Copy of Wikipedia: “Forward (generic name of socialist publications)” [Before it was deleted]

Wikipedia deleted the page “Forward (generic name of socialist publications)” which people where accessing to learn the Marxist history of “Forward” — the slogan President Obama has adopted for his 2012 campaign. Liberals are afraid of Americans knowing the truth. The “Forward” page looked like this on May 2, 2012, before Wikipedia deleted it: (Double-click image to see enlarge it) Original link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forward_(generic_name_of_socialist_publications

The text read:

Forward (generic name of socialist publications) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (…) In the English translation, the term Forward has been used as an effective title for socialist and left-leaning periodical publications[1][2]. The context of the title connotes an “urge for progress”.[3] Vorwärts! (German for ‘Forward’, with an exclamation point as part of the name) was a revolutionary German emigré publication issued in Paris in the mid-1840s. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels were amongst the contributors to the magazine. Whilst the publication was short-lived, it had a lasting impact and served as an inspiration for later socialist press outlets. A second Vorwärts (without exclamation point) was founded in 1876, being an organ of the Social Democratic Party of Germany and with Wilhelm Liebknecht as its first editor.[4] In the years before the First World War, the term ‘vorwärts’ was almost monopolized in German political discourse by the Social Democrats, and the name was used for various publications and organizations.[5] The German Vorwärts inspired socialists around the world.[6] The Yiddish daily Forverts, founded in New York in 1897, was named after the German publications (which were well-known amongst Jewish radical circles at the time). Rather than using the Yiddish word faroys, a transliteration of the German name was used.[4] Another prominent example has been Vpered (Russian language for ‘Forward’), the publication that Lenin started after having resigned from the Iskra editorial board in 1905 after a clash with Georgi Plekhanov and the Mensheviks.[1] The name did however fall out of fashion in Russia after the October Revolution. A Volga German Bolshevik newspaper named Vorwärts was re-baptized Nachrichten as the Soviet leadership wished to avoid associations with the German Social Democratic organ.[7] Other publications named Forward (in different languages) Avante!, of the Portuguese Communist Party Avanti!, organ of the Italian Socialist Party Eteenpäin, Finnish-language newspaper in the United States Új Előre (‘New Forward’), a Hungarian-language newspaper in the United States References ^ a b Ismael, Tareq Y., and Ismael, Jacqueline S. The Communist Movement in Syria and Lebanon. Gainesville [u.a.]: University Press of Florida, 1998. p. 246 ^ Microform review, Vol. 10. Microform Review, inc., 1981. p. 99 ^ Bale, John, and Chris Philo. Body Cultures Essays on Sport, Space & Identity by Henning Eichberg. London: Routledge, 1997. p. 159 ^ a b Philologos, Forward at 110. Forverts! [http://forward.com/articles/10461/forverts/] ^ Steenson, Gary P. “Not One Man! Not One Penny!”: German Social Democracy, 1863-1914. Pittsburgh, Pa: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1981. p. 141 ^ Cohen, Jocelyn. My Future Is in America: Autobiographies of Eastern European Jewish Immigrants. New York [u.a.]: New York Univ. Press, 2006. p. 105 ^ Heitman, Sidney. Germans from Russia in Colorado. Fort Collins, Colo: Western Social Science Association, 1978. pp. 36, 43 (…) This page was last modified on 2 May 2012 at 20:31.

Pope Benedict’s Speech in Cuba 2012

Speech by Pope Benedict XVI the arriving in the eastern city of Santiago de Cuba, March 26, 2012. (For English transcript scroll down)

