By: Juan A. Moreno-Velazquez

For many years we have heard the term crossover as it refers to Latino artists in their incursion into the Anglo market. 

I remember that at the turn of the new millenium, while I still was the Entertainment Editor at el diario/LA PRENSA, I was being interviewed by the FOX TV NETWORK about the upcoming Grammys in the year 2000, and the emergence of Shakira, who was then considered by the interviewer as one of the first Latinos to crossover in the music business. 

With a look of disbelief, similar to tv’s comedy character Arnold’s punchline in the 1980′s comedy hit “Different Strokes,” “what are you talking about Willis,” I replied that Latinos had been crossing-over since the time of Machito and his Afrocubans and Joe Cuba’s “I like it like that”, just to cite two immediate examples.  Was Tito Puente and Ray Barretto’s incursion into the world of jazz, less of a crossover?  What about Roberto Clemente, and Peruchín Cepeda?  There were so many pioneers.

In fact, Latinos has been here  since before the days of the Gold Rush when they tried to push Mexicans back to the southern shore of the Rio Grande, and the brave and enterprising charros kept crossing right back into the north.  Maybe we should all remember the political ramifications of “the Alamo,” and, when we remember that historical event, let’s also remember who were the norteños?

My friends, it is now time to realize that the so called crossover is now in full-fledge manifest and it is happenning in all areas of human knowlede, at the same time.

We don’t have to look any further than the covert implications readily implied on the agenda of some of the detractors of Judge Sonia Sotomayor, in the recent Supreme Court confirmation hearings, which have captivated the attention of most Latinos in the United States.  While her detractors seem to be afraid of the so called “left wing” characteristics of a Puerto Rican woman, they easily forget her voting record through an immaculate career on the bench. 

Her record, undoubtely, has not left any “leftist” marks across its path. When we look behind the argument of those that oppose her candidacy we can’t help to see the underlying racism that seems to be more a vestige of the old traditional patterns of thought, one that is not relevant to the mind-frame of the new era we have entered.

On the other hand, in our communities, some of us still continue with the petty-bickering mode that has characterized the movement of minority groups in this country’s history.  

We just have to look at the ugly sore in the New York Senate and the actions of Senators Monserrate and Espada, as major examples of looking at personal interests over those of the community that elected them.  We can also look at the candidates that keep looming in the horizon as potential representatives for the future.  If they are better, we can just vote them in.  Why not?

That is the only way to insure that those that are in, continue to work for our best interest.  If they do their work they deserve to stay in, if they don’t then, pa’fuera, maleta ‘n go, and you know the rest of that tune, it’s as old as rice and beans.

How do we meassure the value of our candidates and our representatives, in order to make sure that we will be proud to be represented by them in the future?  Until this day, a Latino surname had sufficed to get the support of our people.  That is no longer a rule of worthiness.

Undoubtely, there are many individuals that have proven a valuable asset to our community over the years, while others have proven themselves to be the worst of the coup. 

Lets pick the best so they can represent the rest, it is our responsibility as citizens to make sure of whom we vote into power as, once we elect them, we have traditionally had an ay bendito of a time voting them out.  Let’s monitor their work, or else, we are surely to continue suffering the consecuences of their good and bad decisions.  Let’s remember that those who will abuse the public trust, will, ultimately, be caught stealing from the community.

I have no intention to tell you whom to vote or not to vote for.  In fact, even though I believe that voting is of utmost importance in a democracy, I can’t urge you to run out and vote.  How can I when the largest democracy in the world, the United Stated of North America, traditionally shows its dismay with the political process by presenting, outside of the past election, the worst voter percentages of any democracy, election after election.

Aside of that, if we look around the compositon of mainstream America in bussiness, sports, politics, education, entertainment, the arts, science, beauty pageants and even in space, we should be hard pressed not to find significant Latino representation in positions of solid leadership, or surprised to find Latinos leading the field altogether, as is the case with Major League Baseball.

That should only leave us with a viable conclusion regarding the crossover dream, undoubtely, it is here, now.

That is where the nightmare begins, what we do with all this sudden power?

First, we must realize we have it.  We must remember that right now we are the largest minority as the past Census proved, but the second majority as I often like to state.  It won’t be too long, maybe another generation or so, before our decisions will have truly national implications, and as a consequence, these decisions will have world-wide implications as well.  That is quite a responsibility.

In half a century, Latinos will be the largest group in the United States.  Think about the potential implications of that statement.  We are talking just fifty years.  We must get used to the implications, as well as the consequences.

Second, it is time now for a shout-out, just like in our abuelitos days when they would stick their necks out the window in order to communicate with the neighbors, eventough the telephone had already reached El Barrio.  It is time for all of us to unite in relevant discussions regarding what is going on.  “What’s happenning brother,” a popular call of the seventies, is relevant again with the more encompassing “what’s going on, neighbor.”

