Vol.64/No.13 April 3, 2000
Letters
Che talks to youth
I have just finished reading Che Guevara Talks to Young People. It has deepened my understanding of the Cuban Revolution and of the Cuban people and what has motivated tens of thousands of fighters who "made a contribution to African independence, freedom and justice, unparalleled for its principled and selfless character," as Nelson Mandela said when he visited Cuba in 1991 to thank Cuba for its help against South African apartheid. He continued, "For the Cuban people, internationalism is not merely a word but something we have seen practiced to the benefit of large sections of humankind."This book explains what motivates the thousands of doctors and teachers who have volunteered to go to the poorest and often the most dangerous areas of the Third World over the 40 years of the revolution. When some Cuban teachers in Nicaragua were murdered by U.S.-backed counterrevolutionaries, thousands more volunteered to replace them.
Elementary school "Pioneers" have told us, with pride, that they have given up their favorite summer camps to house thousands of Chernobyl children and a parent. This treatment for radiation sickness is given free of charge despite severe material difficulties in Cuba induced by the U.S. blockade. Thousands of students from Third World countries are being educated in Cuba with the proviso that they return home to help their people. Cubans volunteer in their thousands when there is a special push on to gather crops or rebuild hurricane-battered houses.
These volunteers often include doctors, professors, and government officials. Che frequently took part in spite of heavy responsibilities as president of the National Bank and later as Minister of Industry.
Surely these Cubans are an extraordinary people! But Che explains to the youth--no, Cubans are what they are because they are making a revolution and in the process are transforming themselves.
He was convinced that without the moral factor, there is no revolution. A revolution that does not understand and put into practice Marxism's cardinal rule, "Workers of the World Unite!" will inevitably degenerate as happened in the former Soviet Union. As the preface points out, "Che appraised reality from an ethical standpoint--in order to improve it."
Anyone who is revolted by capitalism's inability and unwillingness to solve the problem of hunger for millions of human beings in the midst of plenty and is disgusted with its cynicism, lies, brutality, and corruption should read this book.
Bea Bryant
Blenheim, Ontario
Pool funds for 'Militant'
I am incarcerated in a Texas prison and was once a subscriber to your paper. It is very informative and addresses issues not covered by the mainstream media. I would like to request a complimentary subscription or a few issues until my financial situation changes. Texas prisoners are not paid, we are placed in a precarious situation. Nevertheless, my intention is to allow other inmates here to read it and hopefully after they read it, we will be able to pool our resources for a subsidized subscription.A prisoner
Amarillo, Texas
Myths about hunger
Last week the Militant had an article on hunger in the United States. Currently I'm reading a book called World Hunger--Twelve Myths, by Frances Lappe and others. This book gives the evidence for an argument the Militant has been making for years. There is plenty of food in the world, the problem is that it is not being distributed to those who need it.Lappe has shown that education and health care are two concrete ways to help eliminate hunger. She shows that these are the measures that have been advanced by the Cuban government.
She also shows that while the so-called Green Revolution has failed to eliminate hunger, most of the hunger that has been eliminated in the world is because of the Chinese Revolution.
This book is short, well documented, and easy to read. I believe the information is important to the communist movement.
Steve Halpern
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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