Parallel Universe

(blog by Stan)

Moving back and forth between superpower U.S. and struggling Cuba is sometimes jarring in terms of the differences, but other times it feels like we're traveling through a wormhole into a parallel universe, with striking similarities. On both sides of the divide there is anxious commentary about the impending collapse of the societal foundation, with U.S. authorities and security apparatus focused on January 6 with the intent of prosecuting anyone who had a hand (or a voice) in promoting insurrection, and Cuban authorities and security apparatus focused on  July 11, with the intent of prosecuting anyone who had a hand (or voice) in promoting insurrection. 

This week I received a link from a Cuban friend who wanted me to know about a pastor recently arrested and detained for a few hours, presumably for suspicion of seditious behavior. He was released and put under house arrest. Many friends are complaining about the encroachment on human rights, the lack of freedom of expression. Baptists there can make a compelling theological argument for dissent (it's one of their core historic values), but they also reminds us that it's not always easy being baptist when some forms of dissent can have serious consequences.

Here on this side of the wormhole, also this week, a friend sent me a link to a radio story about Leonard Peltier, the indigenous activist who has now spent 45 years in prison, despite there being no evidence linking him to the crime (this week marks the anniversary of his arrest). As the U.S.' longest-held political prisoner, Peltier has a long list of advocates on his side, who have consistently called for his release (among them have been Mother Teresa,Desmond Tutu,  the Dalai Lama, and Pope Frances, with Senator Patrick Leahy being among the most recent, calling for President Biden to pardon him). 

Then, yesterday, another Cuban friend sent a link to a story of an LGBTQ activist who was interrogated by security forces about some articles she had published, and possible ties to U.S. anti-Cuban government groups. While reading the story detailing that interrogation, I was listening to the radio coverage of the fatal police shooting of Amir Locke in Minneapolis. He was killed when a SWAT team broke into his apartment with a "no knock warrant" and found him lying on his sofa. Police officials later confessed that Amir Locke was not the person they were looking for with the warrant. 

An over-abundance of suspicion, over-reaching security forces, complaints about rights violations—choose your universe and you'll find their presence there. But there are obvious differences, not only in the particulars of the stories I've mentioned from this week's news. I realize, with not a little shame, that I can read and listen to and write about these stories with an over-abundance of food within reach. I and others in my context have to be intentional and disciplined if we don't want to over-eat. Supersizing is the seduction of the superpower. Our anxiety is over the prevalence of obesity. People in Cuba have a different kind of food anxiety, as there is very little within their reach on any given day. Also within reach here in the superpower is an over-abundance of medications, for whenever I feel any kind of ailment. Our anxiety is over the prevalence of addiction. People in Cuba have a different kind of medicinal anxiety, as there is very little within their reach to deal with pain and fever and other ailments. I suspect that the presence of Cuban immigrants seeking entrance at our southern border is a sign that they are willing to take their chances with the human rights abuses here, as long as they can get some access to our surplus of meat and meds. 

Back to similarities: Something else our two universes share is propaganda fatigue. People in Cuba have long been exhausted by the constant trumpeting of revolutionary slogans. Daily life does not find much coherence with the constant commentary. So it is, I think, with people here in the states. I, for one, am sick and tired of the propaganda of America as the bastion of human rights. Of course Cuba has its own work to do around civil liberties. But I don't want to hear any more meaningless haranguing from U.S. folks about what Cuba needs to do, as long as we are continuing to deprive people like Leonard Peltier and Amir Locke of their rights.