Bruderhof Radio - Cuba against Empire (2000)

Summary: Cuba is once again in the international spotlight. The saga of Elian Gonzalez, the 6-year-old Cuban boy whose custody battle captivated two nations, catapulted the island back to the forefront. And the media frenzy surrounding the recent visit of Cuban President Fidel Castro to New York for the United Nations Millennium Summit reminds us that Cuba can never be entirely ignored or forgotten. As the United States exerts its economic and military might around the globe with impunity, Cuba is one of the few countries able to resist US imperialism. And as the post-cold war era moves into its second decade, the United States' attitude toward Cuba looks more and more like a strange relic. In this program we take a look at some of the ways the United States government and mainstream media in the US try to undermine Cuban sovereignty and bring down the communist structure that has been in place for over 40 years. And we'll examine how Cuba, although comparatively poor, is able resist such attempts thru a national dedication to education and health care. Cuba is by no means perfect. Yet it seems that this small nation, suffering for years under economic blockade by the United States, has managed to care for its people, especially its children, in a way the United States has not. We'll speak with Karen Wald, a Californian who has spent the last 18 years living in Havana. Wald is a civil-rights activist, a journalist, and author of a book, Children of Che: Childcare and Education in Cuba. In addition, we'll hear from Cuban President Fidel Castro himself, speaking in New York earlier this month, and Pennsylvania death row inmate Mumia Abu-Jamal, in whose case Castro has taken a personal interest. Bruderhof Radio is a production of the Bruderhof Communities, a Christian movement dedicated to nonviolence, communal living and justice. Members pool their time and talents, and share all goods and property in common. For more information about the Bruderhof Communities and Bruderhof Radio, call (800) 778-8461 ext 239, or email redzim@bruderhof.com.