Emilio Milian Speech
Feb 6, 1977
[Reference: Dade County Florida OCB case # 3-92-22]
FEBRUARY 6, 1977
SPEECH BY EMILIO MILIAN
"THE ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE OF B'NAI B'RITH"
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I am deeply grateful for the honor that the Florida Regional Board of
the Anti-Defamation League of B'Nai B'Rith has bestowed upon me today:
The Leonard L. Abess Human Relations Award.
I am proud to be the recipient of this important recognition for my
community service, democratic convictions, and firm beliefs. This
is certainly an unforgettable and reward experience that comes during
very difficult times for me.
The man that speaks before you today is a mutilated one. The
result of exercising his right to oppose terrorism, defend human
freedom, and my speaking out against criminals and their crimes.
For this I have been condemned to death without a trial, without the
right to defend myself - the jury has given its verdict in darkness and
without my presence. The execution could come at any time.
For me there is no opportunity to appeal my case or defend my rights.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is a true case of discrimination that is
rarely talked about. It is a violation of my constitutional
rights by a radical minority, a handful that uses terrorism to impose
their ideas on the majority. It is disgraceful that this is
happening at a time when this country has just celebrated its 200th
birthday.
Nine months have passed since the attempt on my life in which I lost
both legs, and still the criminals have not yet been captured and
judged.
The local authorities, because of the public outrage, have made considerable effort to find the terrorists.
However, the results are: new murders, new threats, increased
terrorism - a clear product of the impunity that the terrorists enjoy
today.
Recently, just a few hours after a telephone conversation with Juan
Jose Peruyero, during which he told me that he had strong evidence in
my case as a result of his investigations, Peruyero, a strong
anti-communist fighter, was assassinated in front of his home without
having been able to relay the important message he had for me.
My hopes that the crime that took my legs would have been the last one,
vanished. Instead new threats have been made against my life and
other Cuban leaders.
This week I was obligated, because of continued threats and a lack of
police progress in my case, to send a telegram to The Reporter's
Committee for Freedom of the Press in Washington, D.C. which in part
reads as follows:
"I received reliable information that I will be assassinated in the
next few days. As you remember, last April I notified the police
about the fact that the terrorists would put a bomb in my car.
Three days later, on April 30th, it happened. I lost my legs and
almost my life..."
The prince that the terrorists asked to save my life is too high: to
give away my dignity, my freedom, and to submit myself to
silence. I will not pay!
One death for the cause of freedom, however, is a sacrifice which has the power to mobilize millions of consciences.
The Cuban Apostle of Liberty, Jose Marti, said that: "Men march in two
groups: those who hate and destroy, and those who love and construct".
I wish to walk with those who love and construct, but at the same time
to bring awareness to a third group: those who stand still and do not
participate because, unfortunately, in this age of fear, moral apathy
has gotten a hold of people.
We need a spiritual awakening that will put us all on the side of
justice in order to be able to confront decisively and openly the
biggest and most dangerous challenge that our civilization faces:
TOTALISTARISM and its favorite weapon: TERRORISM.
If I am silenced, in one way or another, it will constitute a blow to
this democratic society. It would be a moral triumph to the
totalitarism that enslaves millions of human beings all over the world,
among them my fellow Cubans and thousands of Jews in Russia, who suffer
as well.
I, like most of the Cubans that live here, and possibly like many of
you or your families, came to this country as refugees, escaping from
communism, looking for a free society.
This handful of terrorists do not represent the Cuban community who loves democracy and justice as much as you and I.
That is why, here, I am asking for your help in getting the federal
authorities' to take strong action to bring to justice this vicious
group and end this type of discrimination, once and for all.
On the other hand, If I have to die now, this humanitarian award would
take another dimension, a more meaningful expression of what it reads:
"In recognition of his dedicated service to the people of Florida: His
personal leadership in improving inter-group relations and his
opposition to extremism, bigotry and discrimination significantly
advanced the cause of human rights in our democratic society".
Thank you very much.
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