The tools for effective communications are here now and we can each reach thousands of people with one comuniqué in a few seconds.    Networking then becomes a way to joining thousands of people, who in turn are tuned in to thousands individually.  It becomes easy to see how millions can be sharing one idea in a very short period of time.

Finally, we must realize the scope of this power in tangible and quantitative terms.  Let’s say, for example, that I have 1,000 people on my network in FACEBOOK and each of these people have 100 members in their own network.  If we were all passing information back and forth through the network on a daily basis that is potentially 100,000 individuals sharing information.  Do you know that number is twice the daily circulation of el diario/LA PRENSA?  If each member of the network had 1,000 people the total in the group becomes 1 million people strong, that, my friends, is New York Times territory. 

It is no longer a matter of convincing your neighbor of thinking in one way or the other, that takes too much time.  It is a matter of presenting an idea that is relevant to all, and allowing, by planting the seed of that thought in our minds,  the ability of recurring discourse to flourish over the themes that are of importance to us, not only as Latinos, but as Latinos living in New York, in the United States of North America, and on planet Earth.

Our issues are now, not only geared to reflect the reality of El Barrio Latino, we have moved beyond.  El Barrio lives within us, but we have, for a long time moved out, it is just time, for many of us, to realize this.

It is now time to abandon the petty arguments of the past and become a cojoint voice.  This is not easy, we love to gossip, but it is time to face the disfuntional irrelevance of some of the arguments that have kept us apart. 

We must realize that it is possible, by realizing that our commonalities are way larger than all of our differences stacked together, that we can advance in one direction, as a people, and truly become the force that our forefathers visualized, at the time when we were, in principle, powerless.

We have a gigantic responsibility on our shoulders, and in the same way our thought was aided by that of our parents, our children’s thought patterns will be aided by ours.  We must start now, preparing for a future that is right around the corner.

The Internet now provides us with the power to communicate in ways that our forefathers never dreamed possible, and look how far their efforts took us.  Now we must continue the work they so painfully carried on.   We now can communicate and share our ideas freely, and we must find the way to truly take advantage of that power.

So, let’s communicate, all we have to lose is our isolation.  “What’s going on, neighbor.”

La década de los veinte (1920) fue una de vital importancia para la comunidad latina en la gran urbe, especialmente para los boricuas que en aquél entonces comenzaban su peregrinación en busca de oportunidades en los Estados Unidos.

Un joven boricua, oriundo de Aguadilla y recién salido del ejército norteamericano tras la Primera Guerra Mundial, fue parte de ese gran movimiento histórico. El precoz y aventurero Rafael Hernández Marín, nacido un 24 de Octubre en el año 1892, era ya un gran músico cuando llegó a Nueva York por primera vez.

Cuando la brisa de invierno se cuela
Por mis ventanitas
Oigo sonar…
Como si un ángel con manos de seda
Tocara un madrigal… un madrigal

Digno discípulo de los profesores José Ruellán Lequerica y Jesús Figueroa, Rafael comienza su educación musical a los 12 años de edad y pronto domina la guitarra, el piano, el violín, el trombón y la corneta, una educación que da comienzo a la carrera del insigne músico y compositor que en el futuro sería reconocido como uno de los grandes en la música afro-caribeña.

En el 1912 el joven músico compuso su primer tema, una danza que lleva por título María Victoria, pero no fue hasta su llegada a la gran manzana que su prolifera pluma comienza a crear producciones a granel.

En Nueva York Hernández da rienda suelta a su talento

Hernández tenía una reputación de bohemio y precisamente en la bohemia neoyorquina el gran compositor dio rienda suelta a su instinto creador. Compartiendo con sus amigos en aquél tiempo, entre los que se encontraban talentosos jóvenes como Luis Muñoz Marín, los poetas Luis Llorens Torres y Luis Palés Matos en adición a otro gran compositor con quién mantuvo una sonada rivalidad por muchos años, Don Pedro Flores, Hernández comenzó una gesta que le vio crear más de 3,000 composiciones que no tan solo abarcaron la realidad boricua sino la de todos en los países Hispano-parlantes.

Buche y pluma na’má eso eres tu…
Buche y pluma na’má

Su primera agrupación musical fue el Trío Borinquen que conformó con otra luminaria boricua Manuel Jiménez, mejor conocido como Canario, en adición a Salvador Ithier y Antonio Mesa como primera voz suplente. Entre los frutos de este encuentro musical se recuerdan a Siciliana y Quisqueya este último un tema adoptado por los hermanos Dominicanos como un segundo Himno Nacional.

