From the Missile Crisis to Air Travel

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Our relationship with one of our closest neighbors continues to thaw after more than 50 years of tense relations, as both the United States and Cuba reached an agreement to allow commercial air travel to commence between the two nations. We are one step closer to ending the embargo and restoring a relationship that many thought would return upon the collapse of the Soviet Union more than two decades ago.

I love it!  I’ve long been a fan of the food, music, and culture of the Caribbean, especially that which has made its way from Cuba.

Not only will Americans soon be able to travel to the island nation ninety miles off the coast of Florida openly and often, Cubans will soon be able to enjoy many of the niceties they’ve missed over the last fifty-four years.

When it comes to freedom, this may be one of the best ways to share it. When we’re disconnected from a nation, but more importantly its people, we become a piece of propaganda over which we have no influence. After fifty-four years of a Castro-controlled narrative, we have a opportunity to share what it means to be free. Our goods, our music, and our people will serve as ambassadors to a regime that seems to be content living in an era frozen in time.

The introduction of commerce with the United States offers a glimpse at the advances made since 1961. Cars, computers, and culture all progressed during our absence from their lives. We can shape a vision of “Libertad” previously unfamiliar. Without a single bomb, boot on the ground, or posturing politician, we can liberate the hearts and minds of millions of people simply through the expressions available in our culture.

As “Western” goods made their way behind the Iron Curtain, we began to erode the messaging about America through commerce. The narrative about us didn’t hold up.

We can do that again. We SHOULD do that again.

We should ALWAYS be doing that, even within our own borders. If we forget what we’re told and believe what we experience with and about one another, we can build a future that does not rely on Big Government. We can build one that only relies on the freedom to choose our best path and the personal responsibility that goes along with that freedom.

¡Viva la Libertad!