Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Stirring it up in South Africa

Senator Ted Cruz was among a handful of members of Congress (and the only Senator) to attend the memorial service of Nelson Mandela. However, Cruz caused quite a stir when he walked out of the services once Cuban president Raul Castro began speaking.

“Senator Cruz very much hopes that Castro learns the lessons of Nelson Mandela,” said Sean Rushton, Cruz’s communications director. “For decades, Castro has wrongly imprisoned and tortured countless innocents. Just as Mandela was released after 27 years in prison, Castro should finally release his political prisoners; he should hold free elections, and once and for all set the Cuban people free.”

Cruz's father, who was born in Cuba, fled the country just before Fidel Castro's long dictatorial reign began in 1959.

Since the conservative Cruz is the favorite lightning rod these days, there have been more than a few leftists who described Cruz's actions as "tacky" or "self aggrandizing." Nah. I think those adjectives are more apropos for, say, a sitting US President taking "selfies" while attending the aforementioned memorial service.

Or how about the White House's official Twitter feed taking the focus off the man who is being mourned and once placing it upon its current occupant?


Nope. No aggrandisement there.


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