LET'S FIGHT BACK

LET'S FIGHT BACK
GOD BLESS AMERICA

Monday, September 18, 2017

VIRAL PAYBACK: Rapper Who Showed White Child Being Lynched in Music Video Gets Knocked Out Cold on Stage (Video)

VIRAL PAYBACK: Rapper Who Showed White Child Being Lynched in Music Video Gets Knocked Out Cold on Stage (Video)

FROM THE RELIGION OF PEACE

Austria: 90% of asylum seekers end up on welfare

Zanzibar: “We rounded them up because we suspect they were engaged in homosexuality”

Zanzibar: “We rounded them up because we suspect they were engaged in homosexuality”

London Tube jihad bomber is Muslim “refugee” Yahyah Farroukh

London Tube jihad bomber is Muslim “refugee” Yahyah Farroukh

London Tube jihad bomber “was spoken to by police several times”

London Tube jihad bomber “was spoken to by police several times”

Linda Sarsour Appears on the Glazov Gang!

Linda Sarsour Appears on the Glazov Gang!

The Five 9/16/17 - Fox News Today September 16, 2017

The Greg Gutfeld Show 9/16/17 - Fox News Today September 16, 2017 TRUMP,...

Fox & Friends Weekend 9/17/17 | 9AM | Fox News Sunday September 17, 2017

Justice with Judge Jeanine Pirro 9/16/17 - Fox News Today September 16, ...

8PM Watters' World 9/16/17 | Fox News | September 16, 2017

Alex Jones (FULL SHOW Commercial Free) Sunday 9/17/17: News, Calls & Lau...

Sunday, September 17, 2017

FROM THE RELIGION OF PEACE

Islamic State calls on Muslims to commit jihad mass murder at hurricane relief centers

Islamic Republic of Pakistan fueling unrest against Buddhists in Myanmar

Islamic Republic of Pakistan fueling unrest against Buddhists in Myanmar

Polish President: “No doubt the growing wave of terrorism is linked to migration”

Polish President: “No doubt the growing wave of terrorism is linked to migration”

Canada: No charges against imams who called for the deaths of Jews

Canada: No charges against imams who called for the deaths of Jews

Pakistan: Christian gets death penalty for ‘un-Islamic’ WhatsApp text

Pakistan: Christian gets death penalty for ‘un-Islamic’ WhatsApp text

Tomi Lahren sounds off on free speech under assault

Your World With Neil Cavuto 9/15/2017 Fox News September 15 2017

The Story with Martha MacCallum 9/15/17 | Fox News | September 15, 2017

Special Report with Bret Baier 9/15/17 - Special Report Fox News Septemb...

FOX & Friends 9/15/17 | 7AM | Fox News September 15, 2017

The Five 9/15/17 - The Five Fox News Today September 15, 2017 TRUMP, HIL...

Laura Ingraham Show Podcast September 15, 2017 | Radio Show 9/15/2017

Lou Dobbs Tonight 9/15/17 Fox Business September 15, 2017

Tucker Carlson Tonight 9/15/17 - Tucker Carlson Fox News September 15, 2...

Sean Hannity Podcast September 15, 2017 | Radio Show 9/15/2017

Sean Hannity 9/15/17 - Hannity Fox News Today September 15, 2017 BREAKIN...

The Savage Nation September 15,2017 Podcast - Michael Savage Nation 9/15...

Alex Jones (FULL SHOW Commercial Free) Friday 9/15/17: HARD HITTING • NE...

The Rush Limbaugh Show PODCAST - September 15 - 2017

Levin Show 9/15/17 - Mark Levin Show September 15,2017 Full Podcast

Friday, September 15, 2017

FROM THE RELIGION OF PEACE

Paris: Police thwart jihad mass murder plot against gay nightclub - Jihad Watch

"Is Robert Spencer’s Jihad Watch a Hate Group? The SPLC says yes, but fails to make its case." - Jihad Watch

"Is Robert Spencer’s Jihad Watch a Hate Group? The SPLC says yes, but fails to make its case." - Jihad Watch

Muslim scholar: "Islam came, quite frankly, as a feminist movement" - Jihad Watch

Muslim scholar: "Islam came, quite frankly, as a feminist movement" - Jihad Watch

Debate video: David Wood and Robert Spencer vs. two Shia scholars on "Does the Qur'an promote peace?" - Jihad Watch

Debate video: David Wood and Robert Spencer vs. two Shia scholars on "Does the Qur'an promote peace?" - Jihad Watch

Robert Spencer on Breitbart Radio: Left Using Charlottesville as ‘Reichstag Fire Moment to Crush All Dissent’ - Jihad Watch

Robert Spencer on Breitbart Radio: Left Using Charlottesville as ‘Reichstag Fire Moment to Crush All Dissent’ - Jihad Watch

My question: Then why do you keep letting them in to your country...?

