April 11, 2003 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S5317 On Easter Sunday, surrounded by which man’s universal longing for im- loosening of restrictions on civil soci- fresh spring flowers, pretty Easter mortality will find its realization. ety activities. And the Cuban people dresses and baskets of brightly colored I am as sure that we live again as I exhibited a genuine interest in and mo- Easter eggs, we again see Spring in its am sure that we live today. tivation toward making the most of best light. We see it in the light of re- So my sense of hope for the future is this newly found political space. When newal and hope. We see it in the amaz- redoubled, as it is each Easter time. President Carter was in Havana, he was ing story of Private Jessica Lynch of That is the beauty of Easter, because permitted to address the Cuban people, Palestine, WV. The State of West Vir- that typifies the glorious promise live and uncensored, on Cuban national ginia, and the entire nation, rejoices in which is ours and which the Saviour television. At that time, he rightfully her safe recovery. Her homecoming gave to us. That question, which was acknowledged the ongoing democratic will be a day to remember forever. My asked in the Book of Job: ‘‘If a man grassroots activities on the island sym- thanks, and the Nation’s thanks, go die, shall he live again?’’ is answered— bolized by the so-called Varela Project, out to the brave and honorable Iraqi answered—by Easter. headed by Oswaldo Paya. This impor- nationals who risked so much to bring I recall, in the Book of John, Jesus tant grassroots organization has al- her aid and the daring service per- came to the grave of Lazarus and said: ready gathered more than 20,000 signa- sonnel who rescued her. ‘‘Lazarus, come forth.’’ And Lazarus tures on petitions in support of demo- Mr. President, a poem that I memo- came forth, still wrapped in his grave cratic reforms. rized long, long years ago reminds us clothes. And Jesus said: ‘‘Loose him, Thanks to President , all of how we are touched by the pres- and let him go.’’ the activities of Mr. Paya are now ence of others: So in the midst of war there is life. In known not only to the international A Persian fable says: the midst of uncertainty there is faith. community but to the Cuban people as One day a wanderer found a piece of clay, After each winter, there is spring. well. So redolent of perfume Mr. President, I wish you and all of Representatives of the Varela Project Its odor scented all the room. our colleagues a glorious Easter. May presented a petition with over 11,000 ‘‘What are thou?’’ was the quick demand; we ponder upon its meaning, and upon signatures to the Cuban National As- ‘‘Art thou some gem of Samarcand? its reason, and upon its promise for us. sembly, calling on the Assembly to act Or spikenard rare in rich disguise, I yield the floor and suggest the ab- on some vital democratic issues, in- Or other costly merchandise?’’ ‘‘Nay, I am but a piece of clay,’’ sence of a quorum. cluding free speech and free press, eco- ‘‘Then whence this wondrous sweetness, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The nomic liberalization, and the release of pray?’’ clerk will call the roll. political prisoners. While I understand ‘‘Friend, if the secret I disclose, The assistant legislative clerk pro- that the National Assembly has re- I have been dwelling with the rose.’’ ceeded to call the roll. sponded to the Varela petitioners, it Sweet parable! And will not those Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I ask unan- has done so in a narrowly, legalistic Who love to dwell with Sharon’s rose, imous consent that the order for the manner that misses the larger political Distill sweet odors all around, quorum call be rescinded. issues that deserve serious consider- Though low and mean themselves be found? The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without Dear Lord, abide with us, that we ation by Cuban authorities. May draw our perfume fresh from thee. objection, it is so ordered. It speaks volumes that thousands of ordinary Cubans have been willing to Mr. President, the rose that has per- f publicly petition their government fumed this humble piece of clay is my ’S CRACKDOWN ON HUMAN seeking change. I for one had hoped wife Erma. In 49 more days, God will- RIGHTS ACTIVISTS that the Cuban people’s expressed de- ing, we will celebrate 66 years of mar- Mr. DODD. Mr. President, it had been sire for democratic initiatives would riage. It has not all been a level voy- my intent earlier in the week to come prompt further liberalization of the age. There have been ups and downs, as and share with my colleagues some there will be in every marriage, but Nation of Cuba. In fact, if the Castro thoughts on the recent crackdown on government abided by its own constitu- they have been good years, filled with human rights activists in Cuba. I was many Easter mornings. tion, this might very well be the case. unable to do it, so before we adjourn And now, as I look forward to watch- Instead, over the past several weeks, for the Easter Passover recess, I want ing my great-grandchildren hunt for my colleagues, my fellow Americans, their Easter eggs in the green grass, I to take a few minutes to express my and the global community have wit- am grateful for the opportunity to see thoughts on the recent events in Cuba, nessed the Castro government’s abrupt so many generations grow up. My sense and to express in the strongest terms and repressive retaliation against of hope for the future is redoubled, as possible my sense of outrage over what Cuban grassroots activists, it is each Easter time. has happened. independent journalists, economists, It must have been at Easter time