Transcript (Spanish) Discurso del Papa Benedicto XVI durante ceremonia de bienvenida en el Aeropuerto Internacional Antonio Maceo de Santiago de Cuba, 26 de marzo de 2012: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/travels/2012/index_messico-cuba_sp.htm Señor Presidente, Señores Cardenales y Hermanos en el Episcopado, Excelentísimas Autoridades, Miembros del Cuerpo Diplomático, Señores y señoras, Queridos amigos cubanos: Le agradezco, Señor Presidente, su acogida y sus corteses palabras de bienvenida, con las que ha querido transmitir también los sentimientos de respeto de parte del gobierno y el pueblo cubano hacia el Sucesor de Pedro. Saludo a las Autoridades que nos acompañan, así como a los miembros del Cuerpo Diplomático aquí presentes. Dirijo un caluroso saludo al Señor Arzobispo de Santiago de Cuba y Presidente de la Conferencia Episcopal, Monseñor Dionisio Guillermo García Ibáñez, al Señor Arzobispo de La Habana, Cardenal Jaime Ortega y Alamino, y a los demás hermanos Obispos de Cuba, a los que manifiesto toda mi cercanía espiritual. Saludo en fin con todo el afecto de mi corazón a los fieles de la Iglesia católica en Cuba, a los queridos habitantes de esta hermosa isla y a todos los cubanos, allá donde se encuentren. Los tengo siempre muy presentes en mi corazón y en mi oración, y más aún en los días en que se acercaba el momento tan deseado de visitarles, y que gracias a la bondad divina he podido realizar. Al hallarme entre ustedes, no puedo dejar de recordar la histórica visita a Cuba de mi Predecesor, el Beato Juan Pablo II, que ha dejado una huella imborrable en el alma de los cubanos. Para muchos, creyentes o no, su ejemplo y sus enseñanzas constituyen una guía luminosa que les orienta tanto en la vida personal como en la actuación pública al servicio del bien común de la Nación. En efecto, su paso por la isla fue como una suave brisa de aire fresco que dio nuevo vigor a la Iglesia en Cuba, despertando en muchos una renovada conciencia de la importancia de la fe, alentando a abrir los corazones a Cristo, al mismo tiempo que alumbró la esperanza e impulsó el deseo de trabajar audazmente por un futuro mejor. Uno de los frutos importantes de aquella visita fue la inauguración de una nueva etapa en las relaciones entre la Iglesia y el Estado cubano, con un espíritu de mayor colaboración y confianza, si bien todavía quedan muchos aspectos en los que se puede y debe avanzar, especialmente por cuanto se refiere a la aportación imprescindible que la religión está llamada a desempeñar en el ámbito público de la sociedad. Me complace vivamente unirme a vuestra alegría con motivo de la celebración del cuatrocientos aniversario del hallazgo de la bendita imagen de la Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre. Su entrañable figura ha estado desde el principio muy presente tanto en la vida personal de los cubanos como en los grandes acontecimientos del País, de modo muy particular durante su independencia, siendo venerada por todos como verdadera madre del pueblo cubano. La devoción a «la Virgen Mambisa» ha sostenido la fe y ha alentado la defensa y promoción de cuanto dignifica la condición humana y sus derechos fundamentales; y continúa haciéndolo aún hoy con más fuerza, dando así testimonio visible de la fecundidad de la predicación del evangelio en estas tierras, y de las profundas raíces cristianas que conforman la identidad más honda del alma cubana. Siguiendo la estela de tantos peregrinos a lo largo de estos siglos, también yo deseo ir a El Cobre a postrarme a los pies de la Madre de Dios, para agradecerle sus desvelos por todos sus hijos cubanos y pedirle su intercesión para que guíe los destinos de esta amada Nación por los caminos de la justicia, la paz, la libertad y la reconciliación. Vengo a Cuba como peregrino de la caridad, para confirmar a mis hermanos en la fe y alentarles en la esperanza, que nace de la presencia del amor de Dios en nuestras vidas. Llevo en mi corazón las justas aspiraciones y legítimos deseos de todos los cubanos, dondequiera que se encuentren, sus sufrimientos y alegrías, sus preocupaciones y anhelos más nobles, y de modo especial de los jóvenes y los ancianos, de los adolescentes y los niños, de los enfermos y los trabajadores, de los presos y sus familiares, así como de los pobres y necesitados. Muchas partes del mundo viven hoy un momento de especial dificultad económica, que no pocos concuerdan en situar en una profunda crisis de tipo espiritual y moral, que ha dejado al hombre vacío de valores y desprotegido frente a la ambición y el egoísmo de ciertos poderes que no tienen en cuenta el bien auténtico de las personas y las familias. No se puede seguir por más tiempo en la misma dirección cultural y moral que ha causado la dolorosa situación que tantos experimentan. En cambio, el progreso verdadero tiene necesidad de una ética que coloque en el centro a la persona humana y tenga en cuenta sus exigencias más auténticas, de modo especial su dimensión espiritual y religiosa. Por eso, en el corazón y el pensamiento de muchos, se abre paso cada vez más la certeza de que la regeneración de las sociedades y del mundo requiere hombres rectos, de firmes convicciones morales y altos valores de fondo que no sean manipulables por estrechos intereses, y que respondan a la naturaleza inmutable y trascendente del ser humano. Queridos amigos, estoy convencido de que Cuba, en este momento especialmente importante de su historia, está mirando ya al mañana, y para ello se esfuerza por renovar y ensanchar sus horizontes, a lo que cooperará ese inmenso patrimonio de valores espirituales y morales que han ido conformando su identidad más genuina, y que se encuentran esculpidos en la obra y la vida de muchos insignes padres de la patria, como el Beato José Olallo y Valdés, el Siervo de Dios Félix Varela o el prócer José Martí. La Iglesia, por su parte, ha sabido contribuir diligentemente al cultivo de esos valores mediante su generosa y abnegada misión pastoral, y renueva sus propósitos de seguir trabajando sin descanso por servir mejor a todos los cubanos. Ruego al Señor que bendiga copiosamente a esta tierra y a sus hijos, en particular a los que se sienten desfavorecidos, a los marginados y a cuantos sufren en el cuerpo o en el espíritu, al mismo