The Ugly American vs. the Ugly Cuban
Lynn Cruz
HAVANA TIMES – Why do sensitive and astute people in the US hate Donald Trump? Well, because Trump represents what is known as the “ugly American”.
A money-grabber, who flaunts his cash, is vulgar, superficial, narcissistic, nationalistic, the kind of human who thinks they are always right and that their country is the center of the world. Trump is not alone in power, of course. There is a group of advisors in the White House who are accompanying him on this sensationalist trip that is his presidency.
He has the media under control, there was a reason he “warned his people, telling them not to believe the press.” Cubans living under a totalitarian regime for 60 years know full well what this message implies, Trump is covering up his hidden desire that the US people only believe him and nobody else. He knows that most media outlets are biased and answer to their donors or sponsors. With this reality in mind, he waters the seed of doubt so he can dress up his unpopular measures and continue onwards to totally dominating the US people.
Due to the political landscape with superpowers China and Russia, I believe that people in the White House are trying to extend Donald Trump’s presidency as long as possible. It seems that they are suspicious of the Xi Jinping and Putin systems of government. If you want to defeat your enemy, sing his song. If I remember correctly, this phrase comes from Asian wisdom. Trump has become the perfect candidate.
His political slogan: Make America Great Again, is the tacit example of his totalitarian ambitions. And, he is appropriating the wish of the masses. That’s what his politics is based on.
“The Threepenny Opera”, by Bertold Brecht, analyzes how imperialism isn’t generous even with its own people. During my first trip to the US, I remember the shock I had when I saw many people aged 60 and over working in the airport. All those hours standing up, flight delays which extend their working day, were some of the things I started wondering about. Maybe I had time to think about these small details, which I say an awful lot, because I missed my flight for Los Angeles and I spent the night in the airport.
In Cuba, totalitarianism walked right through the front door. The horror took place at the same time as popular fiestas. Firing squads, unjust prison sentences.
The best way to describe what an “ugly Cuban” is, is to talk about music. Rappers Maykel Osorbo and Pupito are serving unfair sentences because they stood up against Decree-Law 349. This law wants to transform independent art into a crime. Rap songs are almost always anti-establishment, critical, and they survive in the fringes of society as a result. As Maykel and Pupito had trascended the critique of their songs and shouted out: “Down with Decree-Law 349”, during a concert in an alternative space (but still belonging to the government), the Cuban government intervened and arbitrarily sentenced them to prison.
However, most reggaeton singers are the greatest exponents of vulgar behavior, cynicism, tackiness, promoting a society of consumption, and they are irresponsible when faced with the repression their colleagues and most Cubans suffer.
I haven’t seen any of them demand the freedom of Maykel or Pupito. As they don’t criticize those in power, they are the new model of success within Cuban society. Frivolity and disregard are highlighted in their music videos. Brandishing the flag of sexism and machismo, both of which are personality traits of this kind of ugly. Excess, poor taste and double standards make them jump out of the crowd.
The warning in this case is about where Cuban society is heading, bearing in mind the fact that they also represent the population’s new hidden desires, within a society that is beginning to leave totalitarianism behind, and according to what comes from the world’s great superpowers, is it playing into another one that leaves human development out of the equation?
A quienes te refieres a ustedes los socialistas! Tuvieron 8 anos de pachang a con el traidor Obama. Y llevan mas de tres protestando por todo. Esta vez la nacion Americana ha despertado!
Did Donald J. Trump promise to make the US debt the highest in history? He has succeeded!
Donald J. Trump did promise to build a wall and that “Mexico will pay for it, I promise you.” He failed!
Did Donald J. Trump promise to introduce a better medical system? He failed!
Donald J. Trump suggested that he would make the US more respected around the world – exactly where has that occurred – please list?
The much spouted superlatives exist solely in his own mind – but the constant lies speak for themselves. The idiotic chants of “Lock her up.” and “Send her back.” reflect the deterioration of moral standards in the US promoted by Mr. Trump.
If Mr. Trump’s immigrant grandfather had been alive today, would he have been deported for his illegal “business” activities which formed the basis of the family fortunes? As the third Mrs. Trump is an immigrant, should Mr. Trump send her back to where she came from, for that would allow him to re-pursue his numerous paramours and “pussy” groping.
The public acceptance of Mr. Trump’s lies and behaviour does not speak well for the future of the US.
Note that I have been described by others in these pages as a right wing capitalist and strongly anti-socialist!
Trump’s enthusiasm for totalitarian dictators and overt racism reflects fascistic thinking. I suggest to my American friends, beware!
About the old people working at the airport, they are there by choice they can leave anytime they want and find another job. job opportunities are more abundant than workers in America. I recently went for lunch at the restaurant Chorrera in Vedado, they had no beer, no soft drinks, and no food, but they did have a bartender and 4 waitstaff. Why were they even there? It’s their job.
You nailed the ugly American in one sentence, yes he appropriated the wishes of the American people, that’s why we elected him. And he is doing what he promised to do in his campaign. What a concept, Huh?
Things are much worse in Cuba than in the U.S. the bottom job In Mexico pays $5. Per day in the U.S $50 per day. In Mexico a girl can take a man back to room nothing will happen to her by the police. Most items are less than half the price in the U.S as Cuba except medical care and drugs. I can buy a large hot dog and pop for $1.5 U.s at Costco. One years wages will buy a new car or bottom new minivan in Canada We have free shelter and free meals soap and toothpaste for the bottom part of working poor or disabled. Mexico is not safe today as gangs shoot people but more people are hungry in Cuba than in Mexico. Cuba is more expensive for tourists but safer than Mexico.
