Thursday, February 20, 2014

Ethnic Dust-up at the County Commission. By Geniusofdespair

The meeting was about Odebrecht (Souto is mad at them for doing business with Cuba). That is Lobbyist Miguel De Grandy (hands folded) sitting next to Odebrechts's President. More important, that is Lynda Bell's campaign manager sitting in back. Jose Luis Castillo. His presence tells you how Lynda Bell will vote on most matters. Not this one however. Castillo has parlayed Lynda's election with a successful lobbying career. If they want Lynda's vote they hire this fool. I think he is hired just to sit  there.

I tried to get the video but that never seems to work. Yesterday "Anyone but Cuban Phob" Javier Souto and Commissioner Dennis Moss went at it according to the Miami Herald:

Commissioner Javier Souto’s suggestion that the board should steer clear of inflaming Cuban-American sentiment, given the Cuban exile community’s role in the county. “The Latins here pay more taxes per capita than anybody else,” Souto said. “And out of the Latin people, the prevalent community is the Cuban community. If you don’t know that, you don’t know where you’re living.” Miami is where it is today, he added, “because of the Cubans who came here.”
Moss said:
“That’s part of what’s wrong with Miami-Dade County,” he said, raising his voice in anger. “We’re not about fairness. We’re about power and money.”
“Black folks built this community,” he added. “To simply say that, well, Latins came to this town and all of a sudden, this town is what it is — I resent that. My ancestors were helping build this county while other people were other places.”

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/02/19/3946864/amid-ethnic-tensions-airport-city.html#storylink=cpy


Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/02/19/3946864/amid-ethnic-tensions-airport-city.html#storylink=cpy

37 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow. Moss, you go! (BTW, love the Castillo bow tie! When did that appear on the scene? Do you get to a certain income level and then you can differentiate yourself as a sartorial matter. We are waiting for the panama hat!, Jose!)

Anonymous said...

Sorry folks this is just good theater. One way or another these lobbyists are going to get themselves and their other clients to Cuba before the rest of the Miami hustlers. Odebrecht is their way in. Alfy Fanjul is their way in. Lynda Bell doesn't have the foggiest idea. She is just a checker being pushed around on the board. LOL.

Anonymous said...

Dennis Moss? Wow. Sometimes even a blind hog roots up an ear of corn. Maybe Dennis Moss can help protect Miami's historic neighborhoods and historic names from being relabeled Haiti? Out-of-town Haitians are trying to steamroll old school African-Americans out of existence.

KC said...

Moss was doing fine until his made his ridiculous claim that blacks built this community. Both Soto and Moss are racists who hate the white man.

Anonymous said...

Moss said his ancestors were helping to build this county while other people were other places.

Really? Did they have some of those no show county-funded optimist club jobs back in the olden days?

Anonymous said...

No, Moss was right. The black folks built this community...as poorly paid and badly treated laborers in the employ of the white guys. Yes, both he and Souta are racists.

Anonymous said...

Souto reminds me of my dear father as he was overtaken by alzheimers. Anything that passed through his mind came out his mouth unfiltered.

Anonymous said...

The history of modern Miami development dates back to the 1800's. The Bahamian's were the laborers if I remember right. They still have very strong roots down here.

HOWEVER, Souto, I don't recall Henry Flagler, Carl Fisher, Shepard Broad, Julia Tuttle, William & Mary Brickell being from Cuba or Latin America!

Moss was more right then Souto. In this situation they were both wrong for even going there in the first place. The "wine and cheese set" are sorely under represented on the BCC. Maybe it's time for another Federal lawsuit. We only have 2 white non Hispanics on the BCC out of 13 when there are 4 African Americans including on Haitian American which is less then 15% of the population.

Gennifer said...

There may have been some Bahamian laborers, but the significant majority of managers and laborers were always white non-Hispanics. Please show me one photo of a construction project with a majority of black laborers.

Anonymous said...

