Cuba: The Importance of Hearing People’s Opinions

By Osmel Ramirez Alvarez

HAVANA TIMES — Carrying out surveys about crucial issues in modern Cuban society is Havana Times’ most recent interesting initiative. The first survey was about the “death penalty” and now it was about “the wave of antisocial behavior” we have here in Cuba. The latter, because of its greatest impact and the extent to which it creates the first, forces me to sit down and reflect upon the subject.

It’s a pity that the sample size of those surveyed was so small (only 38 participants), which infringes the survey’s result. There aren’t many of us Cubans living on the island who read HT and, personally, I’ve only gone to the website while surfing the internet a few times. Thanks to the newsletters that Circles sends out, I’m able to keep myself up-to-date.

Then there’s the issue of where these opinions are coming from: I can assure you that when it comes to giving your opinion on Cuban issues, there are significant differences in viewpoints of those in and out of Cuba. And I’m only referring to ordinary Cuban people, not the compromised extremists we have on both sides.

I’m guessing that those surveyed were those who read alternative media in Cuba or are residents abroad. We comprise a social group that represents about 33.33% of all Cubans. The other 66.66% couldn’t take part in the survey, however much Circles wanted to include them too. And although these issues aren’t of so much importance that they need multiple media channels, that does have an effect on the fact that we need a “civil” opinion about our own civility.

Like what happened with the death penalty survey, for example, my experience on the street tells me that the majority supports it. However, a survey amongst Cubans with an alternative way of thinking, public spirit and knowledge of our human rights, like those of us who read HT, have very different opinions. When I talk about this issue, I’m always alone in defending my position, not because Cuban people are bad or dehumanized, it’s got nothing to do with that. It’s just that we’ve been indoctrinated for decades and they’ve instilled this lynching doctrine so as to get rid of the “people’s enemies”; besides removing our sense of civil duty, so that instead of having citizens, they have an army of committed devotees.

It’s only when we’re able to shake off these psychological ties they’ve put on us and are able to open our mind up to different ideas, different sources, that we’re able to give a more fair opinion. As our Maestro once said, out of everything you hear “you should raise your truth”, even though we’re still “amongst men who won’t respect it.”

Social indiscipline in Cuba, corruption, marginalization, the widespread tendency to commit crimes, among other calamities, have many root causes. However, in my opinion, the second most voted option, “miserable salaries that create antisocial behavior and values” (24%), is really in first place due to the high number of evils that it creates.

The most voted answer, “the de-structuring of society, politics, family and social anthropology which has taken place due to the revolutionary process”, I believe is greatly important, but less so than others which also relate to the government. Maybe from the Cuban diaspora’s view, it would have produced the same result as it did, but if it was carried out amongst the general population, I don’t think it would.

One cause that wasn’t directly included was: “the planned, state-run and bureaucratic system.” From what I understand, this is the greatest culprit of our historic and social evils. This model is a breeding ground for serial criminals. Everything has to be done illegally because if you go down the legal route, all you have are obstacles, bans, restrictions and hurdles to jump through. It resembles the last answer but it has a different focus.

Another point in this problem is political antisocial behavior, which will never be dealt with by official media, of course. The fruit of manipulation and indoctrination, the belief that only the historic generation and their chosen ones can govern, lead and steer this country has been created. “They’re the ones who know”; “they won this in the Mountains”; “they already gave up so much for this, they deserve it.” These are subliminal messages, conditioned reflexes in the minds of us Cubans, which we’ve heard for decades, everywhere all the time, along with boastful photographs.

Just like everybody knows that Coca Cola and Habanos are good without ever having tried them, just by hearing about them, the same thing happens with Fidel and Raul in the minds of people. The majority of Cubans, even those outside of Cuba, don’t believe that change has to do with them, politics either. They excuse themselves using the cliche that’s been used to death: “I’m apolitical, I only care about my business.” However, the truth of the matter is that our civility has been mutilated from the inside, because the government has castrated it.

Nevertheless, in spite of this, we can’t blame the Cuban people for being “victims of the system”, once we’ve freed ourselves from their spell. On the contrary, we should help them get rid of their evils and respect their desires and beliefs at the same time, without imposing our “truths” on them. Sometimes I read and hear comments like this one: “fuck them for being stupid”; “if they want to have better lives, then they should open their eyes and figure out what’s going on.” It’s the equivalent of leaving a domestic abuse victim alone to her fate because she defended her abusive husband out of fear and manipulation.

I always defend the importance of taking into account what the Cuban people are currently feeling. Many people want to impose the vision that has been cultivated abroad, giving themselves superiority and thereby supremacy. However, if we want democracy, we have to believe in it and not dishonor it before it’s even been established. Nobody should pick a fight with their fellow countryman for thinking differently.

The way I see this issue is like this: I have my differences with the PCC and I disapprove of the fact that they govern this country in a tyrannical fashion, however, if they were to win the first elections, I wouldn’t get angry, as long as these elections were democratic and carried out in a constitutional state. How many Cubans who call themselves democratic would react in this way? Would they really be democratic if they do the opposite?

There are a lot of serious problems that we have to fix here in our future Cuba, but we’ll be able to do it as long as there is democracy. A lot of extremism, a lot of intolerance, a lot of antisocial behavior. Social indiscipline is the most visible aspect; however, it’s just the tip of the iceberg. The first thing we have to do is find out what the root causes of this evil is so we can eliminate them and then we have the arduous task of educating people. Bravo to Havana Times for taking this important “first step”. Let’s hope there is more to come.