London Tube: IED detonated on rush hour train, police say it's terrorism - Jihad Watch

Your World With Neil Cavuto 9/14/2017 Fox News September 14 2017

Special Report with Bret Baier 9/14/17 | Fox News Today September 14, 2017

The Story with Martha MacCallum 9/14/2017 Fox News September 14 2017

The Five 9/14/17 - The Five Fox News Today September 14, 2017 TRUMP, HIL...

Laura Ingraham Show Podcast September 14, 2017 | Radio Show 9/14/2017

LOU DOBBS TONIGHT 9/14/17 | FOX ALERT 9/14/2017

Tucker Carlson Tonight 9/14/17 - Tucker Carlson Fox News September 14, 2...

Sean Hannity 9/14/17 | Fox News Today September 14, 2017

Sean Hannity 9/14/17 - The Great Danger

The Savage Nation September 14,2017 Podcast - Michael Savage Nation 9/14...

Alex Jones (FULL SHOW Commercial Free) Thursday 9/14/17: Larry Nichols, ...

Rush Limbaugh Thursday - September 14,2017

Levin Show 9/14/17 - Mark Levin Show September 14,2017 Full Podcast

Thursday, September 14, 2017

FROM THE RELIGION OF PEACE

Hamas-linked CAIR, SPLC enraged over Iowa and Nebraska presentations about the global jihad threat - Jihad Watch

Canada: Media frenzy over "Islamophobic" heckler of Sikh politician turns out to be based on falsehoods - Jihad Watch

Canada: Media frenzy over "Islamophobic" heckler of Sikh politician turns out to be based on falsehoods - Jihad Watch

France: Muslim screaming "Allahu akbar" attacks seven people, including three police officers - Jihad Watch

France: Muslim screaming "Allahu akbar" attacks seven people, including three police officers - Jihad Watch

Trudeau: Opposition to "anti-Islamophobia" motion is sexism - Jihad Watch

Trudeau: Opposition to "anti-Islamophobia" motion is sexism - Jihad Watch

Trump to sign resolution condemning “White nationalists, Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis, and other hate groups” - Jihad Watch

Trump to sign resolution condemning “White nationalists, Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis, and other hate groups” - Jihad Watch

Staying Safe: Recovering from Hurricane Irma

Antonio M.Abradelo <cubano1ero@gmail.com>

Sep 13 at 9:51 PM




Marco Rubio - U.S. Senator for Florida E-Newsletter

Staying Safe: Recovering from Hurricane Irma 

Tips for keeping you and your family safe:

  • Stay off the roads. Emergency workers may be assisting people in flooded areas or cleaning up debris. You can help them by staying off the roads and out of the way.
  • If your power is out, safely use a generator or candles.
  • Keep generators outside and far away from windows, doors and vents. Read both the label on your generator and the owner's manual and follow the instructions. 
  • Never use a generator inside a home, basement, shed or garage even if doors and windows are open.
  • If using candles, please use caution. If possible, use flashlights instead. If you must use candles, do not burn them on or near anything that can catch fire.
  • Avoid plugging emergency generators into electric outlets or hooking them directly to your home's electrical system – they can feed electricity back into the power lines, putting you and line workers in danger.
  • Avoid downed power or utility lines; they may be live with deadly voltage. Stay away and report them immediately to your power or utility company.
  • Once you and your family and friends are safe, Floridians who have sustained property damage from severe storms and flooding are urged to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at disasterassistance.gov

FEMA:

