Freedom and boating
 

The rough draft of an upcoming editorial: may be of some interest to a
group that likes to discuss boating and politics. :-)

Cuba Libre'


This issue will be available immediately after the July Fourth holiday.
The many, many millions of Americans who turned out for parades,
fireworks, and community events all across the country often view
America from diametrically opposed political perspectives, yet in our
system of government all can be patriots. When, in 1776, that small
group of "treasonous radicals" declared thirteen British colonies
independent states no longer subject to Parliament and the Crown, it is
unlikely they could have imagined the action would ultimately result in
a nation called the United States of America. As large as these
visionaries dared to dream, how many could have foreseen the thirteen
little colonies becoming 50 transcontinental and multicultural states
and ultimately the most powerful nation on the planet?

When the declarants met to risk their lives and forfeiture of
properties by taking a stand for freedom, they had no final plans for a
government structure. Some of them hoped that the "Declaration of
Independence" would simply force the British to assent to the
group's primary demand, the same civil rights and parliamentary
representation enjoyed by Englishmen living in Britain. Many of them
disagreed about the amount of autonomy each independent colony would
eventually enjoy, and whether there would even be a central government.
Only a common, burning desire for freedom, equitable representative
government, and the civil rights ordinarily afforded British citizens
in that day inspired them to defy the world's preeminent superpower
and the established social order. A bloody revolutionary war, a failed
government under the Articles of Confederation, and an intense, often
nasty political debate preceded the establishment of our Constitution
in 1783- but from July 4, 1776, freedom and liberty were available to
all who would accept the associated risks and responsibilities. A tip
of three hundred million tri-cornered hats to our courageous and
rebellious founders!

As I type this and make plans to spend Fourth of July on my boat, my
mind is drawn to some "boaters" recently in the news. Much like our
founders, this group was willing to risk everything for freedom. They
drove a clunky old pickup truck onto a makeshift raft, converted the
drive shaft to a prop shaft, and overloaded the contraption with far
too many people. They set out from the beach in Cuba with a prayer and
a pocket compass, hoping to reach Florida before their "powerboat"
ran out of gas, capsized, or broke apart in the crossing.

Personally, I wouldn't try to cross Lake Union on such a makeshift
scow and by no means would I consider a voyage across at least 90-miles
of open ocean. But that's me.
I am more realistic about what can happen at sea, but more importantly
I was born into a free society. If I were living in Tacoma, and aware
that a short cruise to Friday Harbor would provide a fresh start and a
better opportunities for my family, that rusted out pickup truck lashed
to a raft might look as inviting as megayacht.

The group in question was intercepted by the US Coast Guard and
returned to Cuba. There is a natural tendency to be nervous about the
fate that met these quick and dirty boat builders back in Castro
country, but the newspaper account stated that the leader of this
voyage had been arrested by the Coast Guard while attempting the same
feat on previous occasions. The punishment is apparently survivable and
either doesn't quench or additionally fuels the desire for freedom in
America.

While I'm no fan of illegal immigration, I can't help rooting for
the Cubans. Anybody with the courage to leave their jobs, homes, and
families for a chance to go to a free country, and willing to risk
their lives to do so, is easy to support. Any person with the ingenuity
to convert a Chevy pickup into a reasonably workable motorboat, the
bravado to go to sea in such a device, and the determination not to be
dissuaded by initial failures would be an asset to the US. Perhaps such
a person deserves freedom as much as those who achieved it by the mere
accident of being born here.

One could consider, or even comment on the political reality that the
United States is the only major nation still refusing, after almost 45
years, to "normalize" relations with the Castro regime. But
that's beyond the scope of our publication. Suffice to say, on this
(hopefully) sunny day you may read this in July, that while we pleasure
boaters revel in the "freedom" that our boats afford us, we should
take a few moments now and again to be mindful and thankful that the
freedom isn't a day's cruise away.

Some rum, some cola, a dash of lime, and a tip of Rube Goldberg's
"I'd rather sail a Chevy than drive a Ford" baseball hat to that
unknown and ingenious freedom lover in Havana. Here's to you: Cuba
Libre'.