For the third time, in just a year, I've been denied permission to leave Cuba to travel abroad. In the Office of Immigration and Emigration in my municipality, a uniformed lady told me I was not "authorized to travel." I demanded that this functionary give me an explanation, but she was only the wall of contention between my demands and her hidden bosses. Like small children, who need permission to leave the house, so are we, the eleven million inhabitants of this Island.
Coincidentally, a month before I received this new denial, an important Cuban official denied that there were any restrictions on leaving Cuba. These declarations were made by Miguel Barnet, president of the Artists and Writers Union of Cuba (UNEAC), an official body that encompasses poets, novelists, painters, musicians and actors. The well-known official asserted that:
"People believe that we Cubans can't travel and I've been to more than 47 countries. Cubans are traveling; the only ones who don't travel are those in prison."
I have never been charged in court yet I am condemned not to leave this Island. The possessive logic of this Daddy-State sees it as normal that I, as a punishment for writing a blog, like a box on the ears for having believed myself a free person, will not receive the so-called "white card." The same thing happened to the old woman sitting next to me in the office, who could not obtain permission because her son had "deserted" while on a medical mission. Similarly, the boy waiting in the corner, because his athlete father was now playing under a different flag.
The list of the punished is so long and the reasons so varied, that we could establish a huge group of forced "stay-at-home" Islanders. It's a pity that the vast majority are silent, in the hopes that one day they'll be allowed to leave as one who receives compensation for good behavior.
I confess to you that I do not want them to allow me to travel as if it were a gift. I have a feeling that I will travel from Cuba when everyone can do it freely, but in the meantime, I will continue besieging them with my demands, my posts and my questions.
Yoani's blog, Generation Y, can be read here in English Translation.
Link: http://www.lanuevacuba.com/archivo/bert-corzo-1eng.htm
All I can say is -- If everyone were like Yoani -- tyranny anywhere in the world would last less than five seconds.
It's a great pleasure to see you here on Huffington Post so you can reach more and more people. Readers... check out Yoani's blog. It's worth a long visit and you won't be sorry!
The reason they say it is because it is true
And speaking of heatlh care, you're right -- the US doesn't have a great record, but what about France, Canada, Sweden, Norway, etc.
I have a couple of friends who think highly of the castro regime. They always talk about "free medicine and free education"---as if democracies like America do not provide education and health care for citizens. I tell my friends they are the ones who should put more pressure on Fidel (now raul) to allow free elections--after all--if Cuba is paradise then 99% of would-be voters will vote for Castro. The fact that yoani is not allowed to leave proves that Communism is wrong. Unfortunately, it's difficult to overthrow a bad government when citizens are not armed and when so many people are brainwashed to support a oppresive government.
Don't you think you would trade Cuban healthcare.....for the ability to own property? A car? To earn more than $16 a month? To be able to use the internet, or not have a file on you from birth that details your faith in the Revolution? To be able to speak out against the government, without being thrown into prison?
I just think when you learn about Cuba, to say they have good healthcare, as if that makes living in a totalitarian police state, where your neighbors inform on you, as being worthy of praise by the Left here is a joke, frankly. It's akin to praising the timeliness of Hitler's trains, or the smooth roads he built....
And read today's post about education. The teachers are all driving cabs to make some money... so teenagers and television sets are standing in for them. It's a disaster.
Its starts with trading with China and VietNam. Canada said for years "TARIFFS AGAINST COMMUNIST COUNTRYS"
We know we could run guns to Cuba and let the people decide what kind of goverment they want.
Australia is now starting "CHINESE STYLE INTERNET BLOCKING"
Good luck blogging.
http://www.peaceteam.net/action/pnum959.php
That said, we have 10,000 people on our "can't fly" list.
and the repubs
Do you realize 39 Democrats support a bill that will ban organic farming because it is "unsafe?"
This is not free market capitalism, this is nanny knows best. Nanny always knows best.
And if you don't see the endless "smash the system" mob howling here endlessly on Huffpo you are not paying attention. I'm happy you are a liberal -as I am- who thinks America is great and whose systems of govt and enterprise are the best in the world.