THE U.S. VIEWS CUBA THROUGH THE LENS OF RACE

In 1854 U.S. Diplomats penned “The Ostend Manifesto” in which it declared that the U.S. should take Cuba away from Spain – by force if necessary. The question arises, why would the U.S. want Cuba? The answer is in the Manifesto itself.

“After we shall have offered Spain a price for Cuba far beyond its present value, and this shall have been refused, it will then be time to consider the question; does Cuba, in the possession of Spain, seriously endanger our internal peace and the existence of our cherished Union?

“Should this question be answered in the affirmative, then, by every law, human and divine, we shall be justified in wresting it from Spain, if we possess the power; and this upon the very same principle that would justify an individual in tearing down the burning house of his neighbor if there were no other means of preventing the flames from destroying his own home.

“Under such circumstances we ought neither to count the cost nor regard the odds which Spain might enlist against us. We forbear to enter into the question whether the present condition of the island would justify such a measure. We should, however, be recreant to our duty, be unworthy of our gallant forefathers, and commit base treason against our posterity, should we permit Cuba to be Africanized and become a second St. Domingo [read; “Haiti”], with all its attendant horrors to the white race, and suffer the flames to extend to our own neighboring shores, seriously to endanger our actually to consume the fair fabric of our Union.”

http://www.historyofcuba.com/history/havana/Ostend2.htm

Yup, the answer is race. Well, race and slavery. The Southern states wanted to expand the available territory for slavery after the Missouri Compromise and the admission of California as a free state.

Racial issues have always dominated the Cuban landscape; and that is true today as well.

In a 2010 the online article “The fight against racism in Cuba goes viral” written by Marlie Hall appeared among the webpages of The Grio. One of the statements in that article reads:

“According to Afro-Cuban activists, racism against blacks in Cuba is systemic and institutional. They say, to this day, blacks are excluded from tourism related jobs, relegated to poor housing, have poor access to health care, are excluded from managerial positions and are more likely to be imprisoned.”

http://www.thegrio.com/news/the-fight-against-racism-in-cuba-goes-viral.php

Cuba will be an important issue in America’s near future. And for those of us for whom race matters, it is necessary to come to a clear understanding about how the issue of race is being played out in that nation. Is the Cuban government oppressing its African descendants, or is it being unjustly vilified as a racist society in order to diminish its support among African Americans.? And we should also consider the possibility that remnants of the sentiments that drove the penning of the Ostend Manifesto still reside in the breasts of many Americans who would be loathed to suffer an “Africanized Cuba.”