Juventud Rebelde
March 4, 2006
Red light of urgency
A CubaNews translation by Ana Portela. Edited by Walter
Lippmann.
http://www.jrebelde.cubasi.cu/secciones/sexosentido/2006/portadasexo11-2.html
We have received many e-mails in our editorial board to share or criticize the position of JR regarding the series La cara oculta de la Luna (The dark side of the moon). Because of the importance of the debate which has arisen, we invite our readers to become part of it.
By: José
Luis Estrada Betancourt
and Randol Peresalas
joselestrada@jrebelde.cip.cu
Photos: Geni
Although we in fact wanted it, we never imagined that the article No tan oculta, y sí ineludible (Not so hidden and definitely unavoidable), published in these pages, would raise such a controversy among our readers. Although the majority support of this article is important for us – which of course makes us happy – what continues to be interesting is that the debate is growing and covers all sectors of society. For this reason, our objective now is to promote a dialogue centered on the social function of La cara oculta de la Luna, more than in its aesthetic sense and where plurality of opinions is the common denominator.
We have received many e-mails and telephone calls since February 25, mostly in support of our statements but we have received others who don’t agree. This is the case, for example, of some of the workers of the Municipal Assembly of Peoples Power in Florida, Camagüey, who got together to debate the chapter broadcast on February 1.
According to the message, this chapter did not have “an educational level demanded by our young people, because it did not have the level of ethical and moral values which characterize them; also, this situation is disturbing and concerns the parents of young girls”. They say that many television viewers of that municipality are stunned by the broadcast of this series and that it is not – they explain – “common to see television programs with these characteristics in our television because they all have a political and educational message according to our revolutionary principles”.
Juventud Rebelde, following its policy of reflecting the opinions of its readers, sent the troubling issue to the TV Division of Dramatic Spaces. Magda Gonzalez Grau, director of the department, answered: ” When we decided to deal with these subjects in its space, we were convinced about the reactions of our people, since these are usually not touched upon in the dramatic representations. However, our public should know that for three years these subjects have been treated openly and directly in spaces such as Hablemos de Salud and Vale la pena. But they had not received the impact desired because the statistics reveal that HIV continues its course of infection and negative conducts such as promiscuity and beginning sexual relations irresponsibly, continues to proliferate in our population.
For this reason, and fulfilling our social responsibility in the direction of television programs, as one of the first fronts of the Battle of Ideas, we decided to take it on as an ideal means to transmit messages, through emotion and identification of the viewers with the human dramas.
To write and make this television novela, we consulted specialists from the Center of Sexual Education and the National Center of HIV/AIDS Prevention and everything transmitted is part of the reality of our society. Until now negative conducts and attitudes have been exposed by lacking are the consequences of these actions. The lessons and moral of five stories that is still to come”.
From Moa, Holguín, we also received a letter from María Cristina Arderi, a worker of MINBAS (Basic Industry Ministry) who said she was amazed, “in first place, by the words used to define the party as normal in the series ... some ‘strong’ scenes and even more by the prudishness in a revolting reaction and, even more, that is what it was: REVOLTING. What rescue of values to we presume if we see as normal this kind of thing? Although they happen in reality, and I don’t doubt it...; can you consider depravation as something normal, lack of modesty and even faithfulness and respect for friends? Is there something positive in these relations and actions? Is it beautiful or instructive, as a neighbor from Cojimar said, that ‘class’ about sexual behavior Yamina gave Amanda before going to bed with Lester?
“It is a shame that serias such as these are shown on Cuban Television and even more, are disrespectful of those who react against them. Aren’t we proud of being a cultured country? Where is the culture? Where? The subject of HIV has to be handled strongly to halt its spread but I believe that this series, to date, has not confronted the subject correctly or has included forms that far from education, deforms. Why don’t they say that the condom does not offer total protection from contagion? This is a known fact as is the stability of the couple and faithfulness are the trump cards against this terrible disease and that isn’t even mentioned.
“Where are we headed with this kind of messages that enter our homes through a means so popular in the country? At no time has a normal personage in La Cara oculta ... the fact that sexual relations in adolescents of an average of 14 is unacceptable, that their bodies and minds are not prepared for this; that everything has its moment; that love is beautiful when it comes but love is not a synonym of sexual relations. What is a shame is not only the lack of communication extremism of Amanda’s mother, a shame also are the words of Yamina’s mother who accepts, without a shadow of doubt, the relations of her young daughter only concerned if she is protected or not’. The producers, directors and all who have something to do in this series that there are things that are not outdated: MORALITY, MODESTY, FRIENDSHIP and TRUE LOVE. These VALUES are the same whether a maxi skirt is used or the belly button is revealed; those are fashions the others are PRINCIPLES that makes the human being different from animals”.
