Here is why Cuban liberty should matter to every American
Instead of investing in the economic futures of the Cubans, America allowed corporate exploitation to run rampant in island nation
thousands of Cubans took to the streets of their country to demand an end to the communist regime, food shortages, a broken economy, and the rampant run of COVID-19 across the island nation. Americans must stand in solidarity with Cuba’s new revolutionaries and repel communism at our nation’s door.
For far too long, America has played footsie with communism. Every Democratic Socialist recognizes the Marxist road from capitalism to communism but arrogantly hopes to pump the breaks around Norway or Finland to avoid the heavy-handed state-run communism of China, Russia, and Cuba.
In reality, there are two opposing philosophies: self-governed capitalism or state-dominated communism. Preventing the Marxist slide from one to the other is the difference between human flourishing and a thousand years of darkness.
Opposition to communism shouldn’t be controversial in America.
Leaders brought communism to our backdoor
Normally, I take a measured tone when it comes to sensitive political issues. I understand the complicated nature of our economic dependence on China and uneasy relationship with Russia. I recognize that taking a tough approach to Cuba’s communist regime has significant geopolitical implications.
I also appreciate history.
The moral ambiguity of weak American leadership may maintain corporate interests, but it’s also what brought communism to our backdoor.
The United States fueled the likes of Fidel Castro by supporting the corrupt, bloody, and despotic dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. Batista murdered 20,000 Cubans in seven years and transitioned Democratic Cuba into a complete police state. He did it under the banner of American support.
Instead of investing in the economic futures of the Cubans, America allowed cronyist corporate exploitation to run rampant. President Dwight Eisenhower supported Batista instead of pressing for truly free elections. Organized crime expanded and even allied with the Batista government. The rule of an anti-communist dictator became so intolerable that revolution became inevitable.
It's unfashionable for a conservative to agree with Biden, but he's absolutely correct.
Cuba's regime is suffocating freedom
The manifestos and proclamations of the Castro revolution connected with an oppressed Cuba. They promised individual liberty, real elections, an end to the police state, and a better life for citizens oppressed by a rigged economy and political tyranny.
Reality was quite different.
The regime decimated all non-communist political parties. Political dissenters met execution, exile, or imprisonment. Media became a state apparatus. The police state continued under new management.
For more than half a century Cuba has functioned as a communist thistle seeding and supporting ideologically aligned insurgents in countries from Angola and Yemen to Nicaragua and Ghana.
Cuba is an authoritarian state where freedom is on its last gasp. According to the Human Rights Watch, “The Cuban government represses and punishes dissent and public criticism. Tactics against critics include beatings, public shaming, travel restrictions, short-term detention, fines, online harassment, surveillance, and termination of employment.”
Even so, American socialists attempt to manipulate the recent uprising as evidence of displeasure with American economic and trade sanctions.
Will America be committed to liberty for Cuba?
As Cuban reporters and anti-communist activists remain detained by the country’s regime, Black Lives Matter attacks America’s sanctions on Cuba as the real culprit harming the nation’s people “because the country has maintained its commitment to sovereignty and self-determination.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), a proponent of American socialism, similarly opposed the U.S. embargoes, but politely called “on the Cuban government to respect opposition rights and refrain from violence.”
These responses turn a blind eye to reality.
Cuba doesn’t support self-determination which comes from free elections.
The communist regime doesn’t and will not maintain opposition rights or allow political dissidents no matter how respectfully Sanders begs. The Cuban government literally has a network of state apparatchiks, Committees for Defense of the Revolution, dedicated to rooting out political opposition.
And China and Russia are paying attention. The Russian News Agency, TASS, chillingly noted, “It would be narecently, ive to believe that one would attempt such [anti-communist] rallies again, whoever this is.”
President Joe Biden, at least, appears to understand. “Communism is a failed system, a universally failed system,” he said at a recent White House press briefing, “and I don’t see socialism as a very useful substitute.” He also noted, “Cuba is unfortunately a failed state and repressing their citizens.”
It’s unfashionable for a conservative to agree with Biden, but he’s absolutely correct.
America must stand in opposition to the world view of the communist regimes in China, Russia, and Cuba. From civil liberties to economic theories, we are competing for the future itself.
Cuba is more than happy to exile citizens who despise the communist regime.
Many Cubans have successfully made their homes here in America, but we should also heartily support those who stay and fight.
They love liberty, and they love Cuba. We can’t make the mistakes of our past again.
With one voice, we should join the real revolution and shout, “Libertad!”
Columnist Cameron Smith is a recovering political attorney raising three boys in Nolensville, Tennessee, with his particularly patient wife, Justine. Direct outrage or agreement to smith.david.cameron@gmail.com or @Dcameronsmith on Twitter.