An interesting viewpoint.
I remember my dad buying a slick cover magazine called, USSR. Life
under Stalin, , according to that attractive propaganda piece, was
one step higher than Paradise. But this writer paints a far more
believable picture of Cuba. It helps me to see how folks in Cuba
confront the issues that exist in most nations, rather than pretending
they don't exist. The author shows us the attitudes of the Cuban
People, how they confront problems and solve them, how they develop
solidarity. No glossing over and pretending all is right in their
world. Instead we see a People recognizing the nation's problems and
taking positive action to alleviate them. in all, it's a far more
positive approach than what we see here at home.
The difference might be summed up by noting that in America we are
being led back to our former greatness, while in Cuba, the People are
looking forward to a brighter future.
Carl Jarvis
On 1/2/19, Roger Loran Bailey <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/report-from-cuba-insights-from-a-visitor-after-60-years-of-socialism/`> Report from Cuba: Insights from a visitor after 60 years of socialism
January 1, 2019| 2:04 PM CST| | By Special to PeoplesWorld.org
Report from Cuba: Insights from a visitor after 60 years of socialism
Girls pose as they wait to dance in an LGBT pride parade marking the
International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia, in
Pinar Del Rio, Cuba, May 17, 2018. | Desmond Boylan / AP
Richard Grassl lives in Washington State. He first went to Cuba in 1997
to attend a U.S./Cuba Labor Conference in Havana and has returned
periodically, most recently in August 2018. Richard’s wife is Cuban. His
visits there with her family have allowed him to see Cuba in ways quite
different from those of most North American visitors. Tom Whitney of the
Let Cuba Live Committee of Maine and a regular People’s World
correspondent, takes advantage of Richard’s unusual vantage point and
his analysis to ask him a few questions.
Tom Whitney: Many people in our own country seem more concerned about
things right at hand and not so much about the world. Is it that way in
Cuba?
Richard Grassl: Cubans are definitely concerned about what happens in
the world. The political atmosphere has an impact on economic relations
with their trading partners and may ultimately affect balance of
payments with their creditors.
What are people hoping for in their own lives and for their country?
People hope that peace prevails and that their country’s influence in
the world will continue to grow. They want adequate food, shelter, and
clothing to alleviate shortages and uncertainty that exist when imports
don’t suffice to meet hardships imposed by the U.S. blockade.
People carry pork and eggs away from an outdoor market ahead of their
traditional new year dinners in Havana, Cuba, Dec. 29. The government
sets up temporary markets ahead of certain holidays where consumers can
buy basic staples at government-subsidized prices. | Desmond Boylan / AP
What are their main complaints about daily life?
They worry about the price and availability of meat, dairy products,
tomatoes, onions, and other vegetables necessary for a balanced,
nutritious diet. The ration card does not compensate for family needs
each month. Disposable income is insufficient to cover the cost of
construction materials for housing repairs and replacement of household
appliances without remittances from relatives living in other countries.
Yet Cubans share from what little material abundance they have with
others in need.
Are they tuned into politics? Where do they get their information?
Cubans pay very close attention to politics. They get their information
through television, radio, print news, social media, and from the world
around them. Expectations of the United States were high when diplomatic
relations resumed in December 2014, but now they are reduced. But Cubans
have maintained their sense of identity and they focus on what got them
to where they are. Trump’s shortsighted attempt to thwart improved
political and commercial relations have by no means led to homelessness
and begging in the streets of Havana. Intensification of the blockade in
order to bully trading partners has not shaken the confidence and
resolve of the Cuban people. In fact, the recent UN General Assembly
vote (189-2-0) to support the Cuban resolution against the blockade
shows how much the U.S. is isolated in the world.
The “Mesa Redonda” (Round Table) television program provides detailed
political analysis by professors, respected journalists, and government
officials on international news, domestic politics, and local events. At
a press conference in Havana, for example, Foreign Minister Bruno
Rodriguez Parrilla stated that, “In Cuba there is no room for
interference from a foreign power, now or any time in the future.”
