Robbed of Dignity - Cuban Man Driven to Suicide by Communist State
When the declaration of independence was finally drafted and signed it immortalized a philosophy of governance that allowed for the birth of the most powerful, free, and just nation in history. This philosophy is the idea that government exists to serve its people and it derives its powers from the consent of the governed. This is what made me fall in love with the US and it is what makes it special. For most of the world this idea is disregarded.
During the month of March, a 25-year-old man was detained in my former home island of Cuba. His crime was to sell bananas without a license. For such crime this poor individual was not only humiliated, but he also saw all his produce confiscated and, to add insult to injury, was fined 5000 pesos (about 200 U.S. dollars according to what the government dictates; the actual market valuation is about double that amount. Keep in mind average monthly salaries in the island are valued under $100).
This young man had the misfortune of being orphaned and of living alone. He had no one to rely on, so he had resolved to do his best to find an honest way of making a living, thus selling bananas. He saw himself arrested, fined, and robbed by the Cuban government. The communist agents took away his entire livelihood. After being released from arrest, he returned to his home and hanged himself. The Cuban Communist dictatorship has been reportedly attempting to cover up the situation by burying the victim almost immediately without conducting any investigation. (This is according to local opposition newsletter, 14yMedio.com) No doubt the oppressors of the Cuban people wished to make him disappear, to hide his story under a metaphorical rug so that the world cannot see the evil they cause by praying on the weak and needy. I will not let that happen. That man’s name was Cachón Martínez, and he was driven to suicide by Communism and its acolytes.
This sad story serves as a representation of what happens when the toxic ideology of Socialism/Communism is given free reign over a nation. Moreover, this is the natural conclusion of ignoring what the Declaration of Independence proclaims regarding the role of government. Once a government has absolute control over its people a sure result is to come. Instead of serving the people, government begins to enslave. Instead of giving, it begins to take. Cachón Martínez had nothing, he was just doing his best to get by - to simply survive without hurting anybody. As with almost every other inhabitant of the island, the government first took away his freedom and his rights as a human being. Then it took away his past and his future. It took away his God and his right to defend himself. It indoctrinated him, taught him that he needed the government to survive and that he would be taken care of. And then, he got nothing but handcuffs and a fine he could not pay because his livelihood had been taken as well. This is what governments do; they take because they cannot create anything. The Cuban government abused him to the degree where he believed that his life was not worth living anymore. It deprived him from every recourse, every notion of self-respect. If this degree of torment were to be caused by any other entity, whether a person, a group, a company, or even society at large it would be viewed as nothing short of a heinous crime. They why not when it is a government that does it?
It is never enough for those in power. If you have something, anything, they will feel compelled to take it. It can be your bananas, your business, your hope, your life, and ultimately your dignity. Nothing will ever satisfy a bloated state. For this reason, it is reasonable to think twice before voting to grant the government more power. It is a good idea to remember the founding principles of this nation and why they matter. If this is not enough, I urge you to please remember Cachón Martínez, for his story is the tragic, inevitable conclusion of a government that no longer serves its people.
Furthermore, I consider Communism must be destroyed.
By David Jorge, Cuban Expat. David is a nutritional consultant and co-founder of Hope Initiative Consulting, LLC. David has earned his B.A. in psychology and is interested in cultural analysis, politics, psychology, and philosophy.
