Every day we see how things are deteriorating in our country. Every day there is a new “issue” going on. As a Cuban American, I have no choice but to concentrate on the underlying disease in this nation. The United States of America and its Citizens are in a quick downward spiral towards the total loss of the Freedom our Founding Fathers fought for. At no time since the inception of this country have Franklin’s words to Mrs. Powell been more relevant: “A Republic, if you can keep it.”
No one would argue that Cuba and its citizens enjoyed the same level of Freedom as Americans historically have had. Even though many of Cuba’s “democratically elected” Presidents ended up grabbing power and few left office after their “constitutional” terms expired, Cubans still enjoyed a certain level of freedom and economic benefits. So how did Cuba become a communist country in such a short period of time turning one of the most prosperous countries in Latin America into what we would now label a “Banana Republic”?
The change was subtle at times, and harsh at others and they are the same changes I am seeing in the United States now.
The nationalization of all industry started right away, and companies like Hershey, GE and Ford that had plants in Cuba and provided for excellent paying jobs for Cuban workers, were quickly pushed out. These policies killed the free markets. In 1958 62% of sugar mills - the most important component of the Cuban economy - were owned by Cubans. So the war on the American Imperialists ended up being a war on our own industries and economy.
Then came more and more regulations. After the Revolution, these changes and several other factors resulted in the ultimate dismantling of an industry that for centuries had maintained the economy of the country.
I watch on a daily basis how our economy is being decimated with a constant war on the 1%, the growing regulations on banks, large and small businesses, oil and logging industries, the demands for raising the minimum wage, the special treatments Unions receive all for the ‘betterment’ of one group or another.
Religious persecution in Cuba started early on as well. A country that was mostly Catholic, now had to perform masses, prayer services, Sunday School and Baptisms as “closed events”. Priests and Pastors were being pulled out of the country by the different religious conventions fearing for their safety as more and more churches were being shut down. The charity work that the churches had traditionally accomplished were being curtailed and in many cases stopped by the threats from the government. Religion in Cuba became an underground activity.
Today in our country, I see every day the attempts to curtail our religious freedom. We are being forced to accept divorces as common (no fault), abortions as a woman’s “right”, marriage as “civil unions” and Sharia Law being legally adopted in many communities. Those of us who find these changes offensive and against the principles this country was founded upon are being marginalized with labels such as “social conservatives” or accused of being racists, sexists, or whatever word may be fashionable that day.
I could go on and on about how every single day the sense of DejaVu takes over me. That feeling of ‘been there, done that’ keeps me up many a night. Frightening how so many Americans, even those who are politically active, are not recognizing that this is not a matter of who is the President or who holds Congress/Senate majorities. This is about how as Americans we no longer understand Self Governance, because for decades we relinquished our duties as citizens to those we elected, and never kept a watchful eye on what they have been doing all along. Now that reality is staring us in the face, all we do is yell, scream, point fingers and try to stop things at the last minute with little success. This is neither what our Founding Fathers meant nor how we exercise Self Governance. I hope more and more of us remember that we were given A REPUBLIC, IF WE CAN KEEP IT!