What I want to say to Souto is probably worse then what he said at the BCC. He should resign, immediately. He is not representing this community. Moss is in 2nd place to him.

I'm sure DeGrandy who was there yesterday is just so proud of this monster he helped create. He needs to go to.

Hector said...

If the Bahamians were so good at building a city, why don't we see evidence of it in the Bahamas? I am also so pleased that the Haitians are bringing to our community what they did so well in their own country.

Anonymous said...

http://miamidade.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=2857
see the dustup yourself by the preceding link, around 7:10 hours

Anonymous said...

Souto needs to retire! If he's referring to El Mariel building this community yes it was built by crooks and criminals who were released from Cuban jails hence the creation of Hialeah!

Anonymous said...

First of all, Cocaine money helped to build down town in the 80's. As for what Miami is today, I'm not sure I'd claim bragging rights to that.

Sincerely,

Member,
The Wine and Cheese Club

TONY MONTANA said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

There were some Bahamians who helped build Miami but is was mostly poor hard working whites. There were a few Southern blacks starting in the 1890's but not many. Illegal Haitians started arriving by boat only 30-40 years ago. They are loud but they built nothing. Now most Haitians live in N. Miami and Miramar.

Anonymous said...

There is one good thing Obama could do while in office and that is end the Cuban Embargo today. Just end it. Don't give all the Cubans in Miami the time to cut any sweet heart deals with Castro or US Govt. The Cuban embargo has been the biggest flop ever. Release the Cuban's hold on Miami and watch this city really prosper.

Anonymous said...

Captain Banana Boat, my ancestors came over on the Winthrop Fleet in 1630, not a banana boat.

And the fact that Indians had to walk across a land bridge because they couldn't build ocean vessels is nothing to crow about.

Capitan Banana Boat said...

OK the Potato(e)Boat or Tea and Crumpets Boat or the Spaghetti Boat.
Do you think that somehow because you're ancestors came in on the Winthrop Fleet in 1630 or that makes you something special? or better than those whose ancestors came later or from another point of origin? Spare the PC crap tell me what you really feel Mr. Winthrop I presume?

Anonymous said...

As a Cuban American, I am dumbfounded and ashamed of the comments made by Commissioner Javier Souto. Mr. Souto should be reminded that every Cuban exile is thankful to this nation for the love and affection it showed Cubans at a time of need. To claim that "Cubans built this town" is a major faux pas by a senile great grandfather who does no good to our community with his belligerent and irational statements. Every Cuban American I know is embarassed by Souto's statements and he should apologize publicly for the insult he uttered. I for one extend my gratitude to all Miami Dade County residents of every ethnicity. Together we make this area a great place.

Anonymous said...

What I believe is that the people of European descent have built the most advanced civilization in history and made it possible for you to enjoy all of the creature comforts you have today. If there is anything worthwhile in Cuba, it was created by Europeans. If you want to see how non-Europeans are at civilization building, take a look at Haiti. They kicked out the Europeans 210 years ago and now look at the shithole that exists there today.

Native Miamian said...

last anon - super-bigot.

the anon before - what we should all aspire to be.

Native Miamian said...

I find it sad that Souto blurting his nonsense about Cuban superiority has brought out the same in so many people here - instead about "europeans" or "bahamians" or whatever.

Quite a shame.

microbrew and trailmix set said...

wow..just wow..Moss should know better. Why not just bust a very loud laugh anytime Souto opens his boca loca.
have to agree on the bow tie - very sharp indeed, makes me want to invent a device that, when pointed a bow tie, would start to make it turn and turn, tighter and tighter until..

Anonymous said...

Haiti is in total chaos. 210 years since whites were kicked out and chaos ever since. One dictator after another. Haitians can't even organize a sewage system. Souto should study history.

Anonymous said...