  • People should register with DisasterAssistance.gov for information, support, services, and to apply for disaster assistance.
  • Transitional Sheltering Assistance: FEMA may provide Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) to eligible disaster survivors who are unable to return to their homes for an extended period and need shelter. TSA provides short-term lodging for eligible disaster survivors whose residence is uninhabitable or inaccessible. To be eligible for TSA, individuals and households must:
·          
    • Register with FEMA for assistance.
    • Pass identity and citizenship verification.
    • Have a pre-disaster primary residence located in a geographic area that is designated for TSA.
    • Be displaced from their pre-disaster primary residence as a result of the disaster.
    • Be unable to obtain lodging through another source.
    • For those eligible, FEMA will authorize and fund TSA through direct payments to participating hotels/motels. The list of approved hotels is available at DisasterAssistance.gov or call the FEMA Helpline (800) 621-3362 (voice, 711/VRS-Video Relay Service) (TTY: (800) 462-7585).
  • The Red Cross ( http://www.redcross.org/find-your-local-chapter)  can help you find aid and shelters.  Local organizations will establish shelters and provide vouchers for meals, clothing and a limited amount of personal goods.

Flood Insurance:

  • National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policyholders may contact their insurance agent directly to find out if they are eligible for reimbursement for actions taken to protect their property. To file a flood insurance claim under the NFIP, contact your insurance agent immediately. You can also call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) – select option 2 – to learn more about your policy, and be directed to the appropriate claims resource. 

Protecting you and your family from scams:

As people begin to recover and repair homes, be vigilant against those who wish to scam victims of this storm.  
  • ALWAYS contact your insurance company before you hire a contractor . If the storm damaged your home, car, or property and you have insurance, you can start the claims process by calling your insurance company. If you plan to claim damages related to flooding or storm damage, you should verify that you have the right kind of coverage. If you don’t have a copy of your insurance policy, you can ask for one. Ask for an electronic copy of your policy—receiving physical mail may be difficult following the flood. That will help you verify your coverage. If possible, take photos and videos of your damaged property. Documenting damage will help you with your insurance claim.  

Watch out for: 

  • People who want you to pay up-front fees to help you claim services, benefits, or get loans.
  • Contractors  selling repairs door-to-door, especially when they ask to receive payment up front or offer deep discounts.
  • Con artists posing as government employees, insurance adjusters, law enforcement officials, or bank employees. It is easy to fake credibility and uniforms, so do not give out personal information to people you don’t know.
  • Government employees never charge to help you get a benefit or service and will  never ask for payment or financial information.
  • Fake charities. Normally, legitimate organizations do not have similar names to government agencies or other charities; so if they do, it may be a scam. Never give out donations over the phone.
  • Limited time offers. Anyone who offers you something and tells you that it is for a very limited time may be trying to pressure you into something that you could later regret. You should never be pressured to make a decision on the spot or to sign anything without having enough time to review it. Take your time, read and understand anything presented to you, and ask a trusted friend, relative, or attorney before acting.   

Don't forget to:

  • Contact your mortgage servicer. Talk to your mortgage lender right away and tell them about your situation. Damage to your home does not eliminate your responsibility to pay your mortgage, however your lender may be willing to work with you given the circumstances. If you don’t have your lender’s contact information, your monthly mortgage statement, or coupon book with you, you can  search the Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems (MERS) or call toll-free at (888) 679-6377 to find the company that services your mortgage.
  • Contact your credit card companies and other lenders. If your income is interrupted or your expenses go up, and you don’t think you will be able to pay your credit cards or other loans, be sure to contact your lenders as soon as possible. Ask your creditor to work with you. Explain your situation and when you think you might be able to resume normal payments. It is important to make those calls  before your next payments are due
  • Contact your utility companies. If your home is damaged to the point you can’t live in it, ask the utility companies to suspend your service. This could help free up money in your budget for other expenses.
  • After contacting the companies related to your most urgent financial needs, take a look at your bills and set priorities—including your mortgage, rent, and insurance payments. Given the countless people experiencing distress from the flooding, contacting your creditors may be difficult. Be persistent and make every effort to reach them. 

For veterans:

  • If a veteran is displaced, and has lost their medication and no longer has a written prescription or bottle, they can contact the Health Resources Center Disaster Hotline at 1-800-507-4571 to speak with a representative. Get updates on the VA's website.
If you need assistance, please contact my office at (202) 224-3041. You can also followme on Facebook and Twitter for additional updates.

