324 Chapter 14
Africa and of African literature and history with no comparison to the rest of
Latin America.- The strengthening of general and specialized systems of teaching throughout the
country, of national publications and support for the development of museums
and music and dance groups, among other institutions, some world famous such as
the National Folkloric Dance Company, the Casa de Africa (African House) in
the Office of the City Historian, the System of Houses of Culture, the Juan Mari-
nello Institute or the Fernando Ortiz Foundation. - Gradually increasing respect for popular religions and worship of African origin,
at the highest levels (such as consideration of this topic at the Council of State,
acceptance of religious practitioners in the Cuban Communist Party, etc.) and at
the level of society such things as inclusion of the theme in theaters and film pro-
grams and in visual arts exhibition halls, etc., in contrast with what the mass media
offers (we will return to this issue in the section on shortcomings). - Working to overcome feelings and practices of racism in communities where
respect usually prevails among neighbors on the basis of shared attitudes about
family, study, work, compliance with rules, harmonically living side by side, partic-
ipation in neighborhood tasks, although the high degree of subjectivity this
implies makes it difficult to measure.
Shortcomings
- Insufficient practical implementation of the policies of the leadership intended to
eradicate racial discrimination, especially by institutions whose systematic efforts
in this area would complement the actions of the party and the state. This could
be the case with national radio and TV, but for decades they have continued dis-
seminating stereotypes of blacks and mulattoes, especially in soap operas and sit-
coms where at times they are the object of negative appraisals or the butt of
contemptuous jokes, thus exercising a strong negative impact on their large audi-
ence; - The absence of a national agenda involving all the factors directly or indirectly
linked to the development of social issues in present Cuban society; - The U.S.-Cuba discrepancy has brought about domestic silence on questions that
might undermine the unity of the people before their main foreign enemy. As time
went by its counterproductive effects have become visible, such as the weakening
of domestic debate on topics of profound popular importance, such as race.; - Low profile debate of this topic in Cuba today regarding a national agenda. This
frequently surfaces in conversations by the most dissimilar groups of youngsters,
elders, workers or intellectuals, but mostly with superficial expressions not dealing
with the essence. From the methodological and conceptual points of view, this has