I remember my mother telling me years ago that when the first Cuban exiles arrived in 1960 after the "Bearded One" rolled into Havana, Miami went as far west as 27th Ave and S.W. 8 Street. Anything west of that was "campo" or farmland. In other words, it was stagnant. However, let's not forget also a very important point. Whites and Blacks of that era did not get along at all. Segregation was EVERYWHERE. She remembers one diner she wanted to have lunch in one day and right smack in the door there was a sign that said - "No Blacks, No Pets, No Cubans!"

My mother, being of European ancestry, did not look like the typical Cuban, but she felt very much insulted by all 3 demands. So no biz for that diner.

Now, many, many Cubans of that era, were captains of industry and were very wealthy. However, Fidel, confiscated most of their properties and most simply arrived with little more than the "clothes on their backs." However, they did have an enviable work ethic (remember that before Castro, the U.S. and Cuba were very close allies).

American industry and its work ethic flourished in Cuba. If history serves, American industry thrived in Cuba and it earned the reputation of the "Riviera of the Caribbean." Of course there was corruption, as well. Tell me a country that does not have any and I'll tell you the way to the Emerald City.

However, I digress. My mother and father also told me that these formerly powerful people, swallowed their pride and went to work here, in exile, as dishwashers, cooks, maids, guards, parking attendants, etc. But, they also studied - earned degrees and moved up in exile and in the course of 20 years, between 1960 and 1980, Cubans in particular began to make it on their own.

That generation was full of decent, salt of the earth people. Regrettably, however, the 1980 Mariel Boatlift was marked by many good people but Fidel took advantage of the situation and created an "escape valve" for himself by allowing criminals, slackers and many undesirables to leave the island.

This created the first, major shift in local public opinion. Even the Cubans of the 1960s held many "Marielitas" in contempt.

By 1994, Miami was an established metropolis and everyone from the Caribbean to South America wanted to come here, as a result of political and economic instabilities in their own homelands.

Now, I could say that Cubans and Cubans alone made this city as Souto suggests, but that, of course, would be inaccurate. We had lots of help from the Americans and we made plenty of positive contributions to this adoptive society.

Another ethnicity that is quickly coming into their own is the Venezuelan community.

However, let's not forget that although Black-Americans were here waaay longer than Cubans and other ethnicities, they burned down their cities during the 1980 riots and they can't seem to get along with Haitian-Americans or even Cubans and other ethnicities.

What is up with that?

Can't we just learn from the past, get along with everyone and simply MOVE FORWARD!?

Geniusofdespair said...

If Souto can't be civil to the whole community and respect everyone he should be gone. I don't blame Moss. Everyone is sick of Souto and his thinly veiled racism. I would like to tell him off too! He calls me wine and cheese.

Anonymous said...

"Anything west of that was "campo" or farmland. In other words, it was stagnant." Stagnant? Farmland is far from stagnant land.

"No Blacks, No Pets, No Cubans!" The very last time I was at Las Palmas for churros one cold winter night, I was ignored. Meanwhile, Cubanos walked up and were served promptly. When I was finally able to order, I was given the old churros that were sitting there while others were getting fresh fried churros.

"Now, many, many Cubans of that era, were captains of industry and were very wealthy." And they obtained their wealth because they stole it from the working people under the Batista regime. Why do you think it was so easy for Castro to do what he did?

Ricky Ricardo said...

Aged Chorros are a delicacy don't you Anglo's know anything..... ;-)
Every time I'm at a Cuban coffee window they bend over backwards for Anglo patrons.
Never seen a sign that says "No Anglo's"

Anonymous said...

William and Mary Brickell
Shepard Broad
Arthur Vining Davis
James Deering
Henry FLagler & Florida East Coast Railway
George Merrick
John Sewell
Julia Tuttle
Et cetera

Anonymous said...

The photo depicted on this blog tells it all. There is Jose Luis Castillo, commonly known in the absentee ballot world as One Eye Jack and campaign consultant for Mayor Carlos Gimenez. There is DeGrandy, lobbyist to every indiscriminate contractor in the county and the rest, just vultures, waiting for the meager scraps to fall on their laps.