tiempo que, por intercesión de Nuestra Señora de la Caridad del Cobre, conceda a todos un futuro lleno de esperanza, solidaridad y concordia. Muchas gracias. Transcript (English) http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2012/march/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20120326_benvenuto-cuba_en.html WELCOMING CEREMONY ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI Antonio Maceo International Airport, Santiago de Cuba Monday, 26 March 2012 Mr President, Dear Cardinals and Brother Bishops, Distinguished Authorities, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear People of Cuba, Thank you, Mr President, for your welcome and your kind words, with which you also conveyed the sentiments of respect of the Cuban government and people for the Successor of Peter. I greet the civil authorities here present, as well as the members of the diplomatic corps. I cordially greet the President of the Episcopal Conference, Archbishop Dionisio Guillermo García Ibáñez of Santiago de Cuba; the Archbishop of Havana, Cardinal Jaime Ortega y Alamino, and my other Brother Bishops of Cuba, and I assure them of my deep spiritual closeness. Finally, I greet with heartfelt affection all the faithful of the Catholic Church in Cuba, the beloved people of this beautiful island, and all Cubans wherever they may be. You are always present in my heart and prayers, especially in the days preceding the much anticipated moment of my visit to you, which the grace and goodness of God has made possible. Standing here among you, I cannot but recall the historic visit to Cuba of my predecessor, Blessed John Paul II, who left an indelible mark on the soul of all Cubans. For many, whether believers or not, his example and his teachings are a luminous guide for their personal lives and their public activity in the service of the common good of the nation. His visit to this island was like a gentle breath of fresh air which gave new strength to the Church in Cuba, awakening in many a renewed awareness of the importance of faith and inspiring them to open their hearts to Christ, while at the same time kindling their hope and encouraging their desire to work fearlessly for a better future. One of the important fruits of that visit was the inauguration of a new phase in the relationship in Cuba between Church and State, in a new spirit of cooperation and trust, even if many areas remain in which greater progress can and ought to be made, especially as regards the indispensable public contribution that religion is called to make in the life of society. I am pleased to share your joy as you celebrate the four hundredth anniversary of the discovery of the holy statue of Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre. Since the beginning she has been very much present in the personal lives of Cubans as well as in the great events of the nation, especially since independence, for she is honoured by all as the true mother of the Cuban people. Devotion to the Virgen Mambisa has sustained the faith and inspired the defence and promotion of all that gives dignity to the human condition and its fundamental rights, and continues to do so today with ever greater strength, giving visible witness to the fruitfulness of the preaching of the Gospel in these lands, and to the profound Christian roots which shape the deepest identity of the Cuban soul. Following in the footsteps of countless pilgrims down the centuries, I too wish to go to El Cobre to kneel at the feet of the Mother of God, to thank her for her concern for all her Cuban children, and to ask her to guide the future of this beloved nation in the ways of justice, peace, freedom and reconciliation. I come to Cuba as a pilgrim of charity, to confirm my brothers and sisters in the faith and strengthen them in the hope which is born of the presence of God’s love in our lives. I carry in my heart the just aspirations and legitimate desires of all Cubans, wherever they may be, their sufferings and their joys, their concerns and their noblest desires, those of the young and the elderly, of adolescents and children, of the sick and workers, of prisoners and their families, and of the poor and those in need. Many parts of the world today are experiencing a time of particular economic difficulty, that not a few people regard as part of a profound spiritual and moral crisis which has left humanity devoid of values and defenceless before the ambition and selfishness of certain powers which take little account of the true good of individuals and families. We can no longer continue in the same cultural and moral direction which has caused the painful situation that many suffer. On the other hand, real progress calls for an ethics which focuses on the human person and takes account of the most profound human needs, especially man’s spiritual and religious dimension. In the hearts and minds of many, the way is thus opening to an ever greater certainty that the rebirth of society demands upright men and women of firm moral convictions, with noble and strong values who will not be manipulated by dubious interests and who are respectful of the unchanging and transcendent nature of the human person. Dear friends, I am convinced that Cuba, at this moment of particular importance in its history, is already looking to the future, and thus is striving to renew and broaden its horizons. Of great help in this enterprise will be the fine patrimony of spiritual and moral values which fashioned the nation’s true identity, and which stand out in the work and the life of many distinguished fathers of the country, like Blessed José Olallo y Valdés, the Servant of God Félix Varela, and the acclaimed José Martí. For her part, the Church too has diligently contributed to the cultivation of those values through her generous and selfless pastoral mission, and renews her commitment to work tirelessly the better to serve all Cubans. I ask the Lord to bless abundantly this land and its children, in particular those who feel disadvantaged, the excluded and all those who suffer in body or spirit. At the same time, I pray that, through the intercession of Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre, he will grant to all a future of hope, solidarity and harmony. Thank you.

