Editorial

From Richmond? Texas Times-Dispatch, Monday, July 7, 2008 ~?

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Dear 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.?

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'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!'?

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'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 wou

ld 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.

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