Tomi Lahren calls out ESPN's 'double standard'

4PM Your World with Neil Cavuto 9/13/17 | Fox News | September 13, 2017

7PM The Story with Martha MacCallum 9/13/17 | Fox News | September 13, 2017

Special Report with Bret Baier 9/13/17 | Fox News Today September 13, 2017

Fox & Friends 9/13/17 | 7AM | Fox News Today September 13, 2017

The Five 9/13/17 | Fox News Today September 13, 2017

Laura Ingraham Show Podcast September 13 2017 Radio Show 9 13 2017

Lou Dobbs Tonight 9/13/2017 Fox Business Highlights September 13 2017

Tucker Carlson Tonight 9/13/17 - Tucker Carlson Fox News September 13, 2...

Sean Hannity 9/13/17 - Hannity Fox News Today September 13, 2017 TRUMP, ...

Sean Hannity 9/13/17 - What Is ESPN Doing? - Sean Hannity September 13,...

The Savage Nation September 13,2017 Podcast - Michael Savage Nation 9/13...

Alex Jones (FULL SHOW Commercial Free) Wednesday 9/13/17: Mike Cernovich...

Rush Limbaugh Wednesday - September 13,2017

Levin Show 9/13/17 - Mark Levin Show September 13,2017 Full Podcast

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

FROM THE RELIGION OF PEACE

NYC: Muslim college student who lied about being attacked by Trump supporter pleads guilty - Jihad Watch

“The left is trying to use Charlottesville as its Reichstag Fire moment — a chance to shut down all dissent” - Jihad Watch

“The left is trying to use Charlottesville as its Reichstag Fire moment — a chance to shut down all dissent” - Jihad Watch

Supreme Court votes for national security, upholds Trump travel ban - Jihad Watch

Supreme Court votes for national security, upholds Trump travel ban - Jihad Watch

Robert Spencer: NH Mosque Preaches Jihad, Police Chief Cries “Islamophobia” - Jihad Watch

Robert Spencer: NH Mosque Preaches Jihad, Police Chief Cries “Islamophobia” - Jihad Watch

McMaster sparked a row with the Israeli delegation at a White House meeting on Hizballah - Jihad Watch

McMaster sparked a row with the Israeli delegation at a White House meeting on Hizballah - Jihad Watch

Sharia Australia: Three men fined $1,600 each for "inciting serious contempt of Muslims" with mock beheading video - Jihad Watch

Sharia Australia: Three men fined $1,600 each for "inciting serious contempt of Muslims" with mock beheading video - Jihad Watch

TOMI LAHREN FULL EXPLOSIVE FINAL WORD ON SEAN HANNITY SHOW - 9/12/2017

4PM Your World With Neil Cavuto 9/12/17 | Fox News | September 12, 2017

7PM The Story with Martha MacCallum 9/12/17 | Fox News | September 12, 2017

6PM Special Report with Bret Baier 9/12/17 | Fox News | September 12, 2017

Fox & Friends 9/12/17 | Fox News Today September 12, 2017

The Five 9/12/17 | Fox News Today September 12, 2017

Laura Ingraham Show Podcast September 12, 2017 | Radio Show 9/12/2017

Lou Dobbs Tonight 9/12/2017 Fox Business Highlights September 12 2017

Tucker Carlson Tonight 9/12/17 | Fox News Today September 12, 2017

Hannity 9/12/17 - Sean Hannity Podcast September 12,2017 - Interview Dav...

The Savage Nation September 12,2017 Podcast - Michael Savage Nation 9/12...

Alex Jones (FULL SHOW Commercial Free) Tuesday 9/12/17: Bombshell Breaki...

Rush Limbaugh Tuesday - September 12,2017

The Mark Levin Show Podcast September 12, 2017 | Radio Show 9/12/2017

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

FROM THE RELIGION OF PEACE

9/11 jihadi to US in just-released footage: "Your blood is delicious for us and your meat cheap" - Jihad Watch

UK: Muslim cleric calls on Muslims to "be ready to spill blood and have your blood spilt" - Jihad Watch

UK: Muslim cleric calls on Muslims to "be ready to spill blood and have your blood spilt" - Jihad Watch

Trump, Pence, Mattis, Sessions fail to name "Islamic terrorism" in 9/11 remarks - Jihad Watch

Trump, Pence, Mattis, Sessions fail to name "Islamic terrorism" in 9/11 remarks - Jihad Watch

