Visiting Cuba is the latest “in” thing to do. The likes of Paris Hilton, Naomi Campbell, and a slew of Hollywood past, present, and future “celebrities”, take great pleasure to be seen and photographed among the Cuban “elite”, which consist of the Castro family and their military and civil associates.
Cuban people
“If the misery of the poor be caused not by the laws of nature, but by our institutions, great is our sin.”
― Charles Darwin, Voyage of the Beagle
Government elite
“One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship.”
― George Orwell, 1984
Visiting Cuba is the latest “in” thing to do. The likes of Paris Hilton, Naomi Campbell, and a slew of Hollywood past, present, and future “celebrities”, take great pleasure to be seen and photographed among the Cuban “elite”, which consist of the Castro family and their military and civil associates. Conan O’Brien did not mind getting drunk and making a fool of himself when producing one of his shows from Havana. New York’s governor Andrew Cuomo takes great pleasure announcing his “business to business” talks in Cuba, which means business with the Castro’s, exchanging pleasantries and cocktails with the likes of Gustavo Machin Gomez “Tabito”, and other members of the Cuban “intelligentia”.
What is so attractive about Cuba? Before Castro’s takeover and subsequent dictatorship, tourism looked forward to beautiful hotels, night clubs, stores that rivaled the ones in Europe, art, museums, casinos, all found in a modern, clean and beautiful city, Havana. Beaches, exceptional landscapes, and vibrant communities were also found in the interior of the country. Presently the tourist facilities are second rate, Havana is in ruins, the population at large poor, and tourism controlled by the military, with limited access for the visitors. It seems that other than following the trend, there is a morbid market for misery. This thought came to mind, when in the last few days I received a brochure from the American Medical Association advertising a tour to Cuba announcing, among others, the chance to see vintage cars from the 50’s, and dilapidated buildings showing their colonial past greatness! Contrary to current public opinion, Cuba before Castro was not controlled by a privileged few as it is now. The population, 80% literate, had a per capita income and wealth to favorably compare with European countries. Health facilities and providers were up to the latest techniques, and world recognized. Even if improvement was needed, the continued progress, considering more than 56 years of stagnation, would have negated and obviously surpassed what many “naïve” persons still laud as Castro’s achievements in health and education.
I understand, if not condone, Obama’s helping the Castro’s in their hour of need, albeit disguising it as “an opening to improve the present conditions of the population, and a step towards democracy”. This action was motivated by the twisted political philosophy of “making friends of your adversaries”, joined by the financial ambitions of their capitalistic “cronies”. I do not criticize families traveling and sending monies to their unfortunate families left behind. These Cubans were born and raised in a Cuba without human rights, and impoverished. They never knew my Cuba, as I don’t recognize theirs. Obviously any hope, as remote as it could be, is welcomed by them. I am also aware of, that a significant portion of the population follows “fads” without actual knowledge of the facts. If not, how can you explain the fascination with the likes of Che Guevara, and his t-shirts, by minorities and Hollywood? Guevara, an assassin and fascist, was against gays, blacks, admitted to killing the innocent, and thought that most people should remain poor in order to serve the ruling minority! Only the twisted world that we are presently living, and the decaying morals and leadership in the United States, once the greatest country in the world, explains what we are witnessing.
