Planet Earth Should Be Home to Everyone
Elio Delgado Legon
HAVANA TIMES – “An important biological species is becoming endangered by the rapid and progressive liquidation of life’s natural conditions: humans.” The Cuban Revolution’s historic leader, Fidel Castro, announced these words on June 12th 1992, in the opening of his speech at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, also known as the World Summit.
“Imagine all the people sharing all the world. You may say that I´m a dreamer, but I´m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us, and the world will live as one”. This is a small snippet from the song “Imagine”, by British musician and singer John Lennon.
I have taken these two quotes from two men who were concerned about the fate of humankind, each in their respective field. John Lennon beautifully expressed his dreams of happiness for the world in a song. A world without war, without exploitation, where there was fraternity among men. Fidel Castro fought his entire life to make his dreams of justice come true in Cuba and the rest of the world, which he explicitly stated in his “concept of the Revolution”.
But, how far we are still from reaching the dreams of these two great men! Ancient history is full of barbaric events, of bloody wars to conquer lands belonging to other people. Development and civilization should have left these disproportionate desires for conquest behind, and once national borders were outlined, we should have lived as good neighbors, each in their own home and everyone in this large house that is Earth.
I said “should have left behind” because our reality has been otherwise, and still is today. Two thousand years after Jesus Christ was crucified for preaching a social doctrine that favored the poor, those who defend the interests of the overwhelming poor majority are still being persecuted.
This is why they have tried and are still trying to overthrow the governments in Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua, with destabilizing measures, economic, commercial and financial blockades, terrorist attacks and other actions that lead to shortages and our people’s suffering.
Oh, how different life would have been on our planet if Europe’s most developed nations had, from the very beginning, been worried about the planet’s wellbeing and the sustainable development of other countries, like siblings living under the same roof, instead of colonizing and exploiting the rest of the world, for their own benefit.
However, reality has been very different and there are still colonies and other countries that have been invaded and occupied, violating International Law and the UN Charter, without anything being able to stop this abnormal situation.
I could cite many examples, but I will only mention the most well-known: Puerto Rico, a US colony; the Falkland Islands, a British colony; landlocked Bolivia, its access to the sea being lost in a war; the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic occupied by Morocco; Israel’s occupation of Palestinian and Syrian land. These are more than enough examples.
Humanity is condemned to self-destruct because of the selfishness and greed of a select few. With just a small sum of what is spent on arms to kill human beings, we could encourage the development of the Third World and fight the threat of environmental damage. However, the developed capitalist nations are blinded by their own greed and selfishness.
Cuba is an example of what could be done for humanity, without being a rich country and fighting against the longest genocidal blockade in history, as it has contributed and continues to contribute towards better health and education conditions in dozens of countries in need, and it goes to help its neighbors every time they suffer the blow of a natural disaster.
Cuba’s example should be imitated by many countries, high-ranking UN officials have declared. On a recent trip to the island, Maria Fernanda Espinosa, president of the UN General Assembly, said that “Cuba is an essential ally for the UN and has strengthened multilateral efforts, because of its firm commitment to the ideas and interest of this global institution to be more relevant for people.”
Cuba will continue to fight, in spite of the obstacles that are placed in its path every day, so that our planet can one day be home to everyone, where there is no discrimination, and nobody is left out.
Elio, to the extent that he really exists, is a puppet of the Castro regime. While indeed he may actually be of flesh and blood, the articles he submits are more likely a product of the Ministry Propaganda in their efforts to counter-balance the the majority of pro-democracy articles published here on the HT blog. That said, what Elio writes is far from being anchored in reality or truth. Instead, Elio is a contemporaneous reflection of the bullsh*t that the Castro dictatorship continues to foist upon the Cuban people and their foreign sycophants. The US foreign policy is far from perfect. The current Trump administration is possibly the worst ever in US history. Nonetheless, in 18 months, Americans will have a choice to make. The presidential election of 2020 is the next opportunity to undo what is still unbelievable, the election of the idiot Trump. This is a choice that the Cuban people have not had in nearly 60 years. Elio is a shill for a moribund regime. His views are tired and time-worn. Only time will tell how much longer the Castros will remain in power. Until then Elio’s articles are at best entertaining.
In Cuba’s recent referendum there was a large majority in favor of ratifying the constitution that was offered. I feel sure Elio was one of them. However, as I understand it, approximately one million Cubans either voted against it or spoiled their ballot papers.
In The Falkland Islands’ most recent referendum nearly 99% of voters chose to remain British. A minuscule total of 3 (three) Falkland Islanders voted not to remain British.
The Falkland Islands are British (and have been for approaching 2 centuries) because that is the choice of the people who live there.
So Elio, try using a different example to illustrate your point……