Dictator Raul Castro’s Speech during Pope’s Arrival in Cuba

Communist Cuban dictator Raul Castro use the Pope’s visit to blame the United States for the failure of their socialist experiment. Raul’s words would be hyterical if the situation of the Cuban people were not so precarious under such a repressive regime. Raul Castro traded his army fatigues for a suit and tie to continue with the false narrative that his criminal Soviet-style regime is softening. Raul lied about his government favoring “total religious freedom for all citizens.” Cubans are simply not free to do anything without the government authorization. Raul lied about providing for the poor. The only thing the Castros have done for the poor is to increase their numbers exponentially due to their failed policies. Everybody is now poor in Cuba except for the oligarchy — the Castros and their cohorts. Raul whined about the American economic embargo against Cuba while stressing that they were determined to defend its independence in the face of the U.S. embargo. If the Castros hate the U.S. and capitalism so much, why do they want to do business with the U.S. The Castro regime can do business with the rest of world. Sounding like “Superman”, the communist dictator repeated the socialist lies about fighting “global poverty”, “inequality” and “environmental destruction.”

Transcript Speech by communist Cuban dictator Raul Castro after the arrival of Pope Benedict XVI in the eastern city of Santiago de Cuba, March 26, 2012: (Spanish) Santidad: Cuba lo recibe con afecto y respeto y se siente honrada con su presencia. Encontrará aquí a un pueblo solidario e instruido que se ha propuesto alcanzar toda la justicia y ha hecho grandes sacrificios. De Martí aprendimos a rendir culto a la dignidad plena del hombre y heredamos la fraterna fórmula que seguimos hasta hoy: “Con todos y para el bien de todos”. Cintio Vitier, insigne intelectual y cristiano, escribió que “el verdadero rostro de la Patria… es el rostro de la justicia y de la libertad” y que “la Nación no tiene otra alternativa: o es independiente o deja de ser en absoluto”. La potencia más poderosa que ha conocido la historia ha intentado despojarnos, infructuosamente, del derecho a la libertad, a la paz y a la justicia. Con virtud patriótica y principios éticos el pueblo cubano ha hecho tenaz resistencia, sabiendo que ejercemos también un derecho legítimo cuando seguimos nuestro propio camino, defendemos nuestra cultura y la enriquecemos con el aporte de las ideas más avanzadas. Sin razón, a Cuba se le calumnia, pero nosotros confiamos en que la verdad, de la que jamás nos apartamos, siempre se abre paso. Catorce años después que el Papa Juan Pablo II nos visitara, el bloqueo económico, político y mediático contra Cuba persiste e, incluso, se ha endurecido en el sector financiero. Como aparece en el memorando norteamericano del 6 de abril de 1960, desclasificado décadas después, su objetivo sigue siendo (cito) “… causar hambre, desesperación y el derrocamiento del gobierno”. Sin embargo, la nación ha seguido, invariablemente, cambiando todo lo que deba ser cambiado, conforme a las más altas aspiraciones del pueblo cubano y con la libre participación de este en las decisiones trascendentales de nuestra sociedad, incluidas las económicas y sociales que en casi todo el mundo son patrimonio de estrechas élites políticas y financieras. Varias generaciones de compatriotas se han unido en la lucha por elevados ideales y nobles objetivos. Hemos enfrentado carencias, pero nunca faltado al deber de compartir con los que tienen menos. Sólo como demostración de cuánto se podría hacer si prevaleciera la