I am not an expert on Cuba.  But, I am impressed by the extent of Cuba’s social equity programs as compared with the US.  Comparatively speaking, while Cuba has a small economies it is still decisively able to afford to pay for the basic needs of its’ Citizens.

Now, 53 years into the US’s illegal embargo against Cuba, Cuba’s Social systems and policies have much to offer and teach Americans about the values of free universal access to education, family counseling,, and health-care in the face of U.S.’s exploding and unsustainable “Free Market Capitalism”.  In comparison, the US struggles to provide basic care for its poor, while in the past decade, the top 1% are 33% richer.

Cubans’ themselves admit that there is no perfect economy, and are endlessly striving to improve though they, like the US, struggle between polarizing parties, young and old values. It is notable that they seem to be struggling together to create a middle ground.  The current government recognizes the populace’s desire for ownership, i.e., for owning their own homes, cars and businesses, and to earn enough to own some savings for the future.  Yet, they remain dedicated to a system based more on equity than profit.  They are mostly poor and are not allowed to create profitable businesses.  They suffer from a small economy (compared even with the rest of Latin America), as well as from an over-reliance on imports (85%), which could be greatly reduced by increasing US business.

While Cuba’s Parliament shares nearly 45% representation by women in their Country, they still admit to being a “macho culture” and have largely determined to change this by educating families at all ages about sexual stereotypes and gender discrimination.  One of General Officer’s of the Assembly suggested expanding their “National Day against Homophobia”, (led by the current President’s daughter) to a full week.

Despite Cuba’s poverty, NO child goes hungry or homeless (And, what about our US “no child left behind” policy?).  New Mother’s receive 18 weeks Maternity Leave fully reimbursed.  All Abortions are done in Hospitals and infant mortality is low to almost nonexistent.  Lifetime education through all levels make for an extremely well-educated society. Worth noting, Cuba’s Religious Institutions are uninvolved in making Health Care decisions, however, they are asked to help the poor in the ways they can and support the social policies of their Government.

For me, there was no hint of an overlap between religious doctrine and Cuba’s Governmental policies or Laws, while Churches seem to empathize more readily with the people’s economic struggles and the Government slowed pace to make bigger more tangible changes. However, one wonders, if the doors were to fly open and Capitalism were to charge in,  just how quickly Cuba’s dancing island would become a wasteland.

Even if the State Government’s economic ceiling controls undo profit or wealth,  this doesn’t stop anyone from achieving high levels of education and they do.  Women represent the voices of a wide range of communities, from the most remote and rural to the bigger cities.  The Presidents’ daughter, Mariella Espin Castro,  is outspoken abut sex education, gay and lesbian rights, gender identity and mental health which is available for free and to families going through any kind of transition or loss.

When it comes to Cuba, maybe, it is not just Cuba that seems frozen in our mutual past, but the US also seems frozen in time.  We are still relating to Cuba out of our own wounded past, insisting on aggressive control and domination of their freedoms.  The US has a Military Base there,  in which we engage in illegal torture and interrogations.  The great irony being that Cuba remains on OUR Terrorist List.  As Oliver Stone put it in a his recent “Untold History of the United States, “If only we would be more willing to see ourselves through the eyes of others Nations”.

The mirror that Cuba places before us, is the Shadow side of US. Capitalism, highlighting the ironic fact that, despite US’s immense wealth and power, Americans cannot manage to provide basic health-care, education and safety for its’ people.  Maybe, we need new and better definitions of  what “wealth” really means and can be.