I received this email today from a friend and thought I would share it with you all. I would love to hear your thoughts. Isn’t it amazing what Americans are doing today?
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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 United States 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 1950s, most 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 they 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 in America would never 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. Sandy Hook
September 1, 2008 at 2:52 pm |
Well Lets face it; I won’t say what I think about Obama or Mccain but lets face it; Our country had a surplus in 2000 prior to Bush coming into the White House; Now are national debt is in the millions. I am well aware that for many people they have issues that they cannot compromise with and I can respect that; most of all right to life, but than again the Bible does not say very nice things about debt. Especially since one of the countries we borrow from is China a worse human rights violator than Iraq, Pakistan and Iran combined when it comes to deaths.
September 1, 2008 at 5:18 pm |
The surplus wasn’t anything that President Clinton did. He took over a thriving economy and even his tax increases couldn’t kill the economy. Some economists say had he not raised taxes, we wouldn’t be in the situation the Bush administration faced when he came into office. I agree with you our national debt is terrible. As a conservative, I’m embarrassed the party I ONCE called my home, took conservative spending out of their platform. If you remember, it was Kewt Gingrich that helped Republicans take over congress on a platform of balancing the budget during the Clinton Administration. So, I don’t credit Clinton with that — it was Republicans that pushed him into it. Clinton received credit, but Republicans were in control. I also agree our human rights record with the countries mentioned isn’t very good right now. I’m no fan of the Republican party right now. I wish there was a conservative party.
September 2, 2008 at 4:27 pm |
I have to agree that part of the problem with both parties was the whole North American Free Trade agreement. I actually supported Ross Perot one of the years he ran. I think giving China a most favored nation status was a mistake of the Clinton administration, but I am a huge critic of globalization, and this could be the one big issues that third party outsiders pat Buchanan, Ralph Nader and Ross Perot all had in common.
September 26, 2009 at 3:39 am |
Thank you share