Cowardly Opinions

In Cuba you will be beaten for expressing the wrong opinion...at the very least any way. However, my recent dialog with fellow exiles regarding the embargo and my support for the Ron Paul presidency should serve as an example of how enlightened people conduct themselves. While I will admit there have been a couple of mild insults insinuated towards my character and mental state, most interaction between us consisted of defining our understanding of the topics and what could happen if each of us had our way. So there you are down there in Cuba mixing up you kid's morning glass of sugar water after wiping with the latest edition of Granma in the bathroom. Quite naturally you agree with me that the embargo should go because you have been told all of your life that it is what deprives you of all the material comforts available for a decent civilized existence. Oh sure you know the real reason for your poverty is the rich Castro boys. But eliminating the embargo would expose that truth at least.

Amigos in Cuba, the beauty of open debate is that it is a contest of ideas. You stack up your ideas against those of all challengers. Then everyone can size them up. Those enlightened men and women interested only in seeking the truth become the judge and jury of your ideas. You acquit yourself well in this court of public opinion when you can convert an ideological foe into a friend without every throwing a punch. I threw some left and right ideological angles at my cousin Bobby who is an enlightened man who seeks absolute truth and honesty. When he told me that he now thinks it would be a good idea to explore the approaches which I advocate I got an incredible rush. True, my ideas have not delivered a knock out blow yet. But I think they stunned Bobby enough to eventually lead to a TKO, at least for the current embargo model.

But the point is this would not happen in Cuba under the iron rule of the ideological cowards the Castro boys. Their ideas and economic policies are so lame that they must send in the goon squad, at the very least, to beat anyone who expresses opinions not congruent with the Castro boys' opinions. That is a great symbol of just how weak these weasels' ideas actually are. Sadly Cubans have not even heard about the great ideas available right now that could make everybody on the island wealthy, happy and productively helping themselves and their fellow man. There are some greedy cowards damning the way still. When you are allowed to speak freely once more amigos then make your words soft and sweet - you may have to eat them. Always remember that words cannot bruise anything more than an ego during a debate so punches will never be necessary for an honest defense of one's ideas. Finally, try to be diplomatic in forwarding your ideas. A diplomat is someone who can tell you to go to hell in such a fashion as you look forward to the trip...