This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, March 18, 2011 - When a catastrophe strikes somewhere in the world, Americans are the first in line to provide assistance. Whether in Japan today or in Haiti last year, the urge to help those in need is a national priority. As Americans, one of our core values is generosity. But while we may be among the first in the world to respond to emerging crises, we are - to some degree - responsible for a long-term, slow-motion disaster that continues to unfold close to home. Not only are we not helping those in need, we are creating that need ... in Cuba.
As a 12-year-old in 1959, I understood "respect for authority" better than the injustice of political corruption, so I saw the struggle for power in Cuba through the prism of a supporter of the established regime of then-President Fulgencio Batista. More than 50 years later, it is not entirely apparent that the victory of Fidel Castro and his band of guerillas has produced a better result for the country than continued rule by Batista would have. Nevertheless, it was he who triumphed and Batista who fled the country. What has happened to the people of Cuba as a result is indisputable.
A visit to Cuba last week evoked a conflicting stew of observations and feelings. My wife and I were charmed by the fleets of 1940s and '50s vehicles that roam the streets of Havana, by the grace and friendliness of the people, and by the pride they have in their history. Our short stay included incidents of begging and minor scams that come from poverty, as well as unexpected honesty and decency - with far, far more of the latter than the former. The crumbling yet beautiful buildings, fountains and monuments are simultaneously things of beauty and regret. The creativity and resourcefulness of a country that has for 50 years been forced to wire, tape and glue everything from cars to apartment buildings are admirable.
The time-warp in Cuba is real. Modern buses filled with European tourists share the streets with ramshackle and perfectly maintained vintage cars, pedi-cabs and "coco-taxis" - basically scooters with a cartoonish but comfortable yellow bubble for passengers. In the countryside, ox-carts are common and just outside of Havana, tethered cattle graze on the side of virtually empty four-lane highways. Many fields that were formerly in agricultural production lie fallow due to lack of equipment and markets. Approximately 100 Chinese-manufactured buses (we rode on the King Long model) ply the streets and highways with tourists; but unfortunately, many have become inoperable due to a lack of spare parts.
More than a decade ago, the Cuban government embarked on a plan to allow visitors from the U.S. on humanitarian missions to work directly with the Cuban people. Today, several government-owned travel companies provide guide and transportation services throughout the country. It is, of course, only possible for most U.S. citizens to visit the country on a license through a not-for-profit organization. This sort of travel is difficult to arrange and execute, even with the best resources.
Last week, we worked alongside two individuals from Cuba who were highly informed about the country's challenges and its history; one was a former college professor and the other a telecommunications engineer. They hoped for more opportunity in the future but were extremely proud of their fellow citizens' high level of academic achievement, the almost nonexistent dropout rate, the absence of violence (since no individual gun ownership is allowed) and the lack of recreational drugs in the country.
When you are in Cuba, it is possible to send a postcard and to make a phone call to every country in the world - with the exception of the United States. This disparity results from a trade embargo with Cuba that was instituted by the U.S. in 1959 and has become one of the longest trade restrictions in history. The recent trend is toward moderating this restriction but it is still very much in force.
On our visit, we met other Americans. While we held diverse political opinions, we were united in the feeling that the current U.S. policy seems ridiculously antiquated and ineffective, and only results in the suffering of the Cuban people. Cuba itself appears to be a country - like an old criminal - who has served a long sentence and is no longer a threat to society.
Fortunately, memories have not been as long - and temperaments so vindictive - surrounding Pearl Harbor, Japanese internment camps and Hiroshima. Today, Americans feel true compassion for the Japanese; but we couldn't send a letter to a suffering Cuban if an earthquake struck that country. Consider this: As much time has passed since the break-up of the Soviet Union and Cuba as elapsed between Hiroshima and the first Honda imported to the U.S. As a country, we can forgive and forget or we can forgive and not forget - but we should do one or the other.
Dan Burkhardt is a local businessman.