However, Norberto, a worker in the Meridiano chain of Cubalse, considers that as we are more receptive to reality we will be more cultured.” Once again there is proof that our people are educated; they know what educates the generations that follow us. What a beautiful example of the pizza woman! The blushing scientists with their feet on the moon should understand that our young people are not only unconditional supporters of this process, of our patriotic traditions; they are also unconditional regarding reality, regarding truth.
Fidel and Raul have us accustomed to this, of telling us the truth, without taboos or fears. When we had to talk about drugs, we talked; when it was necessary to say publicly that we made a mistake, it was said. The people see this, appreciate it with a high degree of belonging. We must not fear exposing important social problems. I think it is necessary. How much prophylaxis have we received? I welcome series like; that way I can protect my children and, at the same time, learn from them”.
But B.Sc Junior Montero Jiménez goes farther. He is a specialist of Promotion and Education for Public Health in Majagua, Ciego de Avila: “It is amazing that, in spite of the social and educational achievements of the Cuban Revolution, of the cultural level of the majority of the people and the educational campaigns, the subject analyzed in La cara ... series continues to be a thorny subject, a taboo or delicate subject. Are we lying? Could it be that the Amandas or Yaminas don’t exist in secondary schools or adolescents like Lestor or Nestor in our streets? Couldn’t it be that it is the comforting self negation and machismo; those who have avoided what the authors of the article clearly called for a frontal attack of the HIV/AIDS problem.” Please! What possible study of social problems can lead a specialist in the subject to affirm that Cuban young people, also, are at an advantage in comparison to young people of other countries, border on perfection? How do they read the countless studies that demonstrate that there are still risk conducts that, eventually may lead to HIV infections? I think that we should recognize, although it is an extreme, that it is at the core of a dramatic conflict, of the story of the leading roles and those of their environment is truly valid and “smells” real. I disagree again and don’t believe that what we have seen absolutely erases the beautiful and solid values of the majority of the Cuban young people. Quite the contrary, I consider that the feelings of loyalty and love of our young people are powerful weapons to confront, from their own perspective, behaviors that have a social and personal repercussion.
“My closeness, both professionally and personally, to many students who, however, are more aware of what they see and enjoy than those who question. And if only one sees the series and enjoys it and promotes the conclusions reached by him and his colleagues, the Cuban series is fulfilling part of its intention. I am sure that thousands more or thousands less young people see themselves in the mirror shown; further more that the loyalty with which the see the image or quality reflected.
From the comments received we realized that it wasn’t necessary to have the article in hand to know how many people read it. At least that happened with Yudelcy Rodríguez Román, a technician of computer sciences whose cousin, a third year student of Computer Sciences in the University, showed it to her. “What called most my attention – she assures – were the opinions given in the article. I am 31 years old and have a four-year-old son and, at present, am a single mother. And now, seeing how the times are, I try to create his self-confidence.
“I acknowledge that, at first, I didn’t like it very much, more so for being shown at prime time. However, it is an educational series. Those who have criticized it apparently forget their adolescence, the most difficult time in a person’s life. Perhaps it is because this disease did not exist in their time, but there were other problems.
“I spent my adolescents in a country secondary school and there was no one to tell me anything. In truth, my mother was always busy and could deal with ‘other things’ and read and experimented and had my big knocks and reached good experiences by myself but what I needed, self confidence, I did not have. More or less a similar situation like Amandita, almost the same, because I did go out and had my boyfriends and talked a lot with my girlfriends. Now there are still many Margaritas and Lesters around but there is also much information about STDs. That is what is important. There are still many young people who have trouble accepting the condom and don’t have protected sex.”
The viewer Teresita Hernández enjoys La cara … but feels that some scenes are exaggerated. She give an example: “It is hard to believe the naiveté of Amanda’s parents who were incapable of suspecting their daughter when money went missing, when no one visited that house”.
Perhaps Anubis Martínez, a 38-year-old lawyer who works in the International Trade Bank in the capital, can explain Teresita’s problem. “Regardless of our preparation, our university degrees some times our eyes don’t or want to see what really exists and the ears hear the little lies as if they were truths. The capacity to think is lost and any form of reflection is viewed with sarcasm and even heretical the one who seeks and speaks the truth.