Iran’s World Assembly of Islamic Awakening top dog: Israel behind massacre of Muslims in Myanmar - Jihad Watch

Iran’s World Assembly of Islamic Awakening top dog: Israel behind massacre of Muslims in Myanmar - Jihad Watch

Watch it now: AFDI's shocking new movie, Can’t We Talk About This? The Islamic Jihad Against Free Speech - Jihad Watch

Watch it now: AFDI's shocking new movie, Can’t We Talk About This? The Islamic Jihad Against Free Speech - Jihad Watch

Government Spending and the Parable of the Broken Window

he AZEL

PERSPECTIVE

Commentary on Cuba's Future, U.S. Foreign Policy & Individual Freedoms - Issue 91
 


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In his 1850 essay titled “That Which is Seen and That Which Is Unseen,” Frédéric Bastiat introduces us to the parable of the broken window to illustrate how money spent to recover from destruction is not a net benefit to society. The parable comes to mind when one hears of the silver lining, supposedly in the form of job creation, inherent in natural disasters such as hurricanes, in wars, in cash for clunkers programs, or in the claims of jobs created by government financed public works projects.
In Bastiat’s fable, a careless young man breaks a glass window in his father’s shop, (let this shop stand for society at large). To console the shopkeeper for his loss, bystanders offer that “Everybody must live, and what would become of the glaziers (a special interest group) if panes of glass were never broken?” It is then argued that the broken glass will stimulate the glazier trade providing income to the repair person who, in turn, will use that income to purchase supplies and other goods thus promoting economic growth.

This is the impact “which is seen,” and on this basis we conclude that the broken window was good for the economy. If this were the case, it would then make sense to go further and burn down the entire shop to further stimulate economic activity in other industries.

However, the forgone activity -“that which is unseen”- is the effect of what the shopkeeper (i.e., society) would have done with his money if he had not had to spend it in fixing the broken window.

Presumably, he would have bought clothing, groceries, other goods and services or invested in growing his shop. He is now unable to make these purchases or invest since he had to use his money to repair the broken window. The broken window resulted in a misallocation of resources. The shopkeeper is definitely poorer. Rather than having a window and some clothing or groceries, he will only have a repaired window.

When “that which is unseen” is taken into consideration, it is obvious that government public works programs, although stimulative to specific industries, are not a net gain for the community’s economy. They are paid for by reducing the citizenry’s purchasing power via taxation (or inflation) thus decreasing expenditures elsewhere in the economy. The stimulus felt in one industrial sector comes at a real, but unseen cost to other sectors. All that is accomplished by such programs is to provide more work / income to some industries at the expense of work / income in other industries.

Bastiat urges us to observe that there are not just two, but three actors in his parable. The shopkeeper, representing the taxpayer, is worst off because to repair the window he will have to forgo other purchases. The glazier- the special interest producer- who will benefit from the repair work. The third, the unseen, are all the other producers that will not enjoy the stimulus of the shopkeeper’s expenditures. For every job created by a public works project, a private job has been excluded somewhere else in the economy.

Because the incomes and outcomes of government funding are visible, public works programs are often thought to benefit all. But this fails to consider the hidden costs. Ultimately, every dollar of government spending must be raised through a dollar of taxation. Taxpayers are poorer by the same amount spent in the public work, and the goods and services they would have bought with that money now will not be purchased. Economists refer to these “non-purchases” as opportunity costs, Bastiat describes them as “what is unseen.” They are, however, no less real or significant, but because these costs are not seen, the illusion is created that the benefits are free of costs.

The broken window fallacy is a sophism often used in political discourse to justify foolish and prodigal public works projects. If a project offers real utility to the community, that fact alone is what should be used to argue in its favor. The project should be defended only on its intrinsic merits. A certain amount of pubic works is clearly necessary, and the humanity of helping victims of a natural disaster should not be corrupted with unscrupulous economics. But when we hear the specious argument that a public works project will create jobs and stimulate economic growth we can be sure we are being hoodwinked with the broken window fallacy.

Please let us know if you Like Issue 91 - Government Spending and the Parable of the Broken Window on Facebook this article.
We welcome your feedback.
Abrazos,
 
Lily & José
 
(click on the name to email Lily or Jose)
This article was originally published in English in the Miami Herald and in Spanish in El Nuevo Herald.
 
