My head leaned against the tour bus window as I looked out into a world that seemed light years away from the one in which I had spent 17 and a half years. The Hamilton soundtrack narrated the movie in my mind, entering my body through booming ear buds and sending chills down my limbs.
I listened as George Washington voluntarily resigned from office and citizens along with members of Congress debated over the future of America. On a government-censored trip that allowed us only to visit Cuba’s best, my mind raced to compare the musical’s lyrics with the scenery of our bus rides between sites.
Farmers doing manual and ox-powered labor. Unmechanized farming leading to unaffordable food. Citizens living in crumbling infrastructure and rampant poverty, praying for more foreign investment. A government notorious for stubbornness in a world that never ceases to change around it, and an island disconnected with the action within its government’s walls.
Cuba is different from us. This is not synonymous, however, with the notion that our system is entirely better than theirs. The economic system in Cuba leaves its citizens suffering everyday, but those same citizens value the federal control that allows them to have both less crime and illegal drug activity than in the U.S.
They also share a level of open love and community, unparalleled to that of our busy and work-driven society.
And yet, our group was culture shocked when flying into Miami at the end of our adventures. Street lights and highways were some of the many things we had always taken for granted, and after just eight days away, we couldn’t help being mesmerized by them.
The Hamilton Musical is a romanticized version of our nation’s founders, portraying the patriotic and good-willed ideology Alexander Hamilton and others created for our country. Those unhappy with our current political situation may watch or listen to the production and think about how far off we are from a well-functioning government, and in many ways, this is true.
We have real problems that need to be addressed. The drug epidemic and regularity of mass murders are consequential issues. Abortion and health care are fundamental debate topics that have significant impact on the daily lives of many.
The problem is a lot of people in our community have made politics the most devastating evil in their lives. While there is no doubt we must fight for justice and liberty in America, we also must put our lives in perspective when discourse becomes petty instead of productive.
Regardless of the party in power, our government will be flawed, and in a world where our country is juxtaposed with those as Cuba, we are blessed to live in one of the most perfect nations out of all the uniquely imperfect nations in our world.
“Government of the people, by the people, for the people.” Let us not forget our fundamental American values and also not be afraid to adapt with our ever-changing planet. Do not shy from challenging your government but also remember how lucky you are to have the freedom to speak, vote, and participate in the first place.
