The Cuban Revolution

Growing Old in Cuba

Regina Cano: I have lived my entire life in Havana, Cuba – the island from which I’ve still never left, and which I love. I was born on September 9, and my parents chose my name out of superstition, but my mother raised me outside the religion professed by her family. I studied accounting and finance at the University of Havana, a profession that I’m not engaged in for the time being, and that I substituted for doing crafts, some ceramics, and studying a little English and about painting. Ah! – concerning my picture: I identify with Rastafarian principles, but I am not one of them. I wear this cap from time to time, but I assure you I just didn't have a better picture.

We’re now seeing them turn old, that generation of people who were born or were children when the Cuban Revolution triumphed in 1959.

We all become older starting from our first day of life, but it’s heartbreaking to see these people at their ages having to deal with upsetting ailments, bland food, harsh reality and reluctant support from their offspring.

This also concerns those who are now forty-something, people who were born after ‘59 and are now pushing fifty: the “lost generation.”

Aging should be a slow and comforting movement, not the pain of its rapid approach because many things have survived in the haste and fear of the final circumstances.

The present scenario with the younger generations is disheartening. They have a different sense of modesty and respect; their professional training has been fast track and they show the indifference of those who want to reach a goal by making the least effort.

Many have become nurses, physiotherapists, doctors, social workers, art instructors and teachers. These are the people who will attend to and teach the rest of society in the not-so-distant future.

I hope they have the needed curiosity. Likewise, I hope that in wanting to maintain their status they’ll see themselves obligated to fill in the gaps in their education, and obtain appropriate and perhaps painful solutions, but ones where they’ll get the necessary professionalism.

To graduate from university is a desired goal and it hasn’t been difficult to accomplish, since the mass extension of these studies has in fact facilitated it.

But how can one not tremble in the face of this unstable social relationship between the irresponsible young and the dependent elderly?

College Athletes Tweeting | THE CUBAN REVOLUTION

Listened to Mike and Mike on ESPN radio today. They discussed the decision of the University of New Mexico basketball coach Steve Alford to establish a general prohibition on Twitter. My first thought was that New Mexico is obviously a public school that has the first amendment in any analysis. The first amendment limits the ability of government except delete the words and within very defined circumstances. The public school is "the government" and Alford is their agent where the issue of the first amendment.  If this was Notre Dame coach Mike Brey instituting the ban, it’s a non-issue from a 1st Amendment standpoint.  Notre Dame is a private school and the 1st Amendment is therefore not applicable with the exception of California which extends 1st Amendment protection to private colleges and universities through the Leonard Law .

The bottom line is that in my opinion, while Alford can take action against players for specific Tweets  that constitute a substantial disruption  of team activities, an across the board ban will not withstand a 1st Amendment challenge.It is indeed a speech prior restraint, without even knowing what the speech will be. While the first amendment is crushed, it virtually makes little difference. Would not go over the team chemistry and wise for a player to challenge such a ban and what are the chances of anyone at the ACLU is a fan LOBOS?

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