Oct. 2, 2011

The Honorable Jimmy Carter
The Carter Center
One Copenhill
453 Freedom Parkway
Atlanta, GA 30307

Dear President Carter:

We actors, artists, writers, teachers, cultural workers and other activists in the struggle for peace and justice in San Antonio, Texas, have read the letter that twenty Actors and Artists United for the Freedom of the Cuban 5 wrote you on April 8. We agree with the contents of that letter, which we have copied below, and we wish to add our names as signers to that letter.

We are sending a copy of this letter to President Barack Obama, to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, to the five Cuban anti-terrorists who are in U.S. prisons, to the National Committee to Free the Cuban Five, and to the U.S. office of the International Committee for the Freedom of the Cuban 5.

Since we are not so well known as the twenty Actors and Artists United for the Freedom of the Cuban 5 who wrote you on April 8, we have added after our names for identification purposes the organization we are with, our title or some other identifier. We speak as individuals. If the organization with which we are associated has taken an official position, the organization will be listed separately.

The following is the text of the April 8 letter to which we are referring:

Dear President Carter:

We, Actors and Artists United for the Freedom of the Cuban 5, want to extend our deepest gratitude for your recent visit to Cuba, as well as our support for your statements promoting improved relations between our countries.

Your call for the release of Gerardo Hernandez Nordelo, Antonio Guerrero Rodriguez, Fernando Gonzalez Llort, Ramon Labanino Salazar, and Rene Gonzalez Sehwerert, known as the Cuban 5, and your willingness to visit with their family members in Cuba mean a great deal to all involved. We strongly agree that there is no reason to keep these men, who were simply trying to protect their country from terrorism, imprisoned any longer.

And certainly, until their release, the US government should grant regular visas in a timely manner, to their family members to visit them.

Your leadership honors the principles upon which our nation was founded. Your calls to remove Cuba from the US State Department’s list of state sponsors of terrorism, to lift the US blockade now having been imposed on Cuba for half a century, and to remove all restrictions imposed on its citizens regarding travel to Cuba (a position supported by 67% of Americans and Cuban Americans), are fair, just and appropriate.

Further, we enthusiastically support you in having subsequent discussions with President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and hope you will call for urgent action on their part to make right this unjust situation.

Again, we thank you and look forward to the possibility of improved relations and future visits to Cuba.

