If you ask any of my Cuban American amigos around the country, in particularly those living in the boogie down of Miami, they will tell you that I always find a way to take a jab at them over how I feel they butcher the Spanish language (not more than Puerto Ricans), especially when they utter Spanglish baseball terms like "tubay (double)," Tú bateas todo lo que te pichean," or "Al estrai (strike)."
Por favor!
It really is hard to resist, so I don't. But fun and games aside, Cuban-American make up the backbone of the Hispanic community in South Florida and for many many moons, have carried the water for the other Hispanics that hail from other countries like Venezuela, Colombia, an Ecuador, to name a few.
As most of you know, I am an American of Colombian descent, so I can speak to this. FYI, I went and saw Colombia play and lose to the U.S. and Romania at World Cup '94. Next time you see me, ask to see the pics of El Tino, El Pibe, Freddy, and the rest of the bunch.
Back to my screed...
This past weekend, liberal Democratic state Representative Cindy Polo (pictured with Andrew Gillum), who I can only assume may have drank too much aguardiente when she stuck her foot in her big mouth, embarrassing herself, Colombians, and all Hispanics by using "hateful & divisive comments" against the Cuban American community.
I echo what the Miami Young Republicans tweeted, that her "bigoted "comments "reflect" her profound ignorance.
Here is Polo's remark:
"But when it really matters, when it really counts, they turn their backs on immigrants like COLOMBIANS and VENEZUELANS NICARAGUANS HONDURANS etc...To watch CUBAN REPUBLICAN OFFICIALS standing next to @Ivanduque gives a very very false narrative-one that Latinos are falling for."
This is embarrassing and hypocritical. Wait for it...Wait for it...
But when it really matters, when it really counts, they turn their backs on immigrants like COLOMBIANS and VENEZUELANS NICARAGUANS HONDURANS etc...To watch CUBAN REPUBLICAN OFFICIALS standing next to @IvanDuque gives a very very false narrative - one that Latinos are falling for
— Cindy Polo (@CindyPoloFL103) September 28, 2019
Is Mrs. Polo just upset that Republicans like former U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Miami County Commissioner Esteban Bovo and Viviana Bovo, Fmr. Rep. Carlos " El Caballo" Curbelo, Mayor Carlos Gimenez, Miami Mayor Xavier Suarez, and others decided to take a picture of themselves at the Miami event for Colombian President Duque?
Probably.
Wait, that's Polo's fellow Democrat Sen. Annette Taddeo right smack in the middle of all those Cubans.
But Polo isn't like most politicians who know when to shut their mouths after offending a group of voters, she actually continued her Twitter rantings and stuck her foot in her mouth, again.
Polo tweeted that Florida Hispanics like Sen. Annette Taddeo and Sen, Janet Cruz "show up for our communities NOT JUST FOR PICTURES OR PARTIES OR PRESS CONFERENCES."
I decided to scroll down the Twitter feeds of all of these Democrats Polo mentioned. All of them have posed for pictures at these so-called "parties or press conferences."
A bench of Latino leaders in FL like @RepDMP @JoseJavierJJR @ElectJavier @Annette_Taddeo @SenJanetCruz @AmyMercado @FLSenatorTorres @CarlosGSmith that really show up for our communities NOT JUST FOR PICTURES OR PARTIES OR PRESS CONFERENCES. It's long overdue @FlaDems!
— Cindy Polo (@CindyPoloFL103) September 28, 2019
Wait for it...Uh-oh. Hold the presses and put down the Roscon! Is that a yellow banana or is that Rep. Cindy Polo alongside Sen. Annette Tadeo hypocritically posing for a picture with President Duque?
Yes. Si. Jes.
So just in case you don't know...the one in YELLOW with the Colombian flag on her heart is a PROUD Colombian-American that may not be part of the clique but she's part of the PEOPLE that we represent!! pic.twitter.com/0U6u7Vofd2
— Cindy Polo (@CindyPoloFL103) September 28, 2019
We need not have to go any further than to read a Tweet I sent out this weekend about Mrs. Polo's questionable and offensive remarks.
Let's quote me.
"I'm still trying to figure out how her son with "Cuban blood running through" his veins has anything to do with anything. Colombia, like Cuba, and other banana republics in Latin American, have many leftists, socialists, and liberals like @CindyPoloFL103 and Annette Taddeo."
Mrs. Polo continued to show here ignorance by actually saying that "VIVA COLOMBIA" only pertains to those Colombians who immigrate to the U.S. legally or "the right way" and have "big houses in Doral and Weston," not those like her parents that "fight for their immigration status."
"Yes "VIVA COLOMBIA" but that really only means Colombians that come here the "right way" The ones with big houses in Doral or Weston," stated Polo "But not the ones like my parents that had to fight for their immigration status."
Let me just say that there are people from all walks of life that immigrate legally from Colombia, including my parents, who came here and worked hard as a supermarket department manager, cars salesman, and school teacher.
Polo's "big houses" opinion is an insult to my family and the thousands of Colombians who have legally immigrated to the U.S. and actually live paycheck-to-paycheck and live in small houses in Hialeah, Doral, Weston, and Kendall.
Mrs. Polo does not represent the American-Colombian community, nor does she represent Hispanics as a whole. She represents herself and a small group of individuals who believe in the new Democratic Party socialist agenda.
As my Cuban-American brethren would say, "DALE!"
BTW, follow me on Twitter @JavManjarres