Absurd Reasons / Fernando Dámaso

Absurd Reasons / Fernando Dámaso
Fernando Dámaso, Translator: Unstated

I have often questioned the existence of a single party. I think it's
exclusive, unnatural, and directly undermines the very nature of human
beings. It is very difficult to find absolute coincidence of views
between different people. It does not happen in the family nor in other
groupings such as the block, neighborhood, municipality, province and
even less in the country. Tastes differ, in music, literature, sports,
arts, fashion, food, morals, etc., as in politics. To pretend that all
citizens of a country accept a single vision of society, and are subject
to an organization that claims to represent it, prohibiting the
existence of others, is absurd.
Human beings, throughout history, have created political organizations
in accordance with their common interests. So within a country and in
every society, there are different ones, which may be as many as they
require by their own characteristics. The existence of these is what has
allowed the development and progress achieved. Where one-party systems
have been implemented, they have failed. We are a good example.
José Martí is said to have created a single party. It's true: he would
had been mad if he had created more than one. No politician creates
several parties: he creates only one considered to represent his own
ideas. Marti created his party, but did not prohibit the existence of
others, rather he competed with them in the realm of ideas, as did those
who were alive in his time. The Cuban Revolutionary Party did not
appoint itself the only party. Marti's task was to unite Cubans
struggling for independence, despite their differences. That was his
political goal. Also he never proposed that, following independence (his
reason for being), it would serve as the single party of the Republic.
Its democratic ideals did not allow that.
Speaking today to a single party, and even more so to try to keep it and
keep it holy for now and forever in an article of the Constitution, is
as absurd as when it was established. A totalitarian aberration with no
historical or logical foundation, whose sole purpose is the retention of
absolute power indefinitely. The fractional Cuban nation, in need of new
ideas, does not support it, especially when in the opinion of citizens
the only party existing for over fifty years is exhausted both in power,
and because of its many mistakes and failures and their demonstrated
inability to conduct the country's destiny, and is no longer worthy of
trust.
If they are really serious about trying to find a solution to the
current crisis, in addition to the proposed timid economic measures,
they must take the political bull by the horns and open it to real
citizen participation, allowing the creation of political organizations,
the full exercise of opinion and participation for all Cubans, without
arbitrary exclusions, in the political debate and in solutions, both
economic and political. The nation belongs to all and not just to one
group, however historic they may be.

June 16 2011
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