December 22, 2004
Soapbox for Kids
Yesterday, fidel castro held a rally to protest the Christmas decorations - specifically the lit 75 - that were put up by the US Interests Section in La Habana. But this wasnt a standard fidel up on the podium for hours rally. No. The speakers and attendees were mostly children. Kids getting up on stage and denouncing the United States of America and her imperialistic and capitilistic ways.
And what, exactly do these children know about the US and her culture at such young ages? You think they undersatnd the complexities of geo-political systems? You think they understand the difference between a democracy and a dictatorship? Of course not. They know only what their own government has indoctrinated them with. When a child reaches the fifth grade in Cuba, he is essentially put in a boarding school. A "state" boarding school. They live and breathe and sleep in la revolución. They are taught to hate the enemy. That's us. You and me. Americans. And then, they are no longer children of their parents, they are children of the state. Owned and operated by fidel castro and his depraved ideology.
The most heartbreaking part of this is that not only does castro take away these children's families and futures but he takes away their childhoods. Children who cant be children. kids who have to spend weeks in "la agricultura". Sleeping out on farms cutting sugar cane all day long and having to meet specific quotas. How incredibly sad is that? A child without a childhood. Is there anything sadder in this world than that?
Imagine if your own government took your kids at the age of ten and put them in a school where they are taught to hate. Not dislike, not disagree with. Hate. Once you teach a child to hate he or she is ruined or, at best, scarred for life.
Life may not have been great under Batista in Cuba. But we had faith. We had family. There was hope. And during the Christmas holidays, we had our faith and family and hope there with us, together. We may not have gotten a slew of presents and toys, but we had something of a much greater value.
There was good in our lives, and not an iota of hate.
Posted by Val Prieto at December 22, 2004 08:03 AM
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.babalublog.com/cgi-bin/mt/hut.cgi/1250
Comments
Claudia Marquez , que me contestò a mi email desde Cuba, me ha dicho que tambièn los hijos de los disidentes van a la escuela del estado, pero cuando estan con sus padres, ellos le cuentan la verdad a sus hijos.
Yo creo que ahora el pueblo no cree màs en las mentiras castristas .
Muchos màs cubanos se echan al mar casi cada dìa.
Tenga fè en tu pueblo, Val.
Cuando Cuba serà libre, el pueblo cubano celebrarà aquel dìa.
Y tu podrìa viajar a tu Cuba para ver las maravillas de aquella isla muy bonita.
Yo, con el barbudo al poder, no me voy a visitar Cuba, porque no quiero dar mi dinero de turista a un dictator como èl.
Espero , porque son jovèn, que un dìa cuando Cuba serà libre, de hacer un viaje en la isla.
Sorry for speaking Spanish.
Feel free to translate , if you have the time :))
Posted by: Stefania at December 22, 2004 08:25 AM
Imagine if your own government took your kids at the age of ten and put them in a school where they are taught to hate. Not dislike, not disagree with. Hate.
No need to imagine. They're called madrassas.
Posted by: newton at December 22, 2004 11:45 PM