solidaridad, menciono que en la última década, con la ayuda de Cuba se han preparado decenas de miles de médicos de otros países, se ha devuelto o mejorado la visión a 2,2 millones de personas de bajos ingresos y se ha contribuido a enseñar a leer y escribir a 5,8 millones de analfabetos. Puedo asegurarle que, dentro de las modestas posibilidades de que disponemos, nuestra cooperación internacional continuará. Santidad: Conmemoramos el IV Centenario del hallazgo y la presencia de la imagen de la Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre, que lleva bordado en su manto el escudo nacional. La reciente peregrinación de la Virgen por todo el país, unió a nuestro pueblo, creyentes y no creyentes, en un acontecimiento de gran significado. Le aguardan Santiago de Cuba, que ha sido protagonista de gloriosos episodios en la historia de luchas de los cubanos por su definitiva independencia y también el poblado del Cobre, donde la Corona española tuvo que conceder la libertad a los esclavos sublevados en las minas, ochenta años antes de la abolición de tan infame institución en nuestro país. Nos satisfacen las estrechas relaciones entre la Santa Sede y Cuba, que se han desarrollado sin interrupción durante setenta y seis años, siempre basadas en el respeto mutuo y en la coincidencia en asuntos vitales para la humanidad. Nuestro gobierno y la Iglesia Católica, Apostólica y Romana en Cuba mantenemos buenas relaciones. La Constitución cubana consagra y garantiza la plena libertad religiosa de todos los ciudadanos y, sobre esa base, el gobierno guarda buenas relaciones con todas las religiones e instituciones religiosas en nuestro país. Santidad: Hace casi veinte años que Fidel sorprendió a muchos al proclamar que “una importante especie biológica está en riesgo de desaparecer por la rápida y progresiva liquidación de sus condiciones naturales de vida: “el hombre” concluyó. Hay crecientes amenazas a la paz y la existencia de enormes arsenales nucleares es otro grave peligro para el ser humano. El agua o los alimentos serán, después de los hidrocarburos, la causa de las próximas guerras de despojo. Con los recursos que se dedican a producir mortíferas armas, podría eliminarse la pobreza. El desarrollo vertiginoso de la ciencia y la tecnología no se encuentra al servicio de la solución de los grandes problemas que aquejan a los seres humanos. Frecuentemente sirven para crear reflejos condicionados o para manipular a la opinión pública. Las finanzas son un poder opresivo. En vez de la solidaridad, se generaliza una crisis sistémica, provocada por el consumo irracional en las sociedades opulentas. Una ínfima parte de la población acumula enormes riquezas mientras crecen los pobres, los hambrientos, los enfermos sin atención y los desamparados. En el mundo industrializado, los “indignados” no soportan más la injusticia y, especialmente entre los jóvenes, crece la desconfianza en modelos sociales e ideologías que destruyen los valores espirituales y producen exclusión y egoísmo. Es cierto que la crisis global tiene también una dimensión moral y que prevalece la falta de conexión entre los gobiernos y los ciudadanos a los que dicen servir. La corrupción de la política y la falta de verdadera democracia son males de nuestro tiempo. En estos y otros temas apreciamos coincidencia con sus ideas. Frente a tantos desafíos, nuestra América se une en su soberanía e intenta una integración más solidaria para hacer realidad el sueño bicentenario de sus Próceres. Su Santidad podrá dirigirse a un pueblo de convicciones profundas que le escuchará atento y respetuoso. En nombre de la nación, le doy la más calurosa bienvenida. Muchas gracias.

