Comments on: Castro steps down, steps up http://www.americanmadness.com/2008/02/19/castro-steps-down/ Intelligent Criticism in the Service of a Better Nation Mon, 31 Oct 2011 18:43:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Amy http://www.americanmadness.com/2008/02/19/castro-steps-down/comment-page-1/#comment-122451 Amy Thu, 21 Feb 2008 00:31:09 +0000 http://americanmadness.com/2008/02/19/castro-steps-down/#comment-122451 In the reports I heard (NPR or CNN, it's all a blur at the moment) - I got the impression that Cubans in Cuba (as opposed to the ones in the US) aren't bubbling over with joy yet - and won't, until Castro is dead. In the reports I heard (NPR or CNN, it’s all a blur at the moment) – I got the impression that Cubans in Cuba (as opposed to the ones in the US) aren’t bubbling over with joy yet – and won’t, until Castro is dead.

]]> By: Josh Friedlander http://www.americanmadness.com/2008/02/19/castro-steps-down/comment-page-1/#comment-122445 Josh Friedlander Wed, 20 Feb 2008 20:25:38 +0000 http://americanmadness.com/2008/02/19/castro-steps-down/#comment-122445 An incredible, ethereal post. Thank you for translating. An incredible, ethereal post. Thank you for translating.

]]> By: Jason http://www.americanmadness.com/2008/02/19/castro-steps-down/comment-page-1/#comment-122420 Jason Wed, 20 Feb 2008 11:04:34 +0000 http://americanmadness.com/2008/02/19/castro-steps-down/#comment-122420 My own translation of Yoani Sanchez's latest blog post (http://desdecuba.com/generaciony/?p=198), as requested by Josh (I am not fluent, by the way, but I'll give it my best): RESTLESS I haven't been able to sleep since 3 in the morning. The phone started to ring minutes after the 'Granma' website posted Fidel Castro’s final reflections. Since that moment I haven't been able to go back to bed. It's difficult to think clearly when you have a sleepless night, so I'm still in the "pinch me to see if I'm awake" phase. Friends don’t help liven me up much either because they pester me with questions, as if on this Island someone could have “answers” to something. I’ve gone through my whole life with the same president. It’s not just me, but also my Mom and Dad – born in 57 and 54, respectively – don’t remember another, don’t let it be he who today has given up his responsibilities/charges. Several generations of Cubans have never asked themselves who will govern them. Nor do we have much doubt who will occupy the top position now, but at least there is someone who definitely appears discarded. Like in Alfred Hitchcock films, we’ve found out (only five days before the elections) that our disciplined members of Parliament will come face to face with a different ballot; that they won’t have to mark the “same” candidate. Despite being ready to collapse, I realize that today a cycle has ended. It’s worth asking yourself if the new one that begins will carry our names, take the path of our desires or last another fifty years. For the moment I’ll close my eyes and feel lighter. My own translation of Yoani Sanchez’s latest blog post (http://desdecuba.com/generaciony/?p=198), as requested by Josh (I am not fluent, by the way, but I’ll give it my best):

RESTLESS

I haven’t been able to sleep since 3 in the morning. The phone started to ring minutes after the ‘Granma’ website posted Fidel Castro’s final reflections. Since that moment I haven’t been able to go back to bed. It’s difficult to think clearly when you have a sleepless night, so I’m still in the “pinch me to see if I’m awake” phase. Friends don’t help liven me up much either because they pester me with questions, as if on this Island someone could have “answers” to something.

I’ve gone through my whole life with the same president. It’s not just me, but also my Mom and Dad – born in 57 and 54, respectively – don’t remember another, don’t let it be he who today has given up his responsibilities/charges. Several generations of Cubans have never asked themselves who will govern them. Nor do we have much doubt who will occupy the top position now, but at least there is someone who definitely appears discarded. Like in Alfred Hitchcock films, we’ve found out (only five days before the elections) that our disciplined members of Parliament will come face to face with a different ballot; that they won’t have to mark the “same” candidate.

Despite being ready to collapse, I realize that today a cycle has ended. It’s worth asking yourself if the new one that begins will carry our names, take the path of our desires or last another fifty years.

For the moment I’ll close my eyes and feel lighter.

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