"I will die facing the Sun"  

Next Thursday January 28, 2021 marks the 168th birthday of the birth of José Martí, the apostle of Cuba's independence. Meditating on the events that have occurred in recent months, while trying to discern what my posture and performance should be, a fragment of Martí's “Versos Sencillos” (Simple Verses) came to mind that says:

"Don't put me in the dark to die like a traitor.

I am good and as good; I will die facing the sun."

As many of us know, Martí predicted his death as he desired and described in these verses. He died in Dos Ríos fighting for his ideals and facing the sun in a battle against Spanish oppression.

I wondered in recalling these verses: Can I let my ideas and my patriotic fervor for the United States, my adoptive homeland, to be place “in the dark?" or can I express myself freely and denounce the atrocities that await us given in the communist tendencies of the new administration? My answer is that if I don't express myself freely and keep quiet, I will die "like a traitor."

Today we hear many advocating forgiveness and reconciliation. They also say we have to unite. Of course, that unity would be only one-way. Those of us who did not vote for this new administration, would have to join it by accepting its actions. A true union is when both sides work so that both are represented and their ideas are adopted by the other side. This is not going to happen in this case, as leftists only call for unity when they are in charge. Did anyone hear one of these who now call for unity, say they were willing to a unify when the previous administration was in charge?" Quite the opposite. They spent four years trying to get rid of the president.

Forgiveness, in my opinion, is only given to those who repent of what they did and swear not to do so anymore. The catechism of the Catholic Church calls it; "act of contrition" and without it, forgiveness is not given in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. What forgiveness can there be when it is clear that this administration wants to eliminate our culture, our political system, the unborn, and above all with the freedoms we enjoy today?

It's more than proven that socialism doesn't work. This effort by the New Left and the promoters of what they call the "Big Reset," will not succeed and many of those who now support this idea, will regret it. When that happens and they apologize, I forgive them. But not now.

Perhaps many think it is better to remain silent to avoid the retaliations already experienced and those that will be coming, but remember that totalitarian regimes do not accept those who remain on the fence. Eventually these, who now are silent, will be forced to take a position when that happens, it may be already too late. If many remain silent, the work of these leftists will be made easier for them. If many oppose it and denounce it, their work will be harder

Martí said, "I am good and as good." What did he mean by this? Many know that Martí was great man, but like any man he had weaknesses. I think he meant those who have good intentions and ideas. Those who fight for a better world with freedom and opportunity for all. In the time of Martí, those who fought for the freedom of Cuba.

Martí said "I will die facing the sun." Here he referred not only to death itself, but to die gradually while defending our ideals when we are criticized and discriminated against. When we get kicked off social media or our job for expressing what we believe in. When our family and friends mock and despise us.

We cannot let this plague consolidate, we must act firm and determined, even if we "die" little by little as I said, since at the end we will see the failure of these leftists and the resurgence of a nation as established by the forefathers of the American homeland, free and sovereign. Just like Martí dreamed.  And if we don't get there, at least we'll die "facing the sun."