Cuban President re- and other dissidents. On trumped up when William Jennings Bryan penned cently initiated severe and repressive charges of allegedly ‘‘working with a those words from ‘‘The Prince of measures in an attempt to silence pro- foreign power to undermine the govern- Peace:’’ democracy activists on the island na- ment,’’ the Castro government is at- tion of Cuba. I rise to denounce in the If the Father deigns to touch with divine tempting to undermine the will of its power the cold and pulseless heart of strongest possible terms those actions. own people, in my view, and about 75 the buried acorn and to make it burst The arrests and show trials of these in- Cuban dissidents have now been ar- forth from its prison walls, will he dividuals are well beyond acceptable rested and convicted. leave neglected in the earth the soul of norms of governance today, and they Opposition political party leader man, made in the image of his Creator? call into question the very legitimacy Hector Palacios has already received 25 If he stoops to give to the rosebush, whose of the Cuban state. It speaks volumes years in prison, and his wife, Gisela withered blossoms float upon the au- about that state’s legitimacy when its Delgado was also convicted. Civil tumn breeze, the sweet assurance of citizens are denied an opportunity to rights advocate Oscar Elias Biscet is another springtime, will He refuse the words of hope to the son of men when dialog with the Government authori- expected to be sentenced this week. the frosts of winter come? ties about the future of their nation, Economist Martha Beatriz Roque, who If matter, mute and inanimate, tho changed its political institutions, and its prac- has been consistently critical of Presi- by the forces of nature into a mul- tices. dent Castro’s handling of the Cuban titude of forms, can never die, will the Over the last 40 years, there have economy—and rightfully so, I might imperial spirit of man suffer annihila- been ebbs and flows with respect to the add—which happens to be in dire tion when it has paid a brief visit like extent of political space granted to straits, received 20 years in prison for a royal guest to his tenement of clay? human rights activists and inde- merely doing that. Three others met No, I am sure that He who, notwithstanding his apparent prodigality, created noth- pendent journalists by Cuban authori- the same fate, including dissident inde- ing without a purpose, and wasted not ties. Last year, in the runup to the pendent journalist Raul Rivero, inde- a single atom in all his creation, has visit of former President Jimmy Carter pendent magazine editor Ricardo made provision for a future life in to Havana, there was a perceptible Gonzales, and economist Oscar

VerDate Mar 15 2010 21:18 Jan 14, 2014 Jkt 081600 PO 00000 Frm 00023 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\2003SENATE\S11AP3.PT2 S11AP3 mmaher on DSKCGSP4G1 with SOCIALSECURITY S5318 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE April 11, 2003 Espinosa Chepe. Indeed, up to this verse course and allow the Cuban peo- cation. Do you have any comment on that? point, there have been 57 convictions, ple to have a voice in their governance. What do you think about that? with sentences ranging from 6 to 28 Then and only then will the Cuban peo- Answer: years. ple be truly liberated from tyranny. No, I have not heard enough about that to And, I must say that after examining Mr. President, I yield the floor and formulate a view. So I’ll probably need to these tragic cases, it comes as no sur- suggest the absence of a quorum. pass on that one. prise that although Mr. Paya has not The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- But they did not let him get away yet been arrested, 42 of the 74 people pore. The clerk will call the roll. with that. You know how they press. arrested in these crackdowns are par- The assistant legislative clerk pro- Question: ticipants in the Varela Project. ceeded to call the roll. Given the choice between private and Even more troubling is that these Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I ask Christian or private and public universities, trials have been and are continuing to unanimous consent that the order for who do you think has the best deal? be conducted in a Havana courtroom the quorum call be rescinded. Secretary Paige answered: closed to international diplomats and The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tem- That’s a judgment, too, that would vary foreign journalists. I strongly believe pore. Without objection, it is so or- because each of them have real strong points that this atmosphere of dered. and some of them have some vulnerabilities, authoritarianism is indicative not only but you know, all things being equal, I’d pre- f fer to have a child in a school where there’s of the lack of substantial evidence a strong appreciation for values, the kinds of against these individuals, but these SECRETARY OF EDUCATION ROD PAIGE values that I think are associated with the trials’ lack of domestic and inter- Christian communities so that this child can national legitimacy. Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, we re- be brought up in an environment that teach- For many years, I have strongly sup- cently heard a wonderful address by es them to have strong faith and to under- ported United States engagement of Senator BYRD when he talked about stand that there is a force in their lives. Cuba. I have worked to dismantle the Easter and expressed his views about So the Secretary of Education basi- myriad of restrictions on American it. He did so as a believer. This is a cally was saying he would like to have interaction with that nation, including great and wonderful free country, and a child in a school where there is a those on trade and travel. Once again, we are able to express our views. strong appreciation for values, and let me state for the record my belief I wish to take a few moments to com- those values are sometimes associated that our 40-year long isolationist pol- ment on some of the attacks from the with the Christian communities. So icy towards Cuba has played, unfortu- left on a comment recently made by that brought the left up in arms. nately, a major role I believe in keep- Secretary of Education Rod Paige. That is what we are too often re- ing the government of Fidel Castro in Secretary Paige is a great educator, duced to in this country, that one is power. It has allowed the Castro re- a great man. I am so impressed with not able to express those kinds of gime to blame U.S. policies for the him. When he took over the Houston ideas. So we are at the point now where lack of food and medicine in Cuba and County school system in Texas, only 37 we question whether or not the words, has created a siege mentality which percent of the students were passing ‘‘In God We Trust,’’ should be on the has allowed repression to flourish the basic Texas test. In 5 years, by wall of this Chamber. There they are, under the guise of national sov- bringing on discipline, accountability, several inches high, right over the ereignty. For those reasons I continue a rigorous testing program, not accept- main door to this Chamber. to believe that U.S. policy needs to ing failing schools and being intolerant Are we going to rip that down? Take change to some degree. of them, and being intolerant of edu- down the Ten Commandments that are However, my support for United cators who were not performing, he in the Supreme Court building? Have States engagement of Cuba should not doubled the number of students passing no prayer at football games at gradua- be mistaken for support of the Castro that test. As he told me, in the fourth tion? That pretty well has been taken Government or for the reprehensible or fifth year, he got a little extra care of. I remember when former Presi- tactics it resorts to in order to sup- money, but basically he achieved those dent Jimmy Carter’s Attorney General, press popular dissent with its policies results without extra money in the the wonderful Griffin Bell, was asked It is a curious thing, indeed, that Texas State school system. about litmus tests for judges, and he prior to these recent actions by Cuban I believe he is a tremendous man. He responded without hesitation. He had authorities, there was growing support loves those children. He loves the chil- left office at that point or he probably in the Congress and in the Cuban dren more than he does the bureau- would have caused a controversy. He American community in particular for crats and the educators. He wants to said: I tell you we ought to have a lit- more engagement with Cuba. It leads know if they are learning, and he cares mus test. Nobody should be a Federal me to speculate whether President Cas- about them. He cares about their val- judge who does not believe in prayer at tro’s recent persecution of prodemoc- ues. He cares about whether or not football games. racy and human rights activists is not they are becoming better children, not We cannot say ‘‘under God’’ in the designed to chill efforts in the United just smarter children. pledge now according to the Ninth Cir- States to engage more actively with The complaints arose from a story cuit Court of Appeals. They struck the island. published in the Washington Post down the Pledge of Allegiance. They I call upon the Castro Government to which misquoted the Secretary. This is are not happy with the Boy Scouts be- take immediate steps for the release of what the quote was in the Washington cause they teach values and they be- its political prisoners, to stop the per- Post, quoting Secretary Paige: lieve in disciplining personal behavior. secution of Cuban dissidents, and to All things equal, I would prefer to have a We certainly cannot do those things in show respect for and abide by the child in a school that has a strong apprecia- school, the left says. Cuban Constitution and the will of the tion for the values of the Christian commu- So what we are asking for, it seems Cuban people. Fidel Castro has always nity, where a child is taught to have a strong to me, or at least the hard left is, said that the Cuban Revolution liber- faith. elimination of any reference to moral ated the Cuban people from tyranny First of all, a lot of Americans be- or spiritual values in public life in this and oppression. The events of the last lieve that. Lots of Americans believe country, and I do not think that is how few weeks would indicate just the op- that. I submit a majority of Americans we were founded. posite. Many of the actions that the believe that. But, this is what a tape Secretary Paige has dedicated his en- Castro regime has taken in recent recording of his question-and-answer tire career to promoting children and months, particularly against demo- interview demonstrates that he actu- promoting diversity, making sure that cratic activists and independent jour- ally said: all children of all ethnic groups and all nalists make it crystal clear that tyr- Question: faiths have access to the best possible anny is still the order of the day in Ha- One final question, Mr. Secretary. We’re education. Yes, he is a man of faith. He vana under Fidel Castro. It is time for hearing a lot in Christian colleges and uni- is a man of conviction. He is a man of Cuban authorities to drastically re- versities about Christian world view edu- character. Those are good reasons for

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