Tags: Cuban 5
By James Thompson
The government of the USA and the propaganda mill of the mainstream media shamelessly extol the virtues of being a “Christian nation.” Although portrayed as a heretic by religious zealots, even President Obama frequently quotes Christian Scriptures. President Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize soon after he took office.
Of course, those who study the reality of the political situation in the United States notice that the actions of the US government fly in the face of the main teachings of Christianity.
This paper will first present some well-known quotes from the Bible and then apply them to the stance of the United States government towards one of its closest neighbors, Cuba, and then to the sons of Cuba, the Cuban 5. The Cuban 5 are terrorist fighting heroes who have been persecuted by the US government since 1998 and three of them are still languishing in prison.
First, the quotes from the Bible:
Leviticus 19:18
“‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself.
Matthew 19:19
honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.'”
Romans 13:8
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.
Romans 13:10
Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Galatians 5:14
For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Romans 12:17
…Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved…
US foreign policy towards Cuba and the persecution of the Cuban 5
It is clear that the US foreign policy towards Cuba in general and towards the Cuban 5 specifically violates these main biblical teachings. The first quote commands Christians to never seek revenge or bear grudges. Instead, it instructs Christians to “love your neighbor as yourself.” “Love your neighbor as yourself” is a repeating theme throughout all of the quotes above. The US government imposed a vicious embargo, including a travel ban, after the revolution of 1959. The embargo prevents Cubans from obtaining many commodities from the United States. It also prevents the US from obtaining many commodities from Cuba. The embargo is definitely not an expression of “love thy neighbor” but instead is an ugly, hateful policy that hurts both Cuba and the United States. Hate is always destructive. Love is always constructive.
The persecution of the Cuban 5 is similar to the persecution of Jesus Christ, himself. The Cuban 5
were intelligence experts who gathered information on right wing organizations in Miami who plotted and carried out terroristic acts against the working people of Cuba. Many people were killed in Cuba and a great deal of public property was destroyed in the attacks of the right wing counterrevolutionaries. The work of the Cuban 5 thwarted the destructiveness of these deadly attacks. For their noble efforts, the US government threw the Cuban 5 in prison under inhumane conditions and three of them have been there since 1998. Three have been recently released since they completed their terms.
Of course, the persecution of the Cuban 5 by the US government violates all of the Christian teachings cited above. The US government has been condemned around the world for this injustice and human rights violation. The US government has similarly been condemned around the world for its unjust and vengeful embargo and travel ban against Cuba.
What can be done about this awful situation which is an ugly stain on the reputation of the United States of America?
There are two steps that should be taken by the US government in response to the demands of the people of the United States. An overwhelming majority of the US population favors lifting the embargo and travel ban against Cuba. People of conscience overwhelmingly favor returning all of the Cuban 5 to their homes and families.
The government of Cuba has a CIA operative in prison for conspiratorial acts against Cuba. There has been a great deal of talk of swapping this individual, Alan Gross, for the remaining Cuban 5. The people of the United States of America should demand that this move forward so that Mr. Gross can return home immediately. The US people could also demand that other US citizens imprisoned in Cuba be part of the trade. Many US tourists have been arrested for drug activity and other crimes and are in prison in Cuba. It is time for people to demand that the US government negotiate in good faith with the Cuban government for the release of these individuals. Their records should be examined and if returned to the United States, they should be punished for their crimes here, rather than in Cuba.
Medical cooperation between Cuba and the USA
The Cuban government has offered in the past to provide emergency medical care following the devastation of hurricanes in the United States. Cuban doctors are experts in providing this kind of care under very adverse conditions. President Bush declined the humanitarian offer of the Cuban government to provide this kind of assistance following Hurricane Katrina. Instead, people on the Gulf Coast died as a result of a lack of medical care. The people of the United States should demand that in exchange for the return of the Cuban 5 to Cuba, that the US government accept without condition any offers of medical assistance from Cuba following natural disasters.
The Cuban health care system is noted by experts around the world to be one of the most advanced. Cuba has a cooperative relationship with many countries, most notably Venezuela. Cuban doctors work in Venezuela providing health care in underserved areas and train Venezuelan doctors to provide similar care. This is done on contract and Cuba and its doctors are paid by the Venezuelan government to provide this care.
The people of the United States should demand that in exchange for the Cuban 5, the Cuban government enter into a cooperative relationship so that similar services could be provided to underserved populations in the United States. For example, recently there has been a scandal in the VA system. It has come to light that many veterans are dying while waiting for an appointment at the VA. Cuban doctors could help shorten the wait and provide the medical care that US veterans desperately need.
Part of the recently implemented ACA, commonly referred to as Obamacare, was an expansion of Medicaid to working people with incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid and too low to afford to purchase private insurance. Many states, including Texas, declined to cooperate with the expansion of Medicaid. Cuban doctors could be contracted to provide care to this segment of the population that now has no medical coverage.
Cuba has developed many innovative drugs which are not available in this country. These include a drug to fight and prevent cancer, a drug that lowers cholesterol and raises libido, and a drug that treats diabetic ulcers which frequently result in amputations. These drugs could improve the quality of life of many people in the United States.
Let us beat our swords into plowshares, bury the hatchet and make love a major component of US foreign policy, especially towards our close neighbor, Cuba. Let us not cut off our nose to spite our face. What would Jesus do?