“The soapy is an example of what we are living through, a prelude of what could occur if we don’t deal with it in time, if we don’t crudely show the roads we are traveling along and the stops inviting us to sit. I don’t believe the program exaggerates. It is an attempt to light the red light of urgency, prevention. I think it is a criticism to routine, to vulgarity, to vanity, to envy, to dishonesty and ingratitude… There is no contradiction, rather a convergence. It does not confuse but differentiates.”
Adriana Sánchez, a member of the Movitel staff believes that there are many things happening today to young people is that “the parents think their children are babies and do not realize that they grow and decide to maintain silence and wait for the bomb to explode.”
I don’t have children but I do have a ten year old niece and I am amazed by the story she tells me of school and about her friends and it was time there was a space to reflect what happens outside and in the house. When the program begins, she sits next to me and when it’s over she asks me lots of questions because, logically, she doesn’t understand. But we explain any doubts that we try to answer as simply as possible so that she understands …”
Ibet García Álvarez is a second year student of journalism in Oriente University. She considers that it is worse to be misinformed. “But this should not only be left to La cara …, the school, main link in the integral general formation of the new generations, and the family should contribute strongly to inform. The rule should be like the teachers in the series, who give understanding, unconditional support and an open mind.”
For her part Maité Correa Varona touches some sensitive point about the Cuban television proposal. “I am young and it’s true that the situation about sexually transmitted diseases are worrisome because although we have plenty information to hand, we never believe it can happen to us”.
In this same tone, Albin Amat Reyes, second year student of information engineering in the Computer Sciences University said that, at first he was not interested. “The subject caught me when I understood the intention of the authors to really show what could happen to any one of us if our only ambition was to be popular and follow some shady patterns because they appear more attractive”.
Polet Giral, a 21 year old graduate of nursing, doesn’t hesitate to write that “young people today are very promiscuous and don’t stop to think what they are doing”. She says: “Why should I use that (a condom) if I won’t catch any disease. And that is what I hear. We have to become aware and lose the apprehension of using it because that way we can save life more assuredly”.
Neybis Laurencio Ricardo, worker for the Comandante Ernesto Che Guevara entity in Moa as a geologist notes that “our young people, unfortunately are exposed to these inclinations, above all at times like these that common sense and prudence are, up to a point, left forgotten and that, unfortunately, the education of our children and brothers and sisters tends to be left to the school failing to realize the importance of a cultured education promoted in the home and, above all, based on a dialogue and understanding.
“Young people and adolescents aren’t the only ones reflected in this soapy. We also find parents who, unfortunately, exist today and who don’t always have the support of a third person to improve the relationship with their children. Is Nestor’s father the only one of his kind? Or perhaps Roxana, the only mother who allows these things to happen in the home? Or is it perhaps Margarita and Rolando the only ones in our country who think they know everything a young person, like Amanda, needs to know? No. There are persons in our society who instill values in their children such as confidence, respect and loyalty but there is still machismo in men and women, parents who over protect their children, women who, due to their condition of motherhood center all their efforts in the “education” of their child neglecting that by neglecting their marriage they destroy their family. Every day we see persons who force their children to do or participate in their own dreams without remembering the right of every person to be independent, to make their own decisions”.
For Jany Ramos Mosqueda the solution is clear: “I think that the more you talk openly to young people it will be better for all because information they do not find at home they will find in the streets and the best way to protect someone is to show them the way, with advantages and disadvantages, letting them chose their own way.”
Lourdes Sesma Rodríguez: It’s true that parents have the main responsibility to earn the love and confidence of the children, preventing them to follow this conduct but, as we all know, adolescents are very unstable and, also, the great majority don’t listen to advice from anyone because they consider themselves mature and know everything about life.
“I am the mother of two adolescents: one a girl of 17 and a boy of 15 – comments Eugenia Torres Cañaveral an accounting specialist –. The only thing I am sorry about is that my children, who are in the country secondary school, cannot see it because it is very much about what is happening. It would be good to retransmit the soapy during vacations for those, like my children, who were unable to watch it”.
A 1st degree specialist in Hygiene and Epidemiology, Carmelo Trujillo Machado, from Holguin thinks that we “should find other educational means. Everything shown in La cara … exists and is the reason many persons regret events, illnesses and other problems that could have been prevented but still exist. I welcome everything that, one way or another, makes us stop to think. The most important thing is to get the message and apply it in our lives to prevent facing the same problems ourselves, or our children, to improve communication and each day form part of a better society.
As you can see, not everything is said. We have not concluded this work and opinions keep coming in. And this is good because, at least, it has fulfilled an important part of the proposal of La otra cara de la Luna: debate it before judging.
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