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Dear
Uncle Sam:
I am writing you to apologize for all the terrible
things that we Cubans have done to you while living in
the United States. Please let me begin with my own
humble plea for forgiveness.
Forgive
me for being too Cuban, too Spanish, too European and
too white. I know how painful it must be for you to have
Spanish speaking Caucasians living on your soil.
I also
beg you to forgive my Afro-Cuban brothers and sisters
for being descendants of the Yorube people of West
Africa, one of the most highly cultured and
sophisticated African ethnic groups. It is not their
fault that they are both intelligent and beautiful or
that they overcame the horrors of slavery with courage
and dignity. Nor is there any malice in their ability to
live in harmony with their white compatriots. I ask you
to forgive them for being thoroughly Cuban.
On a
collective level, please forgive us for having a strong
work ethic, for being educated, and for enjoying a
certain level of economic prosperity.
Forgive
us for paying our taxes and for obeying your laws.
Above
all, forgive us for having served in your armed forces
and for having suffered casualties in your Vietnam War
out of all proportion to our numbers.
Forgive
us for having transformed Miami from a sleepy Southern
town into a thriving world-class metropolis.
Also,
forgive us for contributing billions of dollars to the
American economy.
Forgive
us for having successfully run major American
corporations such as the Coca-Cola Company.
Forgive
us for not being a burden on your social welfare system,
for being economically self-reliant, for being
charitable, and for believing in equality and social
justice.
Forgive
us for helping the Nicaraguans and the Haitians in South
Florida. Forgive us for our contributions to both
American popular and high culture.
Forgive us for Desi Arnaz, Andy Garcia,
Gloria Estefan, Celia Cruz, Arturo Sandoval, Paquito de
Rivera, and the Buena Vista Social Club. I
assure you, we meant no offense or harm by providing you
with so much entertainment and pleasure, as well as for
all the intellectuals and professors whom we have given
to your universities.
Forgive
us for major leagues.
Forgive
us for adding to your culinary diversity. Forgive us for
our black beans, roast pork, arroz con pollo, fried
plantains, shrimp enchilado, Cuban sandwiches, flan,
pastelitos de guayaba and a host of other dishes that
lack the refined sophistication of your meatloaf.
Forgive
us also for brewing coffee that actually looks, tastes,
and smells like coffee and most of all, forgive us for
cooking with garlic.
Uncle
Sam, forgive us for actually practicing family values
instead of simply talking about them. Forgive us for
loving our extended families and our children and for
treating our elderly with affection and respect.
Forgive
us for enjoying life, for being both passionate and
compassionate, and for sharing whatever we have with
those who are less fortunate.
Forgive
us our humanity.
Please
Uncle Sam, I implore you to forgive us for our
participation in the political and civil life of your
nation, for becoming US citizens, for voting in your
elections.
Forgive
us for having elected Cubans to all levels of your
government and please, please forgive us for having
alienated our Latin-American cousins by defending your
interests in the region.
Also,
forgive us for learning the lessons of Henry David
Thoreau and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as well as for
mastering that most American of all political acts,
civil disobedience.
I now
realize that we Cubans are terrible people, and we have
hurt you in unspeakable ways, but I assure you that we
will get out of the country as soon as we regain our
homeland. Unfortunately, it does not appear that this
will happen any time soon, therefore, if I may be so
bold, could you please allow us to remain here just a
little longer? I promise that we will do our best to
behave more like a stereotypical minority.
Oh, and
by the way, could you find it in your heart to forgive
us for choosing freedom over fascism?
Sincerely,
Unknown
Cuban-American
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