CHANGE... > General Discussion

Posted: 8/4/2008 7:21:09 AM EDT

Editor, Times-Dispatch:

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 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 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 would never fall in America 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.

Hmmmm..

Posted: 8/4/2008 7:24:05 AM EDT

[#1]

Absolutely devastating, and absolutely spot-on.

It's why my parents and their generation (or at least the ones that survived to escape Cuba and many the later debacle of the Bay of Pigs) are so solidly Conservative: they saw the above up close and personal.

Sad. Very sad.

Posted: 8/4/2008 7:28:54 AM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:

Editor, Times-Dispatch:

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 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 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 would never fall in America 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.

Hmmmm..

Got the original link? Gotta send this one out like wildfire.

Posted: 8/4/2008 7:35:53 AM EDT

[#3]

Found it here

Posted: 8/4/2008 7:41:16 AM EDT

[#4]

I expected it to be signed Ed Sr.

Good read!

Posted: 8/4/2008 7:51:45 AM EDT

[#5]

This is why America fails at knowledge of history

Posted: 8/4/2008 7:56:32 AM EDT

[#6]

I got it in an email from family. The sender is a pastor in south Ga.

He did not link it to its source. i felt it was an interesting take on our current circumstances so I brought it here for dissemination.

Posted: 8/4/2008 11:38:01 AM EDT

[#7]

BTT for thoughts..

Posted: 8/4/2008 11:46:20 AM EDT

[#8]

My Sister is engaged to a Cuban guy.

He tells my family of the stories about Fidel and how bad it truly is there in Cuba.

The leftist liberals have no idea how life is like there. Michael Fat Ass Moore only saw what he wanted to see when he did that story SICKO.

The truth of the matter is Cubans are trying like hell to escape that country. They risk their lives to make it to Miami.

Max

Posted: 8/4/2008 11:49:02 AM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
My Sister is engaged to a Cuban guy.

He tells my family of the stories about Fidel and how bad it truly is there in Cuba.

The leftist liberals have no idea how life is like there. Michael Fat Ass Moore only saw what he wanted to see when he did that story SICKO.

The truth of the matter is Cubans are trying like hell to escape that country. They risk their lives to make it to Miami.

Max

Maybe Cuba needs some HOPE? If America elects o'bamma we will get both HOPE and CHANGE. If CHANGE didn't solve the problem maybe HOPE can?

Posted: 8/4/2008 1:21:01 PM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:

Quoted:
My Sister is engaged to a Cuban guy.

He tells my family of the stories about Fidel and how bad it truly is there in Cuba.

The leftist liberals have no idea how life is like there. Michael Fat Ass Moore only saw what he wanted to see when he did that story SICKO.

The truth of the matter is Cubans are trying like hell to escape that country. They risk their lives to make it to Miami.

Max

Maybe Cuba needs some HOPE? If America elects o'bamma we will get both HOPE and CHANGE. If CHANGE didn't solve the problem maybe HOPE can?

Best post of the day... lol

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