Quisqueya la tierra de mis amores
De suave brisa y lindas flores
Del fondo de los mares
La perla querida… Quisqueya mi vida

El espíritu creador de Hernández no le permitía quedarse en un solo proyecto por mucho tiempo y comenzó a dirigir orquestas para luego formar junto a los cantantes Pedro Dávila, el gran Davilita, Rafael Rodríguez y los guitarristas Paquito López Cruz y Mengol el Grupo Hernández, que luego se llamó el Cuarteto Victoria.

Preciosa te llaman los nardos que cantan tu historia
No importa el tirano que trate con negra maldad
Preciosa serás sin banderas, sin laudos ni gloria
Preciosa…preciosa te llaman los hijos de la libertad

Durante la época del Victoria, un cuarteto que fue nombrado en honor a su hermana, la pianista Victoria Hernández, quien también fuera profesora de piano de un precoz jovencito residente en el Barrio de nombre Ernestito “Tito” Puente, Hernández estableció su categoría como compositor manteniendo una cruenta competencia con Pedro Flores. La competencia entre Flores y Hernández se centraba no tan solo en quién escribía mas temas, sino cuales eran más exitosos y mejor recibidos por el público.

Silencio… que están durmiendo
Los nardos y las azucenas
No quiero que sepan mis penas
Porque si me ven llorando morirán

Durante esa época dorada en nuestra música pasaron por el Cuarteto Victoria los verdaderos grandes de nuestro folclor musical.

Lindo capullo de alelí…
Si tú supieras mi dolor
Correspondieras a mi amor y calmaras mi sufrir
Porque tu sabes que sin ti la vida es nada para mí
Tu bien lo sabes capullito de alelí

Cuando Davilita se convirtió en solista, otro gran cantante que también dejó su legado como compositor y hasta político, el siempre bien recordado Bobby Capó ocupó su lugar. En adición, otra gran cantante y compositora, quién se rumoraba era amante de Hernández, Mirta Silva, quién también fue parte integral del Cuarteto.

Son tantos los temas creados por Hernández que es imposible identificar un favorito y muchos menos listarlos todos. Pero el compositor siempre será recordado por temas como Romance, El Cumbanchero, Runbatambah, Cachita, Menéalo, Me la Pagarás, Campanitas de Cristal, Buche y pluma, Silencio, Ausencia, Lamento Borincano y, por supuesto, Preciosa.

Dicen que soy cobarde que tengo miedo
De perder tú cariño…De tus besos perder

Hernández falleció en Puerto Rico el 11 de Diciembre del año 1965, su música continúa viva en el folclor afro-caribeño y, por supuesto neoyorquino, y esa es la verdadera prueba de un inmortal.

Los que dicen ahí bendito
Esos sí esos sí
Los que comemos cuchifritos
Esos sí esos sí

El querido jibarito… Rafael Hernández

La admisión del ex-gobernador de que el Estado Libre Asociado no es una solución permanente, dentro de los cánones de la Constitución de los Estados Unidos, nos lleva a una encrucijada como nación que se presta a un choque de cholas con los prepotentes en el PNP que de seguro se están cantando victoriosos dentro de una encuesta que en realidad no está ni estará en la mirilla política boricua por un tiempo, pero que presenta al comienzo del camino hacia una solución futura y permanente para la nación puertorriqueña.

Me molesta que, contrario a lo que conocemos, por lo menos en el batey de mi casa desde que yo era un pibe, el Partido Popular Democrático le haya estado vendiendo una tirilla comica sobre el ELA como solución permanente a la situación política criolla, a los puertorriqueños por más de medio siglo.

Esta tirilla ha socavado el sentimiento nacional criollo y nos ha convertido, a fin de cuentas, en una nación repleta depetiyanquistas y vende patrias que ahora forzozamente tiene que luchar por buscar una manera de sobrevivir dentro de unas condiciones económicas heredadas de nuestra relación política, económica y social con los Estados Unidos.

Que conste, estos planes de sobrevivencia no son una manera de sobrebivir-a la criolla-para los residentes de nuestra Isla, sino mas bien una manera mediante la cual nuestro sistema socio-político se puede mantener a flote hasta que se suscite la próxima crisis mensual en la economía criolla.

Una de las brillantes soluciones que han encontrado los genios de la insuficiencia en la Legislatura del país es la de despedir a un buen grupo de la masa trabajadora en el gobierno, movimiento que se ha de hacer manifesto el próximo 30 de junio. Seguro, el gobierno creo un problema y no tiene dinero para realizar la obra “whatever that means” y como es usual en la Isla pagan los que menos pueden. En este caso echándo a la calle a vivir del mantengo a 30,000 padres y madres de familia que probablemente, en un momento u otro, podrán ser causal para añadir al problema de la droga dentro de la vida cotidiana en boricualandia.

