We are making Progress

A week ago, I wrote that I do not believe in that whole notion of perfectibility of man, but I also wrote that I believe in the progress of mankind. I cannot say we have today the perfect society. However, one thing is really clear; we are making progress. The fact that we have a class mixed with different races gather together to talk about sensitive subject, like race, is already major progress. I love reflecting back on history because it gives a chance to mankind to measure his progress. Back in the past, people used code language to express the injustice that existed in society, against blacks, women, and so on. For us, it is easy to judge what those people fail to say or to explain. Yet, we need to realize that they were writing against the very foundation of society. By doing that, they were putting their lives in danger. Therefore, they had to find ways to express the truth without paying the ultimate price. Today, we can debate on the issue of race without fearing death. It was not the same case for writers like Gertrudis Gómez. Even today, talking about race relation is a subject that makes many uncomfortable. Nevertheless, we cannot neglect to talk about it, because I believe talking about it makes us more tolerant with each other. Moreover, we cannot be afraid to talk about mistakes made not by us but by earlier generations. We have our own history to write. We do not have the perfect society. We still have struggles among the races. However, race relation is getting better and better. Who will never thought that a black man would be the governor of a major State in America? Who will never thought that a black man would be a major candidate in a presidential race in America? I cannot let my past blind me. We are living in a different time. I predict in another hundred years, nobody will be judged on the color of his skin, but on what is really matters. In talking about progress, Cuba is the perfect example. When reading Sab, we see a Cuba that was not in favor of black people. Yet, today Cuba is one the greatest supporter of Haiti, a black nation. Every year, Cuba offers hundreds of scholarship to young Haitians, and once finish with their studies those students are allowed to return to Haiti to develop their country. As a proud Haitian, I cannot judge Cuba for its past, but I am contrasting the past with the present to show how great Cuba has become in race relation. Finally, I would like to say that I am thankful to such king of literature work because they show me a glimpse of the past, and they make me also aware of how much progress we have made since then.