Message From An Elderly Cuban | mhgintn's Blog

A STORY FROM A CUBAN FELLOW - THINK ABOUT THIS !!!!!!!!

Each year I get to celebrate Independence Day twice.
On June 30 I celebrate MY independence day and on July 4 I celebrate
America’s.

This year is special, because it marks the 40th anniversary
of my independence.

On June 30, 1968, I escaped Communist Cuba and a few months
later I was in the US to stay. That I happened to arrive in Richmond
on Thanksgiving Day is just part of the story, but I digress.

I’ve thought a lot about the anniversary this year. The election year
rhetoric has made me think a lot about Cuba and what transpired there.

In the late 1950’s most Cubans thought Cuba needed a change, and they
were right. So when a young leader came along, every Cuban was at
least receptive.

When the young leader spoke eloquently and passionately and denounced
the old system, the press fell in love with him. They never
questioned who his friends were or what he really believed in.

When he said he would help the farmers and the poor and bring free medical care and
education to all, everyone followed. When he said he would bring
justice and equality to all, everyone said ‘Praise the Lord.’ And
when the young leader said, ‘I will be for change and I’ll bring you
change,’ everyone yelled, ‘Viva Fidel! ‘

But nobody asked about the change, so:
*By the time the executioner’s guns went silent the people’s guns
had been taken away.
*By the time everyone was equal, they were equally poor, hungry, and
oppressed.
*By the time everyone received their free education it was worth
nothing.
*By the time the press noticed, it was too late, because theye were
now working for him.
*By the time the change was finally implemented Cuba had been knocked
down a couple of notches to Third-World status.
*By the time the change was over more than a million people had taken
to boats, rafts, and inner tubes.

You can call those who made it ashore anywhere else in the world the
most fortunate Cubans. And now I’m back to the beginning of my
story.

Luckily, we would never in America fall for a young leader who
promised change without asking, ‘WHAT change?

How will you carry it out? What will it cost America?’

Would we?

Manuel Alvarez, Jr