During last week’s speech in Havana, Secretary of State John Kerry proudly reinstated diplomatic relations with Cuba on the steps of our once and future U.S. Embassy. You’ll notice in the backdrop of the photos of Kerry at the podium there is what appears to be a collection of empty flagpoles. Thanks to David Feith, a Wall Street Journal editor, we have the explanation as to why they were not in use at the time of the Big Event.
The story begins during the cold war in 1961 when the U.S. closed our Embassy in Havana, effectively cutting off all avenues for the United States to help the Cuban people suffering under a communist regime. Since the United States still owned the building, some very creative U.S. diplomat found one recourse to spread the message of liberty and extend the hope of freedom to the oppressed. That recourse came in the form of a huge sign erected in the top floor windows of the building that flashed short messages, such as, “Everyone has a right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.” You can imagine how irritating this must have been to the Cuban government, so in response, they erected immense black banners, hung on many flagpoles, to act as visual blocks. (Can’t have anyone read a message about liberty, can we?) So the mystery surrounding those flagpoles is solved, right? But then why were the black banners removed?
Here’s where the action speaks louder than words—our sign, flashing messages of liberty to the oppressed—was summarily shut off in June 2009. President Obama purportedly requested that the sign be unplugged in an overt attempt to extend goodwill to the Cuban government. He wanted to rebuild relations with the leaders of Cuba, at the cost of silencing the words of freedom. In response to the unplugged sign, the Cuban government took down the banners. The end.
Now, it may seem a minor thing to simply turn off the sign. This action—well in advance of a détente with Cuba which hasn’t actually occurred yet–certainly spoke volumes, and the fact that it wasn’t covered in the press says even more. This begs at least two questions: How many other actions over the course of the past six years—possibly involving other nations–have not been disclosed, reported? How many more will there be now that the second term is winding down and talk has already come of the “post-presidential life” of our current Commander in Chief?