José Azel, Ph.D.
José Azel left Cuba in 1961 as a 13 year-old political exile in what has been dubbed Operation Pedro Pan - the largest unaccompanied child refugee movement in the history of the Western Hemisphere.

He is currently dedicated to the in-depth analyses of Cuba's economic, social and political state, with a keen interest in post-Castro-Cuba strategies. Formerly, a Senior Scholar at the Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies (ICCAS) at the University of Miami, Jose Azel has published extensively on Cuba related topics.

In 2012 and 2015, Dr. Azel testified in the U.S. Congress on U.S.-Cuba Policy, and U.S. National Security.  He is a frequent speaker and commentator on these and related topics on local, national and international media.  He holds undergraduate and masters degrees in business administration and a Ph.D. in International Affairs from the University of Miami.

José along with his wife Lily are avid skiers and adventure travelers.  In recent years they have climbed Grand Teton in Wyoming, trekked Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and Machu Pichu in Peru.  They have also hiked in Tibet and in the Himalayas to Mt. Everest Base Camp.

They cycled St. James Way (
El Camino de Santiago de Compostela) and cycled alongside the Danube from Germany to Hungary. They have scuba dived in the Bay Islands off the Honduran coast.

Their adventurers are normally dedicated to raise funds for causes that are dear to them. 
Watch Joe & Lily summit Kilimanjaro.

Books by Dr. José Azel
In Reflections on FreedomJosé Azel brings together a collection of his columns published in prestigious newspapers.  Each article reveals his heartfelt and personal awareness of the importance of freedom in our lives.  They are his reflections after nearly sixty years of living and learning as a Cuban outside Cuba. In what has become his stylistic trademark, Professor Azel brilliantly introduces complex topics in brief journalistic articles.
Buy Now
En Reflexiones sobre la libertad José Azel reúne una colección de sus columnas publicadas en prestigiosos periódicos. Cada artículo revela su percepción sincera y personal de la importancia de la libertad en nuestras vidas. Son sus reflexiones después de casi sesenta años viviendo y aprendiendo como cubano fuera de Cuba.  En lo que ha resultado ser característica distintiva de sus artículos, el Profesor Azel introduce con brillantez complejos temas en  breves artículos de carácter periodístico.
Compre Aqui
Mañana in Cuba is a comprehensive analysis of contemporary Cuba with an incisive perspective of the Cuban frame of mind and its relevancy for Cuba's future.
Buy now

 
Pedazos y Vacíos is a collection of poems written in by Dr. Azel in his youth. Poems are in Spanish.
Buy now
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If you are receiving this email it is because we met you at some point on an adventure.

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Azel & Associates
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Sunrise, FL 33325

Monday, September 11, 2017

FROM THE RELIGION OF PEACE

Feds have at least six open cases looking at Islamic State support in Minnesota - Jihad Watch

Malawi Muslim Association proposes death penalty for gays - Jihad Watch

Malawi Muslim Association proposes death penalty for gays - Jihad Watch

Muslim migrants prefer Germany because its welfare benefits are "quite high" - Jihad Watch

Muslim migrants prefer Germany because its welfare benefits are "quite high" - Jihad Watch

France: Principal told Jews not to attend his school, would be harassed by Muslim students - Jihad Watch

France: Principal told Jews not to attend his school, would be harassed by Muslim students - Jihad Watch

11,000+ blank Syrian passports in the hands of the Islamic State - Jihad Watch

11,000+ blank Syrian passports in the hands of the Islamic State - Jihad Watch

Tomi Lahren Reacts To Hillary Clinton's Election Excuses(VIDEO)!!!

Fox & Friends Weekend 9/10/17 | Fox News September 10, 2017

LIVE - Fox News Channel HD - Emergency Hurricane Irma News & Update

FOX NEWS LIVE TRACKING HURRICANE IRMA - TAMPA BAY - FORT MYERS - MIAMI F...

Justice with Judge Jeanine Pirro 9/9/17 - Fox News Today September 9, 20...

Alex Jones (FULL SHOW Commercial Free) Sunday 9/10/17: Hurricane IRMA, S...

