The Cuban Government’s Defense Mechanism
By Benjamin Noria
HAVANA TIMES – Yesterday, I was reading a recent official Cuban newspaper Granma, with an article talking about scandals involving high-ranking officials in the US Government. For example, there’s the Watergate Scandal in 1972, involving President Richard Nixon; as well as the Credit Mobilier company bribing President Ulysses Grant; the Iran-Contra Affair, in 1986, when different US Government officials organized a drug sale to fund the Nicaraguan Contras and Senator Bob Menendez accepted thousands of dollars in bribes, collaborated with the US mafia and was caught with prostitutes in the Dominican Republic.
But… anyway… an interesting thing we can safely say is that we know all of the above because there is freedom of the press, speech and democracy in the US. No system is or ever will be perfect because there’s a moral imbalance, between natural freedom and social morality, in our human nature since birth. However, these systems try to win one over Nature. Countries like Norway, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Holland, Iceland are considered Welfare States.
Hmmmmm. That said, we have Cuba on the other hand. What they wrote on this newspaper page is nothing more than psychological projection, which is a defense mechanism that consists of attributing our own unacceptable and uncomfortable thoughts, feelings, desires, and impulses to another person. We see in others what we don’t want to see in ourselves.
So, what are we really talking about? Does the Cuban Government have any moral standing to talk about the corruption of high-ranking officials in other countries? The thing is, in Cuba there isn’t any freedom of the press or freedom of speech, and that’s why we know so very little about the behavior of high-ranking officials in Cuban Government and the State. Furthermore, State Security and the Ideological Department of the Cuban Communist Party have an iron grip on every piece of information that is printed in newspapers and said on TV.
As there is no freedom of speech or press in Cuba, we only know a few things about high-ranking officials in Cuban Government because of what people furtively post on Facebook or from some people who have arrived in the US and have had the audacity to be interviewed on TV shows in Miami.
We know from the book called: “The Double Life of Fidel Castro”, written by Lieutenant Colonel Juan Reinaldo Sanchez, the leader’s former bodyguard, about the Comandante’s corruption, influence peddling, embezzlement, misappropriation of funds, abuse of power, abuse of authority. There are things that we won’t be able to verify or know for certain until Communism falls in Cuba. Unfortunately, we have to let the Cuban Government continue to project, but nothing is forever here. The world is always spinning and crumbling. We’ll have to watch this space…
A ‘eureka’ moment awaits but when?
Truth needs no embellishment. Great article by Mr. Nota!! Certainly invigorates abd deserves more discussion!?
Has the general Cuban public ever seen pictures or videos of government officials homes and palaces ever? NO! NO! NO!
Security measures prohibit the general public from any such insights!
Wrapped in secrecy under the guise of national security, we know corruption exists but whether the President Diaz or ‘real’ Presiden Castro can control all this ‘black market’ is another reality but they too are wrapped up in secrecy and possible dementia!
To conclude anything requires ‘facts’ because ‘truth’ is a relative non-political term: smoke and mirrors. Since the government controls the spin doctors who weave their way through state controlled media, there exists little chance ‘facts’ contradicting state policy will ever see the light of day! This seems to be the status quo for governments everywhere and always under the guise of ‘homeland security’. Certainly not unique to Cuba however Cuban rulers and kings have their own ideas stuck in 50 year old cement! Such is privilege of Royalty!
And therein is the need for secular public media to uncover the facts and reveal truths.
This is clearly needed world-wide and as we so often see, journalists being murdered every where because dead men tell no tales. Ironically here in this page lies fact and fiction wrestling for victory and the potential outcome could lead any writer here to offend some government especially if ‘facts’ permeate the articles! Evolution depends on journalism to unmask deception.
The weatherman may announce a tsunami is heading to Cuba only to find thousands heading to the beach in bikinis! Isn’t this a factual metaphor for USA Wall Street economic crash in 2008! People just do not care or listen to facts sometimes and the consequences their own making: is this not ‘true’? Thus the potential failure for journalists. Sometimes people simply are apathetic.
With Artificial Intelligence now spewing a new tidal wave of inventions, be sure factual journalism will become mired in complexities beyond the average humans mental capability as the working middle class becomes more engaged in day to day survival.
Evolution consists of ever changing waves of creativity and has, as history confirms, brought humanity out of the Dark Ages through constant innovations. The word ‘Revolution’ is perhaps one of the most redefined and abused words ever!
Ironically the word ‘revolution’ contains the word ‘evolution’. As we see so often, (a fact) so many governments embracing the banner of Revolution only to become politically constipated! Due to the paradoxical nature of Cubas ruling party, ‘evolution’ is totally muted to serve the ruling minority. Secular investigative journalism is completely eradicated because ‘facts’ are a threat rather than a beacon of hope that evolution can take place in any system claiming to be Revolutionary. What a paradox!
Fact: Rust never sleeps thus the crumbling of Cuba’s sugar industry and electrical infrastructure; examples of years of compounded political ignorance.
Many people tout they have some major degree from a University but clearly lack common sense. Common sense is uncommon. That is how ‘the round table’ is really a square!!
Thank life I am not so-called Cuban and I do not live there but, as with so many dictatorships, it is s fascinating study in tyranny and how everything is painted Red including the sky!! Seems red coloured glasses is all people can see through until one day they inevitably break down.
Just my opinion!