By Rolando Larraz
Last week I went to the city council meeting to speak on behalf and in favor of city councilwoman Michele Fiore, who has been attacked by liberal groups that believe that if one does not believe, act or think like them, the subject of their attack is a bad person.
I waited six hours for the opportunity to make a one-minute speech and this time I did not complain because there were almost two hundred people waiting to speak, mostly against the councilwoman for expressing her opinion, and I understood the time factor.
I tried to speak as fast as possible and because of my accent I don’t know if everyone understood what I was saying so I am going to try to repeat myself for more than one minute.
I left my country, Cuba, sixty-one years ago, not because I was looking for a better life; I lived a very good life in my own country. And not because I was looking for work because I did not need a job.
Not even because I was looking for money because I had plenty in my own country thanks to God and my family.
I left my country sixty-one years ago because I am NOT a communist. I left my country sixty-one years ago because I believed in the freedom of expression, the freedom to have one’s own opinion, and the freedom of speech, and because the communists had already taken over the beautiful island of Cuba.
I left my country, Cuba, sixty-one years ago because I knew that under those conditions, coupled with the big mouth many people think I have, I would not have lasted one year; I would have either been killed or died behind bars because that is the way it is in communist countries.
I never thought I would come here to live and to create a life, even though I used to fly to Miami to buy myself a pair of pants or a pair of shoes, have lunch and then take the four o’clock flight back to Cuba. I never had any intention of making a life here.
Don’t get me wrong; I loved to spend time here, but I loved my country and I lived there very well. I did not need to live here, were it not for the communists that took everything my family had worked for.
That is how the communist regimes are; if you keep your mouth shut and you don’t complain, you are able to survive, but that is not me and I learned to love this great nation and I became more American than hamburger, French fries and Coca Cola.
I met Michele Fiore many years ago and we had a wonderful friendship while it lasted. I supported her in almost every endeavor she started, but later it was time for her to choose between two pieces of trash that called themselves friends — only to end up using her, or me; and I respected her position.
I have not seen nor spoken to Michele Fiore for at least three years, but I had always admired her dedication and loyalty to her family and her constituents, so when I learned that she had been betrayed by her friend and abused by evil people that do not like what she stands for, how she speaks and how she speaks her mind, regardless of who is there or who is not present when she speaks, I have to open my mouth and defend a woman that I believe is a true American and a real servant of the community.
Michele Fiore does not need anyone to defend her; she is capable of defending herself, but if we all speak on behalf of people we believe in, such as Michele, people will get to know her.
There is no proof of anything they accused her of saying, but evil-minded people are lucky and they always find someone to believe what they say.
I agree with everything they claim Ms. Fiore said and that is why I jumped to speak on her behalf. I don’t believe she is what those evil people claim she is.
Michele Fiore is not a dishonest person; she is a qualified and dedicated human being and she has not one hair of racism in her. She does not discriminate against anyone and she did not deserve to be insulted and mistreated the way they insulted and disrespected her.
Blue lives matter as much as Black lives matter and all lives matter equally. If people happen to believe that one life matters more than another, it is up to the others to work their way up to make their lives matter as much.
I believe in equality but I do understand that equality is not practiced equally in our world today. Is equality a one-way street and it is only equality when it only helps and protects one particular group?
Has anyone visited the Welfare office on Spring Mountain Road? Has anyone visited the office of the Department of Motor Vehicles (the DMV)? Has anyone visited the unemployment office and any other government agency?
Almost all the employees are African American and very rude and arrogant, if I may say so. They all believe they are doing us a favor by talking to us. Is that equality? Is that fair treatment?
My name is Rolando Larraz, and as always, I approved this column.
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Rolando Larraz is Editor in Chief of the Las Vegas Tribune. His column appears weekly in this newspaper. To contact Rolando Larraz, email him at: Rlarraz@lasvegastribune.com or at 702-272-4634.
