Noam Chomsky & Stephen Kimber discuss the Five in Boston

 MORE than 250 people, mostly students just beginning the academic year, gathered at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston to hear renowned linguist Noam Chomsky and Canadian author Stephen Kimber discuss the case of the Cuban Five..

This was the seventh and final event of a tour which began in New York on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the Cubans’ arrest.

In his presentation, Kimber explained details of the case and the human qualities of the five men arrested for their efforts to stymie anti-Cuban terrorism organized from Miami. He also shared with the audience the news that a South Florida radio station, WLRN, a National Public Radio affiliate, had cancelled a scheduled interview about his recent book What lies Across the Water: The Real Story of the Cuban Five, describing it as controversial. [The station’s general manager John Labonia later apologized for the cancellation in an open letter to the community and rescheduled Kimber to appear September 21.]

The Canadian author emphasized that the cancellation was a clear example of why it was impossible to find an impartial jury in Miami to try the Five and called upon those in attendance to familiarize themselves with the details of the case, which has been in U.S. courts for over 15 years.

Chomsky spoke about terrorism in general and, in particular, about the case of the Cuban Five, explaining that in the United States the standard definition of terrorism only applies when terrorism is directed toward the U.S. and not when the U.S. is promoting it, citing the case of Cuba.

(Information from Cubadebate)

GRANMA

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