In a piece devoted to Joe's life titled "Passing of a `pit bull' who clung to ideas of peace, hope and decency," Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Claude Lewis wrote, "Throughout the 25 years I knew him, among the diverse people I met in his home were Bill Kunstler, William Sloane Coffin, Daniel Ellsburg, Ann Braden, Huey Newton, Jane Fonda, Bishop Desmond Tutu, Benjamin Spock and David Dellinger."

Absent from Lewis's column, as well as the Inquirer's obituary, was Joe's actions in defense of the Cuban Revolution. He visited Cuba several times beginning in the early years of the revolution and became a founding member of the Cuba Support Coalition several years ago. Joe's home also served as a location for many meetings in support of Cuba.

When the Political Rights Defense Fund was formed in 1973 to organize support for the Socialist Workers Party's historic lawsuit against government spying, Joe was its first prominent sponsor in Philadelphia. An early backer of the effort to free SWP member Mark Curtis, who spent seven and a half years in prison on frame-up charges, Joe's home was once again the place for the final planning meeting to organize a celebration when Mark was freed last year.

Joe's warmth, wit, and commitment will be missed by countless activists here. A memorial service is planned for June 18 at the Friends Meetinghouse at 15th and Cherry in Philadelphia.

Nancy Cole

Joe Kleidon

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Cuban speaks in Utah
Dagoberto Rodríguez, First Secretary of the Cuban Interests Section in Washington, D.C., just completed a three-day tour in Utah speaking on "The Cuban Revolution Today and the Helms-Burton Law."

In mid-April Dania Murgado from the Federation of University Students and Rolando González from the Center for the Studies of José Martí, both based in Havana, were scheduled to visit Utah as part of a national lecture tour organized Faculty-Student Cuban Youth Lectures Committee in Boston. On March 10 the U.S. State Department denied visas for Murgado and González.

In response, the Cuba Solidarity Coalition here decided to contact the Cuban Interests Section to see if they could provide a speaker.

Sponsors of the Rodríguez tour included Associated Students of the University of Utah Multicultural/Diversity Board; Center for Ethnic Student Affairs, University of Utah; Hinckley Institute of Politics; Economics Department, University of Utah; Cuba Solidarity Coalition; Young Socialists; and the American Civil Liberties Union.

On May 8, Rodríguez spoke to a classroom at the University of Utah and then at a public meeting on campus, where 60 students heard Rodríguez denounce the U.S. economic war on Cuba. He said, "Cuba will never give up its sovereignty, independence and self-determination."

In response to a question on President Clinton's offer of billions of dollars in aid if the Cuban people removed Fidel Castro and Raúl Castro form the revolutionary government, Rodríguez said that millions of Cubans "have signed a declaration rejecting this offer to buy our island."

In the evening, Rodríguez spoke to at El Centro Civico Mexicano on Salt Lake City's west side.

On May 9, Rodríguez traveled to Price, Utah where he spoke to 15 students at College of Eastern Utah. Some students there asked if democracy really existed in Cuba.

That evening 35 people attended the Salt Lake City-city wide meeting here at the YWCA. Nancy Winitsky chaired the meeting and described the April 20 national Day of Defense in Cuba where rallies, demonstrations, and military training exercises were held throughout the country.

Rodríguez described the 1992 reforms that were implemented in response to the dramatic cut in trade with the Soviet Union. Most state farms were transformed into cooperatives, joint ventures with foreign capitalists were encouraged and individual businesses was legalized in some instances. He said, in response to a question, "Our goal is socialism. We prefer not to have any aspects of the free market. The reforms were forced on us by tough conditions. Our social programs have all been kept alive."

In criticizing the Helms-Burton law, Rodríguez said, "Cuba is a sovereign state and has every right to nationalize property within its borders."

In response to a question on recent events in Peru, Rodríguez called President Alberto Fujimori's massacre of 14 rebels there "immoral and inhuman... The Cuban government was trying all along to resolve the hostage situation through peaceful methods."

Rodríguez's tour was covered by The Deseret News and the University of Utah Chronicle. KRCL radio taped a two- hour radio interview with the Cuban diplomat.

Young people at all the meetings were encouraged to attend the 14th World Festival and Conference of Youth and Students in Havana, July 27 to August 6, 1997.

Dan Fein

Salt Lake City, Utah

The letters column is an open forum for all viewpoints on subjects of general interest to our readers. Please keep your letters brief. Where necessary they will be abridged. Please indicate if you prefer that your initials be used rather than your full name.  
 
 
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