EDITORIAL: A crusade for the values

There are, and there will be problems for a while as long as the current health situation remains, at least while the Cuban economy cannot boast acceptable indicators; as long as vital issues in the production and distribution of products cannot be resolved.

To the domestic deficiencies, which cannot be ignored, we must add the effects of the U.S. sanctions, which are actually real and do great harm. There is shortage of staple products, medicines, and supplies for the population.

The Cuban authorities are making a massive effort to ensure a fairly distribution the few resources we have. But it is inevitable the trauma caused by the shortage, almost all Cubans are experiencing. Coping with such circumstances is a huge challenge.

Some experts on sociology and psychology affirm that economic crisis usually lead to crisis of values. The fight for survival aggravates selfish attitudes, while draining moral reserves. Actually, these attitudes are more evident with the crisis, but the roots were already there: immoral individuals only fulfill themselves in some circumstances; but they were immoral already.

We are not talking about attitudes triggered by desperation and impotence. These are exceptional reactions and thus, more tolerance and patience are needed to understand and fix them. We are talking about bad manners in life, systematized rudeness; abuse, violence, breach of ethics, oppression, and insensitivity. Such attitudes cannot be “the rule” on no account. The disturbing part is that a lot of citizens, not even copycatting or promoting them, accept them and rather look the other way.

Crisis cannot be pretext to stepping all over someone else, to be aggressive and to violent their rights. The law of the jungle cannot prevail. And this is something we should embrace in all areas of life: ranging from home to public spaces. And not only citizens, but also institutions representing and serving them.

We need a crusade for decency. And the responsibility lies on the family, the school, as both play an essential role in the promotion of values. But this is also a responsibility of public organizations to guaranteeing the monitoring of the most standards rules of coexistence, and some others as well. The goal should be to live a fair environment.

Those who break and dedicate to throw queues into confusion, those who want to champion rights by means of violence and insults, those who do not follow the rules in public spaces…they need to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. And no one should show weakness under the pretext “things are difficult.”

Things are difficult, but there are some who like to make them worse. And they do not represent the majority of citizens. Solidarity and resilience also blossom in the darkest hours.

Translated by Sergio A. Paneque Díaz / CubaSí Translation Staff