Seguro, es fácil pasar el problema adelante y olvidar la responsabilidad política hacia con el pueblo. Pero esa ha sido la manera en Puerto Rico desde que tengo uso de razón y no se ven cambios positivos en el horizonte. Es más fácil pasar el problema adelante y esperar que una próxima crisis social explote en el futuro y probablemente tener la suerte de que la oposición se encuentre en el poder en ese momento histórico de esta manera utilizando la crisis para sacar al gobieno de turno del poder. Una situación estamos cansados de ver, más recientemente en el caso de Aníbal Acevedo Vilá.

Cada pueblo tiene el gobierno que merece y, por consiguiente, es el pueblo el responsable dado a los gobernantes que elige. Pero esa es una dolorosa lección por elección, la cuál debemos de aprender, aunque esto nos tome otro siglo de penurias dado nuestro temor de tomar un paso unido como boricuas y al unísono reclamar lo nuestro para los nuestros.

Mientras continuemos por este sendero solo seguiremos escuchando los mismos cansados argumentos que separan a las mentes criollas y nos imposibilitan el tomar decisiones de índole nacional consistentes con nuestras necedidades nacionales.

Miremos y analizemos a los miembros de nuestra legislatura y pensemos… existe un buen ejemplo dentro de este grupo de entes que valga la pena emular?

Si la contestación es la que anticipo, entonces, que podemos esperar para el futuro de Puerto Rico y los puertorriqueños?

Cuba pronto estará abriendo sus puertas para recibir al turista estadounidense, cuando llegue ese momento el Turismo, que es una de las pricipales fuentes de ingreso del país, de seguro se irá a pique. Que el señor nos coga confesados…

Former Puerto Rico governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá

Luis Penchi

Thousands were there at the Staples Center Arena in Los Angeles to express their feelings in the celebration of a great life, millions more tuned in across the planet, and tears and smiles spoke for the feelings of most, if not all of mankind.

We all knew Michael Jackson, even if we never met him. The essence of his life was a part of the essence of our life. There has never been a heart so pure, or a greater humanitarian, and the extent of his humanism only begins to be understood now by those in which his message found fertile ground.

It is now when the seed of Michael Jackson’s message will bear fruit and many will join in one voice to provide a message for all.

He once said that “nothing is impossible if we all join in one voice,” so true, and yet so hard. Not because we don’t want to join in together in a message of peace and love, but because it is so hard to find a path to channel that energy.

It starts with me, and you, and the man in the mirror, who by “doing on to others,” a message that has been around a couple of thousand years before Michael Jackson came to being, can continue the healing process and eventually become a united voice.

If Michael Jackson could unite so many African Americans, Blacks, Anglos, Asians and Latinos as one, with his message, one that will undoubtely continue for generations after his passing, then it is possible to bring change into this world.

His altruistic personna was unrivaled.

Do you know who holds the Guiness World Book of Records as the Pop artist involved in the most charities? Well the answer is Michael Jackson. Really… and it should not surprise anyone.

When people were hungry, he feed them, that was the gist behind “We Are The World.” His life had only one purpose, and although tabloid journalism found his purpose boring at times and played on his “extravagant” ways, most knew the good in Michael Jackson. The energy of goodness trascended all the negativity. He was that big. He was that “bad.”

He made the word “brother,” really matter. Not the “what’s happening brother,” or the “vaya brother” with which we are so familiar, but by acting like a true brother.

I felt he was a brother, a younger brother, but a shining light from which I learned so much His wisdom of soul and spirt truly surpassed his age. Funny how you can dance and learn about spirituality, funny how you can understand and the meaning of words when you are under the light of wisdom, and funny how you can learn how to use these words to carry a message for mankind, in your everyday life.

The madness of war, which has hit all of OUR homes across the planet in one way or another, counters that message. War is inaction, as it is conflict. A world that has been at war since the advent of humanity, albeit civilization, should have learned this message a long time ago.

Therefore the contrast makes the decision easy. It is time to allow all the conflict of previous generations to bring forth the synthesis of peace, love, unity and understanding, and to let it begin to take a hold into our lives and into our world.

It is all about peace, it is all about love, it is all about unity and it is all about understanding, it is the only path to hapiness, and that brothers and sisters, is our birthright.

We were born to be happy, we were born to be free, but we work towards enslaving one another, every single day of our life. We do this by not caring about the repercussions, about the consequences, about the effects of our acts to our neighboors, our country and our planet.

We must start at home, we must start now. Once again, “we are the world, we are the children,” let’s dare to be “bad” for the good of all, let’s look at “the man in the mirror” and begin to change our ways. Let action overcome inaction, let our united voice carry a loud message.