Americans specifically Native New Yorkers consider #45 a degenerate. He’s a known thief, racist and sexual predator. The people that voted for him are what’s wrong with the USA. They believe that no one else has the right to exist and they alone are entitled to what the Constitution offers. Everyone else are less than American. Simply stated they are the ignorant rednecks and morality depraved white-skinned failures that despite their inherited white privileged still lack the intelligence to make their way in a system that was set up by them and for them. They are sad pathetic lost souls that blindly worship their Demagogue Trump. The joke is on them because Trump despised them the most!
Firing squad for all regguetoneros. That filth has finished destroying Cuban society, and it came from the USA- I remember the first time I heard it in Havana, my heart sank. The effects on the already degenerate Cuban Society made it all that much worse. The results of reggaeton in Cuba have left Cuba in a state that killed any desire for me to return there. I had hoped Cuba could somewhat recover from Fidelismo . From 2010 onward, I have watched Cuba’s youth turn into something that I no longer recognize or want to be part of. Both Cuba and the USA are done. anyone with a brain knows that the USA is headed 2 third world status and Cuba, will continue to export garbage people and nothing else- our once beautiful Homeland that exported music to the entire world, cuisine and wonderful people is a s*** hole with no Redemption whatsoever.
I think Lynn that the Cuban regime pursues classic Stalinist communism – which has little if any relationship to democratic socialism. It is what you describe as both “a strange” and “anti humanistic” but has little relationship to capitalism and none to the freedom of the individual to pursue ambition.
Following visiting the UK and Canada, my Cuban wife’s reaction was that: “Cuba needs capitalism.” The political alternatives are numerous in truly democratic societies. The UK and Canadian voters have a range of choice including:
Communist
Democratic socialist
Green party
Liberal
Conservative
Cuban’s are denied choice.
In Cuba we don’t have socialist or capitalist, this is a strange system anti humanistic and with the worst face of a brutal capitalism, sera Winston Johnson
Iam the general of Heineken park, come and see me just before dark.I will buy you a beer and introduce to a friend who i hold so dear .,His name is Che, but he has no hands to hold his beer .He howls through the night about the New cuban man .We have no food but plenty of Green beer to trash the park,green .everywhere. WE won the war but lost the park. The rivers flow trash and the beach is a disgrace We Cuban people make good pigs . Communism is shit it does not work just ask the general of Heineken park.
Right on point. Felicitations !
Ignorance kills countries.
The Rev David Traverzo obviously lacks knowledge of Cuba. Where can anyone in Cuba buy cat food?
How many children in Cuba are dependent upon a school lunch of Yoghurt and a sandwich as their main source of nutrition?
How do the elderly survive on a pension of 200 pesos ($8 US) PER MONTH?
Is the reverent gentleman actually suggesting that those Cubans who managed to flee to the US – many losing their lives in their endeavors, actually opted for an even worse life in the US?
Ask those who have experienced both!
You Rev David Traverzo are the one with NO CLUE about the reality of the communist system.
I am not defending poverty or social problems in the US or elsewhere, only that to compare the US with Cuba displays innocence, ignorance or both!
In Cuba Rev Traverzo 0.001% of the population controls 100% of the goods and resources.
Well said Lynn. I agree wholeheartedly with this perspective.
You have absolutely NO CLUE what are the direct and covert consequences of a capitalist system gone wild. In the USA, 6% of the population controls over 40% of the goods & resources. Impoverishment forces the elderly to eat cat food, many school age children go hungry except for a school meal, and rat-infested housing is the reward for 10 hour shifts 6 days a week. Your dream of capitalism is a noose for you and your family to hang.
Hubert Menéndez, I’m not talking about socialism or capitalism. I’m talking about totalitarism. Do you know what totalitarism mean? You only can be a human been when you can choose. Otherwise you are Just a ghost. It doens’t matter if you’re on the left or on the right. Tha’ts muy opinion
Call the Trumpster’s I included whatever you want but one thing you can’t trash us with is that we’re not socialist promising free stuff & once in power delivering social equality which is communism!!! Capitalism isn’t perfect but allows for opportunities to progress for the a better future !! P.S. the island of Cuba deserves an opportunity to say goodbye to socialism & embrace democracy & capitalism !!!
Yes Martín sadly as you say The timebomb is ticking
Hilda;
Exacto somos minoría porque en Cuba cada vez esta más presente la política del gobierno de los Estados Unidos
Very good observation. Cuba failed to create a new generation of Ché’s “New Man”. The Cuban youth is extremly nihilistic, as reflexed in the huge popularity of Raggaton. Obsessed by money, cheap thrills, no moral, and nothing to lose it’s easy to guess what path they will choose when the Cuban system collapses. The timebomb is ticking..
Creo que Trump ha sacado a la luz lo que hay en el interior de muchos americanos, lo que guardaban por temor a ser juzgados; odio, discriminación, racismo, egoismo, orgullo entre otros. Vivían una vida falsa. Se sienten liberados.
Los demócratas nos sentimos presos en una carcel donde no es que no nos oigan sino que no nos quieren escuchar. Pero aún asì somos intimidantes en mi opinion. Si no fuéramos un formidable oponente no pondrían tanto esfuerzo global para detenernos. La guerra no continúa, aún no comienza.