A parting of the clouds?

"That trio from the 1959 revolution - Fidel, Raul and Che, they made life a living hell on that island nation."

I would like to be more like John Donne. Remember his most famous quote? Part of it goes (From No Man is an Island), "any man's death diminishes me". However with the death of dictator Fidel Castro, it is hard not to celebrate. As many of us know (who have been on this planet for a while), Castro was not a nice man. In fact, he was a killer. And he was brutal. Now at long last he is gone, and the question remains - what now?

Earlier this year my wife and I had the honor of sharing a dinner with Pastor Cruz (that would be Senator Cruz's father). A most interesting man, he knows all about Fidel Castro. He had the chance to experience his brutality up close and personal. Like spending time in Cuba's famous and despicable prison system. That trio from the 1959 revolution - Fidel, Raul and Che, they made life a living hell on that island nation.

But now Che and Fidel are gone, and Raul is getting long in the tooth. But the face of Cuba for decades now has been Fidel. With his death, are we going to get more of the same from Raul, or is this a parting of the clouds? Will it be a chance to establish newer and better relations with this neighbor of ours? 

I don't garner a lot of support from some of my more conservative friends when I go down this path. But I will anyhow. I want us to establish better, much better relations with Cuba. I want the people in Cuba, who have suffered for so long under this repressive regime, to see freedom for what it is. My belief is freedom is organic within most people. When they can see it up close, when they can experience even a touch of it, freedom can flourish. 

Many Cubans older than I can remember what life was like in Cuba under Batista prior to the 1953 -1959 revolution. Batista was no saint either. In fact, he set the table for what followed. Cuba was ripe for change. Today, after trying out communism for over a half a century, I believe that Cuba is once again ripe for a change. 

I for one, would love to welcome a free Cuba into the league of civilized and free nations. Life is good in a free country. Liberty is the drink which always quenches, always refreshes. The clouds have now parted, it is time for the sun to shine on Cuba.