Anonymous said...

The term anglo is offensive.

Geniusofdespair said...

Stop saying that unless you have a better word all labels are offensive

Anonymous said...

Flashback Tuesday:
Miami-Dade Commissioner Javier Souto issued an unusual statement late Friday apologizing for remarks he made from the dais, which suggested his complaints about a house being built in his district were based on anti-Muslim bias.
Souto’s commentary had implied that a seven-bedroom, 11-bathroom house under construction in Westwood Lakes could become a mosque or other place of worship intended to recruit college students to become Muslims. He said he met Thursday with Muslim community leaders who explained that they took offense to his remarks.
“I repeated some statements that I had heard from my constituents who are also very frustrated and angry with our County Government over this issue in a moment of a heated discourse, and unintentionally offended my friends in the Muslim community,” Souto said in the statement. “Once again, I offer my sincere apologies to my friends.” - http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/05/25/v-print/2817784/miami-dade-commissioner-javier.html

Anonymous said...

Cubans in particular began to make it on their own?? REALLY!?!?
"The reasons for the differences in the way Cubans are treated from other illegals is the Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966, Cuban-U.S. migrant agreements of 1994 and 1995, and law added in 1996. The 1966 Act permitted any Cuban who had been in the U.S. for a year and a day, regardless of how they got here, to have their status adjusted to that of a Legal Permanent Resident. Through the use of political power by U.S. Cubans, they have successfully defeated every attempt to repeal the 1966 Act and have been able to add further preferences for Cuban immigrants, whether legal or illegal. It is also a matter of class and resources; Cubans in the U.S. are able to pay thousands of dollars to have traffickers bring Cubans here illegally, to give them jobs, and help them GET U. S. GOVERNMENT BENEFITS, while most illegals from other countries do not have the same resources or influence. Class and politics matter in immigrants matters, as Napolitano’s remarks vividly point out."
"Cuban illegals can show up anywhere on land in the U.S. and immediately be allowed to enter the country. THEY GET A WORK PERMIT, SOCIAL SECURITY CARD, PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FOR FOOD AND ACCOMMODATIONS, MEDICARE IF ELIGIBLE OR MEDICAID. They are not, as refugees are, put in jail until their case is decided, but are immediately paroled, and after a year, can apply for permanent residency ( green card) and citizenship after 5 years. Children can go to school without fear of arrest, and college age children can enter the universities or armed forces without having to spend two years in a college or the military.
And remember this: each new Cuban immigrant is a potential voter added, after citizenship, to the already extremely powerful Cuban lobby and political and economic machine." - http://politicalanalysis2011.blogspot.com/2011/02/preferential-treatment-of-cuban.html

Anonymous said...

The Cocaine Cowboys Built Miami and Kept County Commissioners in Power for decades..Everyone has a Price

In the 1980s, ruthless Colombian cocaine barons invaded Miami with a brand of violence unseen in this country since Prohibition-era Chicago. Cocaine Cowboys is the true story of how Miami became the drug, murder and cash capital of the United States. But it isn’t the whole story…

The film reveals that much of the economic growth which took place in Miami during this time period was a benefit of the drug trade. As members of the drug trade made immense amounts of money, this money flowed in large amounts into legitimate businesses. As a result, drug money indirectly financed the construction of many of the modern high-rise buildings in southern Florida. Later, when law enforcement pressure drove many major players out of the picture, many high-end stores and businesses closed because of plummeting sales.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocaine_Cowboys

http://www.rakontur.com/Cocaine-Cowboys-Reloaded

Anonymous said...

SOS Venezuela??

"They are using data sets and coding tools to track where public money flows. Their projects include the laundering of Venezuelan funds in Miami and the channeling of Miami Dade County public spending.

Organizers with the Miami chapter of the international group Hacks/Hackers believe it is the first time tech experts from across the U.S. and Latin America participate simultaneously in a in a multi-city hackathon."