Acorn

Issue date: 2/22/08 Section: Opinion

Media Credit: questionscritique.free.fr

Last Tuesday, I heard on National Public Radio that Fidel Castro was officially and permanently stepping down from power. As a Cuban-American, I thought this news was going to be huge to my community. I let my mind wander on the subject and thought about what it would mean to my grandmother to hear about this historic event. I called her at her retirement home in Miami, Fla., and she had already heard the news, of course. However, I didn't get quite the response that I would expect from a Cuban exile.

"Charo," -there's no "sh" sound in Spanish, so my name has always been "Charo" to my grandmother-"let me tell you that Castro means nothing anymore. Here, we are waiting for the death of him and Raul." Those are harsh words from a tiny lady. Then again, she did leave Cuba with my grandfather and my mother in 1962 after the Cuban missile Crisis. Those were harsh times to be a Cuban.

But how can Castro stepping down mean nothing? How can the end of a 49-year-long rule not be a significant event in Cuban history? Well, let's see what's going to change due to the event.

Economics policies? I'm sure they'll change with his permanent leave, as long as you disregard the fact that Raul Castro has been in charge for the past year and is only expected to allow small businesses be privatized-don't use that word in Cuba. But I guess that means economic policies are pretty much going to stay, you know, Castro-communist.

The U.S. won't lift the embargo on Cuba until both Castros are dead, or if Raul suddenly wakes up and goes "Hey, you know what would be a great idea? Capitalism." Sorry, but that's not going to happen. I'm not even in favor of a capitalist Cuba.

And as for the democratic processes in Cuba moving forward? There's a shot in hell for that. What about the secret police being tamed and free press? Not going to happen. The policies in Cuba are only slightly changing, if at all.

There's nothing really different about this change in power. The Cuban population here in the United States is unmoved and apathetic about the power shift, because nothing is really changing.

It seems weird to me to see so many radical, left-wing, young-excuse the term-rich, white kids be saddened by Castro's leave. Besides being a thorn in the side of the United States, I can't understand how someone could admire a failed communist, especially if you are one. This was a man who was able to educate his people at a 99 percent literacy rate, but take away every medium that expressed intellectual growth. He also stripped his country of economic power by not moving his country forward in a globalization era.

Americans are reacting more strongly to Castro's leave than American Cubans are and that's something to marvel at.

As a Cuban-American, what does this historic event mean to me? The chances of me being able to visit Havana while my grandmother is still alive are higher now than ever. Well, that is until I asked her to go with me. "I'm never going back there. Are you crazy?" she said. "Cubans are thieves. Especially if you look English like you."

Thanks a lot, Grandma. Or shall I say, muchas gracias Abuela?

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