Sunday, April 19, 2009

When the Humble Find their Voice















I was really happy to see that the Summit of the Americas has ended on an optimistic note.

And that an American President has admitted that fifty years of economic warfare against Cuba has gone nowhere.

In a news conference at the close of the summit, Mr Obama conceded that decades of US policy on Cuba "hasn't worked the way we wanted it too".

Because I love Cuba and its people, and I know how much they've suffered because of the cruel U.S. embargo.


















And I admire how despite that suffering they have managed to feed and educate their children better than any other country in Latin America. Which for me is the true measure of civilization.

But what I liked the most about this summit was the way the indigenous people of South America have finally found their voice.

And that after centuries of oppression, the mighty have been forced to listen to what these poorest and most humble of people have to say.

Which lifted my heart, and for some reason reminded me of this cute little video.



You can oppress a humble people for centuries. You can steal their land. You can kill them or starve them to death.


But you can never kill their spirit.

My beautiful America, from Tuktuyaaqtuuq to Patagonia...

3 comments:

Chrystal Ocean said...

Never been to Cuba. Would love to go though.

Love your blog, btw, Simon. It's a regular part of my daily reading schedule.

Simon said...

Hi Chrystal Ocean...or you would LOVE Cuba. It's a beautiful place, the people are very friendly, and it's interesting to see a society trying to do things differently. I like all of the Caribbean but I prefer to spend my tourist dollars in Cuba to help the people. I also like the fact that although they may be poor they are proud of their achievements and of having stood up to the American bullies.
As for your kind words about my blog thanks a lot. *Blushes*
I'm still searching for MY voice, but as they say getting there is half the fun... :)

Anonymous said...

". . .I admire how despite that suffering they have managed to feed and educate their children better than any other country in Latin America. Which for me is the true measure of civilization. . . ."
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Which is a long chalk ahead of what the US has been doing to its school children! No Child Left Behind? What a cynical statute that thing was!

The humble shall be made great and the great shall be humbled.

Fortunately, Obama is turning things around just like Canada and Ontario have to turn things around after Conservative governments ruin the land.