Raul Martinez Spits and Yells Obscenities to Political Rival (1993 Flashback of Former Hialeah Mayor)

Who is former Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez? In 1993, these were the news about Raul Martinez: (Bold fonts added)
	Mud is flying in Hialeah’s mayoral horse race : Despite the fact that he is a convicted felon, Raul Martinez is favored to win reelection in no-holds-barred contest Los Angeles Times November 01, 1993|MIKE CLARY | SPECIAL TO THE TIMES When Raul Martinez was reelected to his third term as Hialeah mayor in 1989, he had just been indicted on federal charges of racketeering and extortion. He still won 53% of the vote. Now, with another mayoral election just days away, Martinez is a convicted felon running for reelection as the city’s suspended mayor who soon may have to serve a 10-year prison sentence. But he is still expected to win. “What it means is that people are saying: ‘This guy was framed,’ ” said Martinez, 44, commenting on polls that show him well ahead of four challengers. “No one has ever doubted my management abilities. People might say: ‘Maybe he did something outside of government, but he never neglected the city.’ “ Outside of southern Florida, Hialeah is best-known as the site of one of the country’s premier horse racing venues, a lushly landscaped park where flocks of pink flamingos circle the infield as thoroughbreds circle the track. But closer to home, in the greater Miami area, Hialeah is known as a blue-collar town where the only thing rougher than the pot-holed streets is the politics. In the last two weeks, Martinez’s opponents have circulated a flyer that features the suspended mayor’s FBI mug shot under the words, in Spanish, “Convicted felon.” Days after the flyer first appeared, Martinez and one of his rivals met at a Miami radio station, where they reportedly exchanged obscenities and spat in each other’s faces. “I’ve never seen politics like this in my life,” said Hugh Cochran, a civic activist who helped found a Hialeah citizens’ group. “Screaming at council meetings, chanting, fights in the corridor. Is this the image of government in this country, the democratic ideal? I think not.” To understand Hialeah, Martinez and local politics, it is perhaps necessary to know something of local history–both here and in Cuba. Founded as a cattle ranch in 1909, Hialeah remained a small town until after World War II, when longtime mayor Henry Milander used tax breaks to turn the city into a manufacturing center. But the real boom was provided by Fidel Castro. After the revolution in 1959, waves of exiles from Cuba were drawn to Hialeah by affordable housing and plenty of jobs in textiles and dozens of other small industries. Today, Hialeah is Florida’s fifth largest city, with a population of 203,000, 90% of whom are Latino. Most are Cuban.
http://articles.latimes.com/1993-11-01/news/mn-51999_1_raul-martinez

Raul Martinez Strikes Radio Host (1998 Flashback of Former Hialeah Mayor)

Who is former Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez? In 1998, these were the news about Raul Martinez: (Bold fonts added)
	Goldberg Says Mayor Hit Him Palm Beach Post, 1998 Frustrations resulting from the betting breakdown Saturday at Hialeah Park produced a shouting match between Raul Martinez, the mayor of Hialeah, and a Miami radio sports talk show host. Hank Goldberg, of WQAM radio and a horse race commentator for ESPN, said Martinez struck him in the throat during the argument. “It was not really a punch,” said Goldberg.”He just brushed me.” “I didn’t hit him,” responded Martinez , a member of the track’s board of directors. “I did call him a slob.” Following the shutdown of the track betting machines in the fifth race, Goldberg said he went to the track’s Director’s Room because he had been told he could place a bet there. Unable to bet, he said to Martinez , “They should put this place mercifully to sleep.” “Why don’t you get out of here?” Martinez said to Goldberg. An exchange of shouts followed. “He definitely swung at me,” said the radio announcer. “He made contact. I wasn’t going to fight with him. He would have beat me up. He is a moose.” - John Crittenden

