A Cousin's Untimely Passing

I was just informed that one of my cousins in Cuba passed away overnight. His name is Jorge Mesa de los Santos, he was 56 years old, never married, no children. In the past few months our family here in Miami, Florida, U.S. of A. has lost 7 family members combined & 2 friends of the family. 9 deaths averaging 1.25 per month.

I've lost count of how many coffins I've escorted or been a pall bearer for. At a time when our country's leaders now claim to be spreading democracy over 2 continents away (I exaggerate for effect) I wonder how I can believe them when 250 miles from my house, 90 miles off our coast, a brutal "Socialist this year, Communist last year" dictatorship keeps me from communicating, seeing, sharing the grief with...my family.

An independant newspaperman went on a hunger strike in Cuba a few weeks back in an attempt to get internet access. He vowed to starve to death, not to get it for free, not because he even has a computer, but just to gain one freedom most of the civilized world takes for granted...I wonder if he's passed away as well. My aunt is suffering back on the island the loss of her son to cancer and I have to wonder if doctors here might not have had some recent technique that might have helped, but alas on the island where I was born it would be a criminal act to suggest that there is any better medical care elsewhere than there and I wish that were meant as a joke.

I want to hug my aunt, my father's sister and ease her burden somehow, but I get to ponder this in my central airconditioned home while I watch digital cable on my big screen and submit this self endulgent essay over a fast access DSL "Extreme" connection, while they, back on the island, can only fan themselves with cardboard.

50 years ago Havana put South Beach to shame. Today it's a shame if you've never been to South Beach, just ask Shaq & Wade...or better yet ask every team the Miami Heat defeated at home during the NBA playoffs if maybe they shouldn't have had such a good time there before their next game.

Anyway, remember what Ben Franklin said about a society that was willing to trade some of its liberties for a little more security...that it deserved neither! Don't ever let anyone talk you into giving up your freedoms, not for the terrorists, not for the nuclear arsenalists, not for weapons of mass destruction, not for your children or your children's children, not for any reason, religion, excuse, pretext, explanation, no...not ever. Once lost, freedoms are nearly impossible to regain.

I sound like Thomas Payne or something. I wish I sounded more like Jose Marti, instead I know I sound like the rambling aching heart that beats within me, that beats sadly for the loss of a relative whose pole I will not be allowed to bear no matter how sick and tired my arms may be of it.

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