I went to Cuba in January, having no idea what to expect. 
I was with a 25 member Witness For Peace delegation. 
What I hoped for was to bury myself in the Cuban music 
   so that I wouldnít fully experience the tight control 
   and human abuse that I thought was communism.
I had a rich experience. 
On the street corners, 
   in the restaurants, 
   in the schools, 
   everywhere, 
   there was music, 
   dancing 
   and laughter. 

On my first day, I walked down the street during a break from a meeting, 
   was greeted by many Cubans 
   and invited into homes 
   for coffee and conversation; 
A little unnerving at first.

There are no children begging in the streets of Cuba
   or hawking Chicklets on the corners. 
There are no homeless Cubans. 
Every Cuban receives an equal, measured amount of free food every month. 
Every Cuban receives an education. 
Every Cuban is entitled to free health care. 
The streets are safe -- without military presence.

Then what is wrong in Cuba? 
Cubans lack reliable transportation. 
The schools lack paper, pencils and books. 
The hospitals lack medicines and functional diagnostic equipment. 
Musicians make due with worn out, 
 poor quality instruments. 
Building supplies for maintaining homes are in short supply. 
Stores are barren, 
 lacking basic staples.
There is no free press and news is censored.
International travel for Cubans is restrictive.

We are told by Cuba that it is because of the U.S. Embargo. 
We are told by the U.S. that Castro denies his people. 

What is the truth?
The truth probably embodies all my experiences. 
I remind myself not to romanticize Cuba, 
   but to take my few experiences as an introduction to the story. 

I saw life without advertising 
   constantly telling me that I need some ìthingî. 
A rest from a system in constant competition for my resources.

It seems the Cuban government has mellowed considerably, 
I believe Castro, since 1960 
   is far more elastic than he was as a young revolutionary. 
When, with much bloodshed he overthrew an unjust and corrupt dictator. 

I wonder, where does the U.S. find the moral justification 
   to continue condemning the human rights record in Cuba? 
We who trained, supported and defended Pinochet in Chile, 
We who overthrew democratically elected governments 
   in Guatemala and Nicaragua? 
We who trained the pilots of the cruel Cuban dictator, Batista? 
We who supported the Chinese government 
   after the Tinnammen square massacre?

Convince me, that, 
   to blockade a people, 
   making them weak with hunger 
   so that they will rebel against their government, is just. 

I believe not.

Cubans taught me that it is possible to live with ìeminent graceî
   no matter what the powers-that-be dish out.

Self-criticism IS happening in Cuba.
The Cuban Revolution is part of the human experience 
   and deserves to be examined, 
   to be criticized where appropriate, 
   but certainly not bled a slow death by an Embargo, 
   motivated by blatant self-interest 
   that survives time like a malignant tumor. 

Today the Cuban revolution is an evolution; 
   an ethical, humanist, social and political project 
   that has brought many benefits to the people. 
Cubans do want change in their national and political arenas. 
They are suffering the birthing pains of something new. 
They seek neither their existing socialism, 
   which has meant authoritarianism and false democracy, 
  nor the savage capitalism of the International Monetary Fund 
   that seems to benefit the elite at the cost of the many.
They want a social and participatory democracy.

I don't know by what name their new system will be called, 
   but it will definitely be Cuban 
   and the United States should allow this birthing process to happen 
   without interference.

The ìCuban Experienceî is both disheartening and uplifting. 
 I fell in love with the country while, 
   at the same time being thankful I don't have to live there.