The sun rises
eyes open
the market opens too
a worker stocks shelves with corn, tomatoes, and onions
preparing for the day
a mother makes breakfast
her little girl washes her face and dresses for school
she eats breakfast while watching cartoons on television
good bye kisses and hugs are shared
there is work, school, shopping for staples during the day
a typical day
similar in many ways to many other places
people working and learning
eating and sleeping
trying to make ends meet
trying to provide a better life for their kids
hoping and dreaming and struggling
dancing and singing
praying and laughing and crying
talking about life and sports
about politics and weather
just like most other places
except most other places don’t have economic sanctions crushing their economy, along with people’s hopes and dreams
most other places don’t have an embargo cutting it off from money and resources
sanctions that make getting gas for your moped a challenge
sanctions that force you to drive a cab for 14 hours every day just to barely get by
sanctions that makes seeing distant family members very difficult or impossible
sanctions that prevent investment and jobs in your neighborhood
sanctions that keep many people in poverty
because this is Cuba
just 90 miles away from us
about the same distance as New York to Philadelphia
for 60 years, our government has tried to strangle the Cubans into submission
12 of our presidents have imposed this brutality on 3 generations of Cubans
grandmothers, mothers, and daughters have all lived through this economic warfare
grandfathers, fathers, and sons have all lived with these inhumane policies
our government doesn’t like the Cuban government
so our government hopes to make living conditions in Cuba so bad that Cubans will rise up against their government
60 years of failed, harmful policieslowering the quality of life of 11 million people
impairing parents from providing a better life for their children
limiting hopes and increasing struggles
because of our government
the people of Cuba
laugh less and cry more
these people who want nothing more than
to have peace
to have friendly relations with the United States
to be neighbors
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