When we talk about saving the planet, let’s not be foolish. The planet does not need to be saved. It is humanity that is destroying itself, and, as a consequence, it is destroying the planet. Let’s not forget that if humanity is succesful in achieving self-destruction, then, without us, the planet will, once again, be in pristine condition, in a million or so years, give or take a few hundred thousand.

A long time for positive change, that is the way of nature, and that also explains why it has taken so long for mankind to learn to live with one another. On the other side, it also means that we are all facing the challenge of change, and, as a consequence, there is still a chance to change for the better.

So if you have to be individualistic, do it for yourself, do it for your children, do it for your family, do it for your friends. but do it, for only we can save humanity, and thus, save ourselves.

Don’t forget his philoshophical legacy that he expressed so well through his musical genius, as “nothing is impossible if we speak in a united voice”, don’t forget that “we are the world,” and let’s not forget that we are “the man in the mirror,” the problem lies within as does the solution.

There is no other way.

As to the questions about his early departure, there is only one answer. Like all the great one’s who died young, Michael had nothing left to achieve, he gave us his all. There was nothing else to do here, his commitment now lies with the spirit. Now it is time for us to continue with his message. His favorite song, “Smile” written by another genius, Charlie Chaplin, states, “smile tough your heart is aching.”

Some of us are aching, but we are all smiling upon a job well done. Now it is our turn, and it becomes an individual path, as well as a joint effort, and our greatest responsibility.

Take the first step.

Thank you Michael Joseph Jackson, a man as soft spoken as you, never spoke so loudly.

The casket

At Staples

Who’s bad?

The crowd and the tibute

Foto desde el Staples Center

MJ daughter and mother at the tribute…

That is interesting. It is obvious that after turning the dollar into Monopoly currency during the past Bush-Chaney administrations, some of us are becoming quite cost conscious. That will be a true surprise in political time reversal, as we’ve only been removed a year from the barbaric expenses of an administration in causes that have rendered no direct benefit to Americans, like the War in Irak.

Within these circumstances I would rather moot the economic argument against the Health Care Reform and look at its “so called” limitations and work on making the plan more encompassing.

I am lucky, I have a medical plan, but as I see the HMO’s raising their fees from one day to the next I can’t help but wonder what does the future have in store for these medical plans, and, most importantly, for each and everyone of us.

As the cost of medical services escalates, the quality of medical services has struggled to maintain a constant level of excellence, the familiar case of Americans receiving less services while paying more.

It seems that many think that the Health Care Reform is mostly for the very poor, and consequently it doesn’t impact the reality of middle class America. Well the reality is that under the current costs of health services, which only the very rich can afford, most Americans will, in one way or another, be impacted by future changes in Health Care Systems and most should find a respite in the proposed changes.

I have heard arguments against the Health Care Reform stating that doctors, and even the Mayo Clinic are against the plan. They should be, as it directly affects their income. The question here is, are they against it because they have our better interest at heart? I sincerely doubt that, as doctors have never traditionally, been at the defense of the interests of the common man.

So this is an issue of utmost importance to us all, and we need to be involved and learn as much about this process as we can. We can no longer allow for these discussions to pass us by without at least expressing our opinions on the debate. The implications are too deep and far reaching for us to step to the side.

Some have also stated that “Americans are opposed to this type of change.” How do we know that? How can we be sure? On these matters we should not care about what we hear the rest of us want, we should be worried about what we, as individuals, need.

Americans are simply the conjunction of all individuals within our society, and on this issue, as well as any other, the combination of individual need–and wants–of every single American, becomes what “America truly wants.” Anything short of your individual needs and wants has nothing to do with the scope of this dicussion.

On the political side there is an even larger point that looms in the horizon. For the first time, we have the opportunity to stand behind the policies of a President who seems to have our best interest at heart, something we have been lacking in America forever. Until he is proven wrong, we should stand by his policies, as this is the only way to make his promise forthcoming to all Americans.

Political forces, as they are, seem to be lurking against these reforms, and that is another traditional red flag, as these forces never favor the benefit of Americans as a whole, but rather the special interest groups that they have represented so well since the beginning of time, political time that is.

If we stand against the President on this issue, we are opening the door for further rejection of the President’s future aganda, something we can’t ill afford at this at a crucial time in history.

If we spent mind-boggling amounts of money on a war that only made sense to our former President and the special interest groups that were part of the agenda that his administration so blatantly espoused for two terms, how come we are so concerned with the spending of large sums of American money in a home based approach to Health Care Services? Isn’t that the epitome of ridicule? We spent mega trilliions of American dollars killing people, and we can’t spend much less curing them?

This is the question that is posed before me as I try to understand this issue, and is the question I pose before you now in an effort at looking at commonalities and an answer that its suitable to us all.

There is a link that allows you to get more information on the Health Care Reform Plan, and through the link you can even express if you favor or oppose the reform. So click for your preference and show President Obama if you are for or against this plan.

