Oscar Elias Biscet: A hero to all

“Dr. Biscet, you are an inspiration to the world. You are not alone in your struggle. The prayers of the freedom-loving world are with you.”Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet is a truly worthy recipient of the 2007 Presidential Medal of Freedom. President Bush should be commended for honoring this gentleman with our nation's highest civilian award and for their unwavering commitment to the Cuban people.

For over two decades, Dr. Biscet has sacrificed his life in the pursuit of dignity and freedom for his fellow Cubans. Sadly, Dr. Biscet will not be present to receive his award at the White House because the regime knows he is a danger to its existence. Like so many other Cubans, Biscet has been confined to Cuba's tropical gulags as a prisoner of conscience. He is one of hundreds of political prisoners in Cuba today. This award is as much a tribute to him as it is to the thousands of Cubans who have shared his fate.

Dr. Biscet is a respected leader for an increasing number of Cubans who have demanded the unconditional freedom to elect their leaders and express their beliefs. He has also stirred the ire of Havana's despots by challenging the regime's policy of coercing abortions. His courageous nonviolent campaign of civil disobedience has made him the victim of torment and torture at the hands of these cruel tyrants. It is clear that Dr. Biscet is not a threat to the Cuban people; he only poses a threat to the injustice that pervades on the island.

The prayers of the freedom-loving world are with you. You represent the best of the Cuban people. You remind us of the many who have sacrificed their lives in the pursuit of freedom. The annals of history will reserve a special place for you and only infamy for the despots that understand you are a witness to their atrocities. The future of Cuba is bright because of you and those you have inspired.

Nicely said, Mitt.

More on Dr. Biscet here. (Dr. Biscet Arrested: Will the NAACP Speak Out?)

Nicely said, Mitt.

More on Dr. Biscet here. (Dr. Biscet Arrested: Will the NAACP Speak Out?)

ooops.

President Bush Honors the Medal of Freedom Recipients
Dr. Biscet is not with us today because he is a political prisoner of the regime in Havana,” Bush said. “For speaking the truth, Dr. Biscet has endured repeated harassment, beatings and detentions. The international community agrees that Dr. Biscet’s imprisonment is unjust, yet the [Castro] regime has refused every call for his release.” Biscet’s son accepted the award on his father's behalf at the White House ceremony.

President Bush: To the Cuban dictatorship, Dr. Biscet is a "dangerous man." He is dangerous in the same way that Martin Luther King, Jr. and Gandhi were dangerous. He is a man of peace, a man of truth, and a man of faith. In captivity for most of the last eight years, he has continued to embody courage and dignity. His example is a rebuke to the tyrants and secret police of a regime whose day is passing. Dr. Biscet is also a young man. God willing, he'll soon regain his freedom, as justice demands. He deserves to be reunited with his wife, Elsa, and all their family. And the land they call home deserves to be free. When that day arrives, the peoples of Cuba and the United States will stand together as free men and women. And the liberated country will honor a great man with a mighty heart, Oscar Elias Biscet. (Applause.)

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