Thoughts of HoMan

From the Editorial Page of the Richmond Times-Dispatch July 7, 2008.

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 my native Cuba and what transpired there. In the late 1950's, most Cubans thought Cuba needed a change, and they were right. So when a young leader came along talking about change, every Cuban was at least very receptive.

When the young leader spoke eloquently and passionately and denounced the old system, the press in Cuba and even the USA 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 believed. When he said he would bring justice and equality to all, everyone said 'Praise the Lord' finally. And when the young charismatic leader said, 'I will be for change and I will be the arbiter of that change, everyone yelled, 'Viva Fidel!'

But everyone was so excited about the change, nobody bothered to ask about the details of the change. Well, by the time the executioner's guns fell silent and the people's own 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 done way more than a million people had taken to boats, rafts, and inner tubes, risking sharks or drowning to escape the change. You can call those who made it ashore with us to Florida or anywhere else in the world, the most fortunate Cubans. And now I am getting a very familiar feeling that goes back to the beginning of my story.

But, we would never fall for that in America. We wouldn't put a young leader in charge of this great country who promised change without asking:

What change?

How will you carry it out?

What will it cost America?