Paradise Lost?

Has the world turned on its head? I thought that planes were supposed to be hijacked to Cuba, not to leave the island. Has Castro lost his touch? Is paradise not all that it's cracked up to be?

Actually it is telling that Cubans are now hijacking Cubana aircraft to bring them to the US. They risk air piracy charges and possible deportation, but they are making the decision that it is worth the risk for a chance at freedom in the US.

And isn't it strange that the last two really unreformed communist regimes are both showing signs of failing simultaneously? North Korea is further along on the collapse scale, already suffering mass starvation and is showing the signs of a complete economic implosion. Cuba has better agriculturally land and better relations with Europe, so they're not in as close to mass starvation as North Korea, but I'm starting to see the first signs of a deep resentment on the part of the population against the leadership. The masses are living in communistic poverty, while a few get rich working in or around the Western style hotels in Havana. The growing disparity between the haves and have nots is leading the desperation which is now starting to manifest itself in the form of hijackings.

For years, Cubans have tried desperately to get to Key West using anything they could from kids rubber ducky life rings to boats. But hijackings are telling me that there is a new level of desperation to leave the country. Eventually, without reform, there will be a revolution in Cuba to overthrow the Communist regime.

I wonder how the workers paradise proponents would react to that? I wonder if they'll say that the Cuban people weren't worthy of their utopian society?

I'll tell you what though, if they overthrow Castro's government - they will have earned their freedom.