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

FROM THE RELIGION OF PEACE

Muslim cleric: “True Islam” means “entering each and every home” and “raiding Rome”

Despite negative publicity, Muslims in Calgary continues to teach health benefits of FGM as an Islamic practice

Despite negative publicity, Muslims in Calgary continues to teach health benefits of FGM as an Islamic practice

Muslim blogger: Western democracies “trying to disempower Muslim women”

Muslim blogger: Western democracies “trying to disempower Muslim women”

Reza Aslan: “A hijab is a thing that a male Muslim should have absolutely no opinion about”

Reza Aslan: “A hijab is a thing that a male Muslim should have absolutely no opinion about”

UK government reverses itself, bans Muslim cleric who called for destruction of Britain from entering country

UK government reverses itself, bans Muslim cleric who called for destruction of Britain from entering country

Your World With Neil Cavuto 9/5/17 | Fox News September 5, 2017

The Story with Martha MacCallum 9/6/17 | Fox News | September 6, 2017

Special Report with Bret Baier 9/5/17 | Fox News Today September 5, 2017

Fox & Friends First 9/5/17 | Fox News Today September 5, 2017

9PM The Five 9/5/17 | Fox News | September 5, 2017

Laura Ingraham Show Podcast September 5, 2017 | Radio Show 9/5/2017

Lou Dobbs Tonight 9/5/2017 Fox Business Highlights September 5 2017

Tucker Carlson Tonight 9/5/17 | Fox News Today September 5, 2017

Sean Hannity 9/5/17 - Hannity Fox News Today September 5, 2017 TRUMP END...

Sean Hannity 9/5/17 - Breaking Down DACA - September 5,2017

The Savage Nation September 5,2017 Podcast - Michael Savage Nation 9/5/1...

Alex Jones (FULL SHOW Commercial Free) Tuesday 9/5/17: Nugent, Joy Villa...

Rush Limbaugh Tuesday - September 5,2017

Levin Show 9/5/17 - Mark Levin Show September 5,2017 Full Podcast

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

FROM THE RELIGION OF PEACE

Brussels: Nine men thrown off flight for screaming “Allahu akbar” and claiming to carry bombs

UK: Muslim who attacked cops with sword while screaming “Allahu akbar” says “Queen and her soldiers will all be in hellfire”

UK: Muslim who attacked cops with sword while screaming “Allahu akbar” says “Queen and her soldiers will all be in hellfire”

Former Muslim, anti-FGM campaigner Shazia Hobbs suspended from Twitter

Former Muslim, anti-FGM campaigner Shazia Hobbs suspended from Twitter

Her clothes make her black, just what an incredibly 'S' 'S'...

Linda Sarsour says her hijab transformed her from “white” into a “person of color”

UK Police Are Investigating My Group for “Hate Crime” for Posters Warning of Grooming Gangs

UK Police Are Investigating My Group for “Hate Crime” for Posters Warning of Grooming Gangs

Issue 90 - A Faustian Bargain


the AZEL

PERSPECTIVE

Commentary on Cuba's Future, U.S. Foreign Policy & Individual Freedoms - Issue 90
 

A Faustian Bargain

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The malevolence of the Castro brothers during their six decades regime is well documented: 3,615 executions by firing squad, 1,253 extrajudicial killings, the imprisonment of thousands of political prisoners in subhuman conditions, the 1994 tugboat massacre, the depravation of basic freedoms and the impoverishment of the country’s entire population, countless violations of human rights and much more.
Unquestionably, Fidel Castro’s 1962 Armageddon letter to Khrushchev advocating a Soviet preemptive nuclear attack on the United States is an expression of unmitigated evil.

Also known is the gentility and heroism of the Ladies in White, recognized by the European Parliament in 2005 with the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.  This group of incredibly brave and devout women attends Mass each Sunday and then silently stands up to the regime by walking through the streets wearing white clothing to symbolize peace.

Both Fidel Castro and the Ladies in White requested an audience with Pope Benedict XVI during his 2012 Cuba visit. The Ladies in White requested only a minute of his Holiness’ time.   In Joseph Ratzinger seemingly chauvinistic calculus the Ladies in White did not merit his time and Ratzinger elected to disown his most loyal flock on the Island and chose instead to meet with Mephistopheles.

The Church leadership’s obsequiousness in accommodating the Cuban government and its concern with sparing the Castros any political discomfort responds to a Church strategy of gaining space in society for its ecumenical and humanitarian work. The bargain is a dangerous one as the Church has, in fact, made a deal with the devil.