That allows us to, at least, get involved. I don’t recall the past administrations ever allowing us to express our opinion BEFORE any trascendental movement in our history.

We must give Mr. Obama credit for that, as we also should take the opportunity to be informed and express our opinion on this very important issue.

So get involved by finding out more information, today. Learn all you can about this issue so you can be as informed as you possibly can, today. It is your responsibility, today; tomorrow it will be too late.

Keep communicating…

Let’s talk about popular music, the force that transcends politics, economics and religion (name three more powerful forces). The power of song and its ability to enter the minds of people at incredible speeds, is a force that has been overlooked by most of our daily processes.

Think of “Verde Luz, foe example, ” hasn’t the inspiration of Antonio Cabán Vale gone beyond the political boundaries that separate all of Puerto Rico.

Maquinolandera, El Negro Bembón, Campanitas de Cristal, Linda and Olas y Arenas, are examples of songs that live within all boricuas and that join us regardless, once again, of economic, political, age group and religious preferences.

Maybe we are into something here, and when looking at a common denominator in our national struggles the alternative might lie within the most simple of alternatives. Perhaps the Bomba and the Plena had it correct when, from their inception, they allowed Radio Bemba to carry a message to all.

“Cortaron a Elena… cortaron a Elena… cortaron a Elena y la llevaron pal’ hospital”.

In the next few days, with all the talk about Michael Jackson’s passing, maybe we can come to grips with the legacy of the greatest Pop music force of our generation, and perhaps, all time, and uderstand the true power of popular music. We can’t all be Michael Jackson, in fact there can only be one Michael Jackson for all-time to come, but we can follow his example, and, friends, isn’t that the next best thing?

The more I think of it, the more I realize that total independece is a fallacy that ties us all, as the interconnections of our daily life are geared to slave us constantly.

Independence, however, is very important, and we must realize how independent, as well as interdependent, we are in all the facets of our life.

First and foremost on a group level we are interdependent, as no one can funtion outside of our societal customes, mores and controls. That interdependece, however, gives us the potential to attain independence as it marks the boundaries of what we can, and cannot do, a piece of wisdom here El Che used to say “let’s be realists and strive for the impossible.”

On this special day, we should take a little time off the beautiful marches, fire works and even the drinking, to think about what actually deprives us from being independent. There are so many levels, personally independent, spiritually independent, financially independent, and politically independent, we can continue as our experiences ties us all in many more ways. However, the excersise in understanding our interdependence by looking at our daily lives, could bring surprising answers to the querry.

On the final analysis, independence is a personal concept, and once we realize that, we can begin to change at a personal level to become independent thinkers, and, as such, independent actors.

There is an old saying that states that “in a place where many people are thinking the same, very few people are thinking.” If that premise stands correct, and I believe it does, then until we stop being part of the herd and become independent thinkers we will not be able to understand the true meaning of independence.

With that in mind… let’s truly enjoy an uplifting 4th of July, we deserve it.

The Budha

Simón Bolivar

Don Pedro

El Ché

Jesus

Abe Lincoln

George Washington

Pancho Villa

You rarely see me writing about sports anymore as I have been known to write about entertainment, but it was actually in sports where I began to write as a journalist, and this is a story that merits taking a swipe at baseball, once again.

First, the sorry state of the current New York Mets roster is all about injuries to key personnel like José Reyes, Carlos Beltrán, Carlos Delgado, John Maine, JJ Putz, and the usual role reversals of Ollie Perez, just to name a few. As a consequence, there have been little positives to note from the Metsies on the field, although they are currently riding on a, somewhat surprising, four game winning streak as of today.

It has become truly obvious that the precipituous fall of the Mets in the standings has created a front office juggernaut that in turn led to the firing of Tony Bernazard, on Monday. Who knows what Bernazard has been thinking about over the past few years, first with his role in the dismissal of Willie Randolph and, then on the power trip that he allegedly had enjoyed over that period.

Well,they say that “what goes around comes around,” and, as a consequence, the press conference fiasco that has made some sport writers ask for the head of Omar Minaya became a reality.

The fact that the talented and pesky Mets general manager has reached the top of his profession in a major market like New York speaks volumes to the talent of Minaya as well as the efforts of the Mets in the area of affirmative action. The ascendant developments, up to last week, in the career of Tony Bernazard did as well.

First Minaya, a Dominican, and Bernazard, a Puerto Rican, have both been able to achieve very important jobs in baseball. The first as General Manager, the second, as Vice President of Personnel, positions that, with very few exceptions, had not been reached by any Latinos in any major sport market. As such, they represent the potential of all Latinos to achieve positions of power and leadership not only in sports, but in any major corporate endeavour in America today.