People talk about the need for improvements to garbage collection,
public transportation. They complain about long lines at government
offices and cost of living, etc. These subjects all have a political
connotation that cannot be separated from what I just said.
Do political developments overseas matter to Cubans you spoke with? What
about identification with Latin American countries?
After the triumph of the Revolution and the subsequent U.S. attempt to
isolate Cuba from the world, the Cuban government made foreign policy an
important priority. Cuban people have great respect for Hugo Chavez, Evo
Morales, Daniel Ortega, Nicholas Maduro, and other leaders who have
espoused revolutionary change to make their countries more independent
and sovereign. Economic, cultural, and political ties were essential to
overcome centuries of exploitation and plunder by imperialist nations.
[Venezuelan-based television network] TeleSur is a prime source of
information and news about Latin America, and Cubans strongly identify
with TeleSur. In my opinion, other formations like the Bolivarian
Alliance for the Peoples of Latin America (ALBA), the Union of South
American Nations (UNASUR), the Common Market of the South (Mercosur),
and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC)
illustrate the necessity of cooperation and collectivity for the common
good.
In this Nov. 21, 2016 photo, garbage is piled up on a street corner in
Havana, Cuba. Infrequent garbage collection is one common complaint
among Cubans. | Desmond Boylan / AP
During the “Special Period” following the fall of the Soviet Union and
other Cuban trading partners in the 1990s, infrastructure and
transportation facilities suffered and supplies of essential goods were
short. What about shortages and their continuing impact on people’s
lives and attitudes?
No one in Cuba starves or is left unattended and suffering. The Cuban
government spends 51 percent of its revenue on education and healthcare
and 25 percent on programs like social security, senior citizen housing,
and child daycare. Problems like street potholes, water pipe leaks,
inadequate transportation, shortages of construction material, and
delayed garbage collection do not dampen the enthusiasm of either Cubans
or visitors. Though they may be short of means, there is no lack of
political will and determination on the part of authorities and
residents to talk about and resolve these concerns.
What would you say about consumerist longings among Cubans?
Consumerist longings, a symptom of individualism, result from a lack of
education and awareness. This problem is mitigated somewhat by access to
free education and healthcare accessible to all. As Fidel pointed out,
one must imagine a better world before it can exist. From what I saw,
people of every age and description are active in the street, plazas,
and neighborhoods conducting business, buying and selling goods,
reconstructing homes, traveling to and from work. And they are
participating in the discussion on constitutional reform. The pride and
exhilaration instilled by the Centenary Generation among younger workers
is manifested with shirts that bear the phrase “No Mas Bloqueo.”
Leadership in Cuba has changed with younger people now being involved
and more women and Afro-Cubans. How do Cubans regard the older
generation of revolutionary leaders?
The older generation is passing the torch to younger, more energetic
cadre. Due to the presence over many years of many revolutionary
leaders, most people have a deep familiarity with their achievements.
Fidel was a legend in his own time. Their humility and modesty
overshadow any distance which may have existed as the nation faces new
challenges. The memory of the Cuban people is nourished whenever
commemorations are held of historic dates. Those leading the events are
seen to be following the example of their predecessors. For example, the
new Cuban president, Miguel Diaz-Canel, has taken the reins of
government with sincerity and purpose. And his reaching out to friends
and allies has strengthened Cuba’s influence in the world.
It’s not the same without Fidel. Yet he is still present. Cubans are
interested in results and what the government can do to improve their
lives and overcome difficulties with their northern neighbor.
The U.S. and Cuban peoples have been bound together for generations, for
good and for bad. What do they think about the United States?
Many times I have heard Cubans say the words “Estados Unidos” in the
street spoken without any tone of animosity or anger. The respect shown
by Cubans for the working class and U.S. tourists overshadows
differences that we may have. The closeness of our two nations provides
a unique opportunity to engage in discussion with a view to improving
relations.
As I traveled around in a cab, I observed that people, places, and
things like landmarks and buildings may have changed, but Cubans
maintain a consistent face. They don’t hold a grudge against the
“Americanos” on account of politics, language, or cultural differences.