SunSentinel report of the same incident:
	Goldberg, Mayor Face Off SunSentinel March 22, 1998|By DAVE JOSEPH Staff Writer Along with all the problems Hialeah experienced with its tote system and track, another developed Saturday afternoon when radio talk show host Hank Goldberg got into an altercation in the track’s Directors Room with Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez. Goldberg, disappointed that he couldn’t wager when the AutoTote system crashed, turned around after leaving the window and said, “They ought to put this place mercifully to sleep.” This is where the versions differ. “[Martinez) said if you don’t like it, get the bleep out of here,” Goldberg said. Goldberg said he asked if Martinez was going to throw him out and added, “Give it your best shot.” Martinez then allegedly lunged. “He grazed me,” said Goldberg, who said Post Time USA publisher Gene Stevens helped separate the two. “Definitely, he swung at me.” Martinez said he never touched Goldberg. “Hank comes in here bad-mouthing the place,” Martinez said. “My comment to him was if he doesn’t like the place, he doesn’t have to come back. How can you blame anyone on computers going down?” When told Goldberg had said Martinez had hit him, the mayor replied: “I’m not going to hit him. I didn’t touch him. I called him a slob.” Goldberg, who hosts a show on WQAM (560-AM), said he had witnesses and called Martinez a liar. When asked if he would pursue the matter, Goldberg said, “Only on my talk show.”
Sources: - Palm Beach Post, 1998 - SunSentinel, March 22, 1998: http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1998-03-22/news/9803210232_1_martinez-hialeah-mayor - Babalu: http://www.babalublog.com/archives/007161.html

Video: Raul Martinez, Hialeah Mayor, Assaults Cuban protester (Flashback 1999)

	Hialeah Mayor, Protester Mix It Up At Traffic Blockade The Miami Herald July 1, 1999, page 12 SANDRA MARQUEZ GARCIA And JOSEPH TANFANI, Herald Staff Writers Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez took his reputation as a hands-on mayor to the streets early Wednesday, pummeling a young butcher who was blocking traffic on the Palmetto Expressway. Both the mayor, weighing in at 6-3, 255 pounds, and the protester, 150-pound, 5-10 Ernesto Mirabal, say the other guy swung first. Martinez emerged the champion of the roadside bout. He landed a left and at least five right uppercuts as police officers jumped Mirabal, leaving the protester bleary-eyed and spitting blood. The fight video played all day on news stations. Still undecided: the battle of public opinion. Radio hosts Hank Goldberg – who once claimed that Martinez hit him – and Neil Rogers cheered the mayor for taking on an annoying traffic blocker. But opinion was a lot less positive among the people who really count for Martinez – Cuban Americans. Hialeah is Miami-Dade’s most Cuban city and a natural source of support for the traffic blockades that tied up commuters Tuesday. “This is an abuse of power,” said electrician Francisco Rodriguez, 57, standing outside Chico’s Restaurant on West 12th Avenue. “Martinez is a magnificent mayor, but on this occasion I don’t think he acted properly.” More than 400 people gathered on the Palmetto on Tuesday night to protest the Coast Guard’s treatment of six Cuban rafters, blocking the northbound lanes at Northwest 103rd Street for about four hours. The protest turned into a battle after 2 a.m. Seven people were arrested. ———– Another Year in Miami: A Review of 1999 The Miami Herald January 2, 2000 By CURTIS MORGAN Mayor Raul Martinez leads the charge to create Hialeah county, a battle temporarily sidetracked by an actual brawl. During a traffic-blocking protest, the burly mayor pummels slender butcher Ernesto Mirabal – landing a left and at least five right uppercuts as police officers also jump Mirabal. Prosecutors drop charges against Mirabal after news videos prove he didn’t start it.

Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez Guilty of Selling his Influence (Flashback 1991)

Who is former Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez? In 1991, these were the news about Raul Martinez:
	Hialeah Mayor Guilty Of Selling His Influence AP Published: March 27, 1991 MIAMI, March 26— A jury in Federal District Court today found Mayor Raul Martinez of the Miami suburb of Hialeah guilty of racketeering and extortion in the sale of his votes and influence on zoning matters in return for about $1 million in cash or property from developers. Mayor Martinez, who has been suspended from office since the charges were brought against him last year, faces up to 120 years in prison and up to $1.5 million in fines. Judge James W. Kehoe did not set a sentencing date, however, and Mr. Martinez, remains free on bond. Mr. Martinez continued to deny any guilt after the verdict, and his lawyer, James Jay Hogan, said he would appeal. Mr. Martinez, a Democrat, contends that his prosecution was politically motivated. Before the Government brought charges against him, he had long planned a run for the Congressional seat held by Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Republican and political rival in South Florida’s Cuban community who is the wife of United States Attorney Dexter W. Lehtinen. — http://www.nytimes.com/1991/03/27/us/hialeah-mayor-guilty-of-selling-his-influence.html?scp=13&sq=mayor+hialeah+raul+martinez&st=nyt