It may very well discover, as did Faust, the protagonist of the classical German legend, that It has surrendered Its moral integrity and that at the end of the term, Mephistopheles will claim his due.

Biology dictates that the end-game for Castroism is not too far in the future.  When Castroism ends, the Cuban economy and society will be in deep crisis and in total disarray.  These objective conditions will constitute the Cuban collective memory of communism and its leadership, including the memory of the recent sycophancy and closeness of the Church leadership with the communist leadership.

Behavioral economists speak of the “peak-end rule” which states that we judge the past almost entirely on the basis of how the experience was at its peak and at its end.  In other words, it is the positive or negative experience at the end of a process that stays with us rather than some net average for the entire duration of the event. In the years to come, when Cubans look into their political rearview mirror they will see the Communist Party and the Catholic Church as effete institutions collaborators to their misery.

At the end of Castroism, prior fondness for Catholicism may be negated and what will be remembered will be inglorious events such as Cardinal Jaime Ortega’s betrayal of the Church’s sanctuary tradition by requesting that the Cuban government evict activists that had taken refuge in the Church, or Pope Benedict’s failure to condemn energetically the human rights abuses of the Castro regime, and to meet with the Ladies in White.

In aligning itself with the Cuban government and not with the Cuban people the Catholic Church’s leadership has miscalculated and entered into a Faustian bargain exchanging its soul for political favors.

I long for the courage of the Marist brothers of my youth in Cuba’s Catholic schools. They taught us by day and led us daringly in the anticommunist resistance underground by night.   Cuba’s Catholic Church will have limited opportunities in the future to extricate Itself from Its pact with the devil. Let us pray It chooses to do so.


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Abrazos,
 
Lily & José
 
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This article was originally published in English in the Miami Herald and in Spanish in El Nuevo Herald.
 
José Azel, Ph.D.
José Azel left Cuba in 1961 as a 13 year-old political exile in what has been dubbed Operation Pedro Pan - the largest unaccompanied child refugee movement in the history of the Western Hemisphere.

He is currently dedicated to the in-depth analyses of Cuba's economic, social and political state, with a keen interest in post-Castro-Cuba strategies. Formerly, a Senior Scholar at the Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies (ICCAS) at the University of Miami, Jose Azel has published extensively on Cuba related topics.

In 2012 and 2015, Dr. Azel testified in the U.S. Congress on U.S.-Cuba Policy, and U.S. National Security.  He is a frequent speaker and commentator on these and related topics on local, national and international media.  He holds undergraduate and masters degrees in business administration and a Ph.D. in International Affairs from the University of Miami.

José along with his wife Lily are avid skiers and adventure travelers.  In recent years they have climbed Grand Teton in Wyoming, trekked Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and Machu Pichu in Peru.  They have also hiked in Tibet and in the Himalayas to Mt. Everest Base Camp.

They cycled St. James Way (
El Camino de Santiago de Compostela) and cycled alongside the Danube from Germany to Hungary. They have scuba dived in the Bay Islands off the Honduran coast.

Their adventurers are normally dedicated to raise funds for causes that are dear to them. 
Watch Joe & Lily summit Kilimanjaro.

Books by Dr. José Azel
In Reflections on FreedomJosé Azel brings together a collection of his columns published in prestigious newspapers.  Each article reveals his heartfelt and personal awareness of the importance of freedom in our lives.  They are his reflections after nearly sixty years of living and learning as a Cuban outside Cuba. In what has become his stylistic trademark, Professor Azel brilliantly introduces complex topics in brief journalistic articles.
Buy Now
En Reflexiones sobre la libertad José Azel reúne una colección de sus columnas publicadas en prestigiosos periódicos. Cada artículo revela su percepción sincera y personal de la importancia de la libertad en nuestras vidas. Son sus reflexiones después de casi sesenta años viviendo y aprendiendo como cubano fuera de Cuba.  En lo que ha resultado ser característica distintiva de sus artículos, el Profesor Azel introduce con brillantez complejos temas en  breves artículos de carácter periodístico.
Compre Aqui
Mañana in Cuba is a comprehensive analysis of contemporary Cuba with an incisive perspective of the Cuban frame of mind and its relevancy for Cuba's future.
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Pedazos y Vacíos is a collection of poems written in by Dr. Azel in his youth. Poems are in Spanish.
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