The respect shown by Cubans for the working class and for U.S. tourists
made me feel welcome, even with complete strangers. The closeness of our
two nations provides a great opportunity to engage in discussion with a
view to improving relations.
Why do Cubans want to migrate?
Economic necessity seems to be the overwhelming reason that Cubans pick
up stakes and try their hand at opportunity in another country. With
migratory regulations now more lenient, they are welcomed back to their
homeland and share their experience with family and friends.
What about racial bias among Cubans?
Racial bias has no place in Cuba.
It is not characteristic of the Cuban people to betray the ideal of the
new men and women who have helped construct a society based upon
dignity, solidarity, unity, and the good of all.
What do Cubans you know think about the proposed constitutional changes?
In conversing about Cuba’s reform process, a Cuban friend stated that
“Cuba is a Titanic, adrift in the sea.” Though many problems persist
from the Special Period of the 1990s, Cubans survived the economic blow
through sheer willpower and intelligence, guided by their revolutionary
leadership. There is no lack of disdain for Trump’s threat to use Monroe
Doctrine tactics to expropriate the destiny of the Americas and destroy
Cuban sovereignty through an imperialist venture based on hatred, greed,
and revenge.
In the face of economic difficulty, Cuban citizens have flocked to
workplaces, schools, and public institutions to discuss changes to the
constitution. In this milieu, I came away with a sense of satisfaction
that the first law contained in the preamble of the Constitution of the
Republic of Cuba is at work. It’s from Jose Marti. It says that the full
dignity of all people and the legal, cultural, and ethical wellspring of
Cuban resistance to foreign interference are one and the same thing.
What do Cubans think about their new president, Miguel Diaz-Canel?
When I asked a couple of family members about this, they asked me what I
thought about Donald Trump. The conversation went nowhere. My thought is
that it’s too early to make any kind of judgment. We have no moral
authority when it comes to determine what Cubans think of their
government or leadership. Cubans have the ability to resolve problems
like availability of food, adequate housing, decent healthcare, good
education, access to culture, and the normalization of relations. We can
learn from them only if we develop the ability to listen, which is the
best way to earn their respect.
To what extent do Cubans’ ideas about prosperity in the United States
and elsewhere feed into discontent with their lot?
The best answer to that question is to buy a ticket and visit Cuba.
You’ll learn directly from the horse’s mouth.
Tags:
capitalism
Cuba
socialism
CONTRIBUTOR
Special to PeoplesWorld.org
Special to PeoplesWorld.org
Peoplesworld.org is a daily news website of, for and by the 99% and the
direct descendant of the Daily Worker. Published by Long View Publishing
Co., People’s World reports on the movements for jobs, peace, equality,
democracy, civil rights and liberties, labor, immigrant, LGBT and
women’s rights, protection of the environment, and more.
RELATED ARTICLES
Entering 60th year of Revolution, Cuba has new Constitution, almost
Entering 60th year of Revolution, Cuba has new Constitution, almost
‘Communism for Kids’—but mostly for grownups with imagination
‘Communism for Kids’—but mostly for grownups with imagination
Cuban baseball players can now play Major Leagues without defecting
Cuban baseball players can now play Major Leagues without defecting
Comments
0 comments
MOST POPULAR
‘Communism for Kids’—but mostly for grownups with imagination
Cyntoia Brown, sex trafficking victim, sentenced to 51 years in prison
Trump’s holiday ‘gift’ to the needy: No more Medicaid or food ...
Take control of the means of news production. Become a People's World
sustainer today.
Own It
GET PEOPLE'S WORLD UPDATES
Signup
News
Views
About People’s World
Contact
Political Affairs Archive
Mundo Popular Archive
Copyright 2018 Some Rights Reserved.
--
___
Carl Sagan
“ Who is more humble? The scientist who looks at the universe with an open
mind and accepts whatever the universe has to teach us, or somebody who says
everything in this book must be considered the literal truth and never mind
the fallibility of all the human beings involved? ”
― Carl Sagan
