enough to see an open Cuba where we are free to visit and vacation …. Priceless!