Fernando Dámaso, Translator: Unstated
One of the accusations most used by the authorities to disqualify and
discredit their political opponents, or simply citizens who think
differently, is to label them "employees of the empire." The accusation
has its media effect and many honest people accept it as the absolute
truth and even repeat it against some of their neighbors, acquaintances
and even family members, without questioning its supposed veracity. From
so much repetition over so many years, it has become obvious: Those who
do not think like the establishment must be paid by someone for it.
I am not going to sanctify a priori all the disaffected, nor put their
hands to the fire, defending their moral and civic purity, but as in
every social or political group, in the vineyard of the Lord there is
everything (even infiltrated agents). Life has shown it every day, and
every day proved it. There must be, above all, realists!
Let's get to the heart of the matter: those who serve the regime in
various jobs. In this country, like everything else, all the
communication media belong to the State and, therefore, those who work
in them are, whether they accept it or not, employees of the regime. In
this category are the journalists, broadcasters, program hosts,
commentators, director, producers, technicians, consultants, etc., both
in radio and in television, as well as in the so-called flat press. This
means that, if they don't follow the orders of their boss, they can run
into problems and even become "available" (a synonym for "unemployed")
and lose, in addition to their salaries, some of the incentives provided
for good behavior (hard currency, vacations at the beach, gas for their
cars, foreign travel, etc.). This is well-known fact. Something similar
happens in the privileged study centers (for example at the University
of Computer Sciences), where if the professors and students don't carry
out the assigned computer tasks, they risk being thrown out.
A few wise words: Who, then, are the real employees? It is a shame to
listen to the employees of the regime repeat insults and diatribes
against other Cubans who, unlike them, are, in fact, employed by no one,
as if they weren't following their own conscience.
A lie has such short legs that the truth always catches up. At some
point, sooner rather than later, our deluded people will discover for
themselves the manipulation they've been the subjected to over many
years, and demand an accounting from those responsible. They should
think about it!
March 27 2011
No comments:
Post a Comment