I get mixed signals from my country. That military looks mighty sharp. Raul's statement is kind of self serving. After all they won't live forever, and there is no guarantee that after their death that communism will continue.
What I do like is that left alone countries will follow their destiny, without interference from super-powers with malefic interests.
But let's not forget the killings, the murders both during the dictatorships of Fulgencio Batista and Fidel Castro. One under the guise of democracy the other communist/socialist rule.
As I read about 35 letters from my family sent over the years-I cannot understand why they are saying that they have no shoes, underwear, stockings etc. The stationery is primitive, considering that the education is supposed to have reached a literacy rate of over 90%, I don't see that, and they were born during the revolution. I have been here 55 years and I can spell in Spanish much better than what I am seeing.
There are agitators of a certain kind like Yoani Sanchez who attack the government but hold on- she has a Ph.D in the humanities studied in Sweden all FREE compliments of the very government she attacks, lend a certain two faced-ness to my people's profile. Like the Republicans in Florida who have impeded efforts to have better relations with Cuba, punishing our families. Very nice.
Most Cubans here are Republicans, even if those that are uneducated and got off the Mariel boatlift, their perception of Yankee-ism is skewed. Rabid consumers who have turned their backs on our country and the principles of our liberator Jose Marti, who said " ser cultos, para ser libres" (cultivate knowledge in order to be free),while Cubans can be very arrogant and full of self-importance, when becoming homeowners, filling up bank accounts, and going for upper level degrees, there is a fundamental neurosis left over from our relationship with the United States when we breathed all things American. An envy and a desire to be a "ciudadano americano" while at the same time claiming to be Cubanos.
You cannot serve two masters, make up your minds. While everyone assumes I am American, by my perfected English speaking intonation?I am truly very much a Cubana, I did not come here on a boat, I am not a refugee and I didn't live in poverty in Cuba. My father was a professor of music at the University of Havana, had his own business on the side, and my beautiful mom sang opera. She loved America, God rest her soul until the very end-94 years, and I honored that. But me? I would like to return to my homeland.
Can I ? NO. It will never be the carefree "Paris of the Caribbean" that I remember, albeit there was corruption, the Mafia with Meyer Lansky, and rich corporations operating in luxury on the backs of the poor-it was beautiful, sophisticated and classy and I have all the pictures that inform me so that my mother wisely brought to this country. I have 7 years of happiness locked in my heart-shattered by the rat-tat-tat-tat of gunfire at the genesis of the revolution,our departure, leaving my friends, my private school (no longer available) my life of music, good food and lots of family that we left behind-to go to the city "where the buildings are so tall you cannot see the sun." NYC.
As an adult looking back I admire my family for making the auspicious decision that we had to leave BEFORE all heck broke lose...and sadness again when Castro triumphed and my uncle who had of course saved a whole lot of money in about 5 years( Cubans of that era were workaholics) returned only to have the money confiscated at the airport in Cuba and left floundering in a new regime. Eventually he committed suicide. That is the story people. The good,the bad and the ugly.
I still have lots of family there, incommunicado, because the government does censor certain letters, (not all, it depends ) but mine of course made the list, and then all correspondence suddenly stopped.
War is ugly. Love Peace.
Posted By: Marta Fernandez
Sunday, April 17th 2011 at 3:21AM
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