An organization like the Mets, which has never shown a commendable attitude to Latino hirings in the past, has comepletely turned the page, towards positive minority practices, in their hiring choices under the era of the Wilpons. In fact, they did one better than their more famous counterpart, George Steinbrenner, by staying away and leaving the baseball decisions to their baseball people, and they should be commended for it. Instead, because of the current developments, they are now being unfairly criticized for being a disfunctional organization.

Minaya, on the other hand, is much more than what his title entails. He is much more than just the face of the Mets franchise; he is, technically, the face of all Latino non-players in baseball. Minaya is the rule by which the future management opportunities in baseball, as it pertains to Latinos, will be measured in the future and, at present, we have all taken a beating by his performance at the Mets press conference on Monday.

Being Latino, I understand too well what it is to lose my cool. I have done it before, although I work hard at keeping my hot tempered personality under control these days, at least so much better than I did when I was a hotheaded youngster.

Minaya, after been forced to fire a good friend, was not in the best possible mood on Monday. The Mets GM has shown in the past to be an even keeled man with an outright disposition to please, and basically on Monday his emotions took the best of him, as they say in El Chapulín “se le chispoteó”.

Moreso, we have to understand that his hand was forced mainly by the efforts of a Daily News scribe who himself had been openly looking to find entry into the personnel side of baseball. No doubt, Omar Minaya really lost his cool and perspective on a Press Conference, called to announce the firing of Tony Bernazard, last Monday, at Citi Field.

Suspicion, being one of the emotions that characterize most of humanity, had led Minaya to believe that the full-fledged attack on Bernazard by Adam Rubin of the Daily News, was directly related to the reporter’s ambitions and therefore, he had an ulterior motive to pursue a story that had been relevant more to him than any other writer.

Yes, with the benefit of hindsight, the Tony Bernazard story looks more like a witchunt, than a relevant baseball story. As of the present time, it is highly unlikely that Bernazzard would be able to go beyond the position of a baseball scout in the future, as his alleged actions clearly are not that of management personnel. Its a shame because Bernazzard has proven to be a solid baseball man, although his sometimes silly impersonations of Mike Tyson. I hate to see anyone lose his job, especially such an important as Vice President of Personnel for an organization like the New York Mets.

The situation, however, does not legitimize Minaya’s behavior, nor the setting in which he choose to explore his displeasure with Daily News reporter Adam Rubin.

Rubin attacked Bernazard, a former major league second baseman and an employee of the Players Union for many years, even though minor league manager Mako Oliveras (AA Binghamton), a person I have known and respected since I was a youngster playing sandlot ball in Puerto Rico, and who is undoubtely the best baseball manager to come out of the Island in the past two decades, stated that nothing major had ocurred in the clubhouse of his minor league team.

Disregarding Oliveras, and some of the minor leaguer’s statements that tried to dissipate the scandal that was quickly catching the status of a five alarm fire, Rubin continued his pursuit and it was argued by some reporters that Oliveras comments were expected as he had been hired by Bernazard.

Such a statement shows that the person that made them doesn’t know Mako Oliveras, who can be controversial on his own, but its a thoroughly frank and honest gentleman. Dismissing the statements of a veteran baseball mind like Oliveras all together might show initial proof of an ulterior motive.

In my opinion Rubin was wrong, not only in his relentless pursuit of Bernazard, but by openly searching employment advice from the Mets, the team he covers, in how to enter the baseball panorama. In taking such action, the reporter betrayed the priviledges bestowed upon him by the Daily News, the institution that by hiring him allowed the writer to enter the coveted New York baseball circle.

Maybe the Daily News should also revise Rubin actions and subsequent status as their representative. Lobbying for a future position in the market that one is employed at the moment has to be handled with much more sensitivity and care that Rubin, if Minaya’s allegations are correct, allegedly showed.

At present, the hunter, Rubin, caught his prey, Bernazard, and his head was offered as tribute to the press on Monday’s forgettable conference. The former major leaguer, at present, has been the only one to succumb to Rubin’s onslaught. But Rubin, the hunter, also deserves some type of scrutiny for his actions by his employer.

So far the firing of Bernazard is the only casualty of this event, and, hopefully, Omar Minaya will be able to survive relatively unscathed from this dreadful situation. Although his reputation has been damaged by the events, the damage is not irreparable. He can win back some of his former luster, by returning the Mets on their winning ways. Sometimes the best work is done under the worst of circumstances, it will be interesting to watch the Mets and their reaction on the field the rest of the way. especially with the return of their cadre of stars a couple of days away.

In truly important terms, Latinos, in general, need more people like Omar Minaya in baseball, and in all walks of life, and if he cannot survive this situation, and, most, important make winners of the Mets so he can rehabilitate his professional personna, we will, in general, suffer the backlash of future consequences. The stereotypes will flourish once again as the sharks of racism will once again circle around Latinos, and it will take many years before another Latino can reach a position of prominence in sports management.