With respect,

Edward Asner, Co-Chair

Danny Glover, Co-Chair
Jackson Browne

James Cromwell
Mike Farrell
Richard Foos
Elliott Gould
Chrissie Hand

Francisco Letelier
Esai Morales
Graham Nash

Bonnie Raitt
Susan Sarandon
Pete Seeger
Martin Sheen

Betty & Stanley K. Sheinbaum

Andy Spahn

Oliver Stone

Haskell Wexler

Additional San Antonio signers:
Florinda Avalos 
Fuerza Unida
Imelda Arismendez 
Esperanza Peace and Justice Center
Estevan Arredondo
Carolyn V. Atkins
Esmeralda Baltazar 
Fuerza Unida
Ellen Berky, Architect
Karen Blaesing
Roberto Botello
. Artist
Christopher J. Boyle, 
Esperanza Peace and Justice Center
Alice A. Canestaro-Garcia
, Energía Mía
David C. Carlson, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of History, The University of Texas-Pan American
Viola Casares, 
Fuerza Unida
Antonia I. Castañeda, 
Esperanza Peace & Justice Center
Imelda Castillo
, S.W.U.
María Castro
Michael G. Castro
Irasema Cavazos
, Member of the National Domestic Workers Alliance
Luis Angel Perez Chávez
, Fuerza Unida
Magda Chellet, 
Esperanza Peace & Justice Center
J. George Cisneros, Artist
Laura Parra Codina, 
Community Activist
Yasmina Codina, 
Esperanza Peace & Justice Center
Carmen Cuevas-Gross
Dylan Daney
John Dauer
, San Antonio, Tx
Yvette B. Davies
Larry V. Don
Sylvia E. Don
Ismael Dovalina
, Community College Psychology Instructor
Tim Duda
, Activist
Paula Earl-Orozco, 
Esperanza Peace and Justice Center
Rita Vidaurri Eden
Anel Flores
Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center
Fr. Tom Flower, CFJ
 Priest
Gregory Fox. 
UNITE HERE, Local dissident & activist
John J. Gagliano, 
Giovanni’s Pizzeria / Deli / Catering
Manuela H. Gallardo
, Fuerza Unida
Tina Galvan
Fuerza Unida
Robin Gara
, Esperanza Peace and Justice Center
Mariann Garner-Wizard, 
Youth Emergency Service, Inc.
Anselmo Garza
, San Antonio, Tx 78210
Rodney “El RAWdnei” Garza 
Poeteatrista of Peace Posse
Sandra A. Gasca
Herb Gonzales, Jr., 
Bexar County Green Party member
Erika Gonzalez
Marisa González
María Greenstreet
Jessica O. Guerrero
, San Antonio community
Dorcas Veneé Guevara
Norma Guzmán
Amanda Haas, Esperanza Peace and Justice Center
Emma Christina Hernández, 
Latino Youth Collective
Anna Maria Herrera-Guerra
Bethany Holmes
, UNITE HERE!
Martha E. Huerta
José C. Jacobs, 
Retired Public School teacher, Laredo, Texas
Michael Kaib
Amy Kastely, 
Esperanza Peace and Justice Center
Olga Kauffman
. RITA
Tom Keene
Pax Christi, San Antonio
Judith Cashin Lerma, RNC MSN CCM
, National Nurses Organizing Committee – Texas
Paula Littles
Ruth Lofgren
, San Antonio Quaker
Peter Maher
, Esperanza Peace and Justice Center
Lalo Mani
Adelina Martinez
John V. Martinez, 
Prisoners Defense Committee
Petra A. Mata
, Fuerza Unida
Joel A. Mayer
, Democratic Precinct Chair, Pct 2035, San Antonio, Texas
Deirdre McDonald, 
Librarian
Raymond N. McDonald
Phyllis McKenzie
, Esperanza Peace & Justice Center
Rachel D. Melendes
Jessica Mendez, 
UNITE HERE
Christine Miller
, UNITE HERE!
Gabriel Morales
Josefina R. Morales
Andrea Mota
self
Barbara A. Murray
Neifa Nacel-Dovalina, 
Attorney
Naomi Shihab Nye
Ben Olguin
Frank Ontiveros
Hilda Ortiz, 
Fuerza Unida
Judith Perez
Lee Roy Perez
Angelica Pinales, 
Fuerza Unida
Kamala Platt
David H. Plylar 
Free man
Richard S. Pressman, PhD
., St. Mary’s Universisty
Patti Radle, 
Former member, San Antonio (Texas) City Council
Gloria A. Ramírez
, Esperanza Center
Genevieve Rodriguez
, “Cuban American!” Miami born & raised Cuban!
Henry Rodriguez
, LULAC Civil Rights Chair / District XVI Director
Mary Agnes Rodriguez, 
Artist/ Muralist
Melissa Rodriguez
, Esperanza Peace & Justice Center /Pastors for Peace
Noel Rodriguez
, Organizing Director, UNITE HERE Local 11
Jessica Ruvalcaba
, Fuerza Unida
Dora Elsa Ruiz
, Teacher
Ruby Ruiz
Sally E. Said
University professor
Bernard Sánchez
, Esperanza Peace and Justice Center
Enrique Sánchez, 
Esperanza Center
Graciela Isabel Sanchez, 
Esperanza Peace and Justice Center
Isabel Sanchez
, Esperanza
Michele Nicole Simpson
Larry Skwarczynski
, Veterans for Peace Chap/Coodinator #126
John W. Stanford
, Peace activist
Joseph A. Stormer
 of Seattle, WA
Ricarda María Tello de Cuevas
Albert Tobar
, Nurse
Martha Ann Tobar
Charles & Jane Tuck, 
Fellowship of Reconciliation
Arthur R. Valdez
Ines Valdez
, Mujer Artes
Pancho Valdez
, Laborer’s Union Local 1095
Mariana Vasquez
, Mujer Artes
Ramon Vasquez y Sanchez
Monica Velasquez
Dee Villarrubia
, Bexar County, Democratic Party Deputy Chair
Norma Villegas
, Fuerza Unida
Roberto & Martha von Ellenrieder, 
San Antonio, Texas
Michael W. White, 
Attorney at Law

NOTE: TITLE OR OTHER IDENTIFIER UNDER ABOVE NAMES IS SHOWN FOR IDENTIFICATION ONLY.

 

Email copies sent to:


President Barack Obama
National Committee to Free the Cuban Five
International Committee for the Freedom of the Cuban Five

Copies sent by U.S. mail to:

The Honorable Hillary Clinton
Secretary of State

U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW

Washington, DC 20520

Antonio Guerrero, #58741-004
FCI Florence
P.O. Box 6000
Florence, CO 81226

Fernando González, in outside envelope addressed to
 Rubén Campa,
#58733-004

F.C.I. Terre Haute
P.O. Box 33

Terre Haute, IN 47808

Gerardo Hernández, #58739-004
U.S.P. Victorville
P.O. Box 5300
 Adelanto, CA 92301

Ramón Labañino, in outside envelope addressed to 
Luis Medina,
#58734-004

F.C.I. Jesup
 2680
301 South
 Jesup, GA 31599

René González, #58738-004

F.C.I. Marianna
P.O. Box 7007
Marianna, FL 32447-7007