Ibrahim Ferrer has been denied a visa to come from Cuba to the U.S. to participate in the Grammy Awards, citing a section of immigration law that says that people can be denied entry if it would be “detrimental to the interests of the United States.” Are you *#@%ing kidding me!?! Ferrer is a frail, 77 year-old Latin jazz musician; it’s hard to see how he does anything but enrich the United States. And he’s the time since 9/11, he’s been granted a visa at least once, since Shannon and I saw him at the Beacon in New York City in November of 2001. What a shame that the politics of the Bush administration deprive him of being recognized for his artistic contribution to the world.

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The Grammys are going on right now, but aside from you-know-who, there are some others who aren’t there. Ibrahim Ferrer and four other Cuban musicians, Grammy nominees all, have been denied US entry visas to attend the show. (Oddly enough,

• Pinged by telescreen.org on Feb 8, 2004, 9:25 PM