Rubén Amaro, a Panamanian, and former baseball player, who is also the son of a former baseball player, excuse the redundancy, was able to ascent to a position similar to Minaya’s in Philadelphia, and I am pretty sure that Minaya’s previous success had something to do with opening the doors of opportunity tor the Phillie GM.

We all should be conscientious of these implications as we scale up the ladder of success. Reaching zeniths that were not available years ago is indeed a personal achievement, but most important, success speaks for the opportunities that will become available for other Latinos, who have begun their climb, as we all stand on the shoulders of the pioneers.

The Mets will be crazy to fire Minaya, who is signed at 4 million per year until the year 2012. Paying someone else to become GM and sending Minaya on a paid vacation would be the epitome of financial ridicule in these rude economic times.

Most likely Omar Minaya will survive and learn from this episode. Most important he should learn about the implication of his acts, not only its implications to the Mets, in particular, and baseball, in general, but to all Latinos within a real life context.

He is a pioneer, he is a trend-setter, but, most importantly, he is a quality baseball mind and deserves the opportunity to prove that he can continue building winning baseball teams. Not only for him as a baseball man, but for all those who are to follow him.

Mets GM Omar Minaya

Tony Bernazard and Mets owner Fred Wilpon in better days

First and foremost, the New Yankee Stadium is not just a baseball field or stadium, the old Stadium accomplished that very well.

This gigantic, state of the art, supermall for baseball, is made in a manner definitely geared to allow you to enjoy the utmost baseball experience in the most confortable setting that mankind can possibly make. It is quite a civilized way to watch baseball, and this is perhaps the main difference from the old ballpark.

There was nothing civilized at the old stadium and the roar of the crowd was not incited by the incredible visual effects that surround the new Yankee Stadium. The roar at the old ballpark was “ready made,” it was instant, it was part of the experience. At the new stadium, that old roar is just…not there.

Mind that, after having lunch at a restaurant where four chefs showed their culinary talents very well at four different stations, where everything was FREE, except, drinks, and after coming by another restaurant in the lower level, where hot dogs, pizza, and hamburgers where featured, as well as some kosher delicacies and all the candy you can eat, that is before getting to the all inclusive confortability of the best and most confortable baseball seats that money can buy, your really do not feel like screaming, you feel more like a siesta. And it shows, the decibel level at the New Yankee Stadium, is not close to that of “the house that Ruth built.”

Of course that would be uncalled for in the sophisticated surrounds of the new stadium, especially on a hot day like today, where you could easily go hide and escape to the air conditioned surroundings of this state-of-the-art billion dollar edifice, and option that was not available, unless you were part of the press, in the old stadium.

Summing up, this not being a prime game, the cost of the box was only $900, if it would have been a “prime” game, the cost would have been $2,400 for the box, of course all the ammenities still would be included. This is about the daily cost of a cruise, so your definition of the expense is entirely defined by the position of baseball in your entertainment totem pole.

A far as I was concerned, I must say it was indeed a unique experience, this is the way baseball should be watched, the price is out of my range, but my cousin offer more of these family trips in the future and I will gladly offer to comply.

I miss the old stadium, I miss the loud roar of the mean crowd that could afford the old Stadium, and that, I suspect are missing from the new one. Even “the bleacher creatures” didnt sound as loud today, and we must add that those that are in the air conditioned enclaves that surround the field cannot hear the sounds of the game, and cannot add to the sounds of the game. Somehow this was the lowest volumed Yankee game I have ever attended in the Bronx, without a doubt.

It is the brave new world of baseball, and something we must all get used to. Ahh, there were no fights, no beer flying or no curse words in my surroundings. That also made the experience surreal.

It was definitely a sophisticated way to watch a Yankee game. I will definitely try it again, hopefully for a night game. For now, eventhough in many ways it was a unique experience, the jury is out. I really dont know if I like the new better than the old stadium, and watch it, you are bound to gain a few pounds everytime you come in. With all the food flowing around you really have no choice. At these prices, it almost feels that you have to eat a lot to justify the expense, kind of “coming out even.”

Well let me inform you, if you can afford the cost, there is no way to come out even on food alone, you can only feel somewhat better, if the Yankees win it all.

I have the feeling that this is their year, the fans need it, the players need it, the organization needs it, and, the New Stadium needs it.

This would be the only way that this edifice, build at a cost of 1 billion dollars plus can begin to gain some mystique of its own, and, as such, it might invite the ghosts of the old building to come and check the new place out, maybe become part of it.

Lou, Babe, Mickey and Joe, come across the street and see how the new generation works at being a Yankee. Who knows, you might like it.

The seats were very close to the playing field, excellent viewing position.