Jose Marti, a Spanish Creole, was born in Havana in 1853. Educated in Havana at the school of Anueleto and Escuela Superior Municipal, Marti’'s writings reflect his political activism and self-sacrificing patriotism. At the age of sixteen, Marti resolved to take up revolutionary, political, and literary activities by publishing in an underground newspaper, a practice that would ultimately lead to his arrest for anti-colonialist activity. "Nuestra America", written between 1885 and 1887, sets up practical bases to unify Latin America's middle class, peasantry, and working class.
Marti also wrote chronicles of life and politics in the United States which were to be circulated in Central America. After being deported to Spain in 1877, he traveled to France, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Venezuela until finally settling in the United States in 1880. In 1895, the order authorizing revolution in Cuba was signed in New York by Cuban exiles. Marti then began actively organizing an invasion into Cuba and traveled constantly throughout Central America raising funds. Five months later, Marti entered Cuba as a soldier... he was killed a month later. Known as a charismatic speaker, he was also a prolific writer, producing poetry, political manifestos as well as journals. Despite the pessimism of many of his writings most critics describe Marti as an idealist. Upon Marti's most famous works, are the political manifestos "Our America" and "Tampa Resolutions"; along with Ismaelillo, Versos Sencillos, and Versos Libres.
Marti's most prominent claim throughout "Our America" is that of building unity in America. There are two major themes he plays on in order to promote this claim. Marti claims that the "Natural man" is one who has great respect for the land and the peoples of it. At the same time, he is also very resentful and unforgiving of being disregarded or not respected. The "Natural man" plays opposite the "artificial man," for whom Marti has a great dislike. The second of these major themes is how to govern well in America. In the eyes of Marti, it is essential that not only do the people of America ban together, but even more they must reject and forget the ways of other lands and create a new rule for this special land. Not just any government will do for America, it must be one that like the "Natural man", acknowledges and respects the land.
Now that we understand Marti's themes, we can move on to how his writings are interpreted through history. History is a chronological record of significant events often with an explanation of their causes. The problems with writing history is the complete lack of objectivity. This is only natural; each person has his/her own version of history. Many of these explanations are biased and that is a main problem when writing history. History has multiple truths, it is never told the same way twice. It is true that for some time the history lessons came only from the European-focused historians, but that has changed somewhat and we are now given the opportunity to find out for ourselves that there is not just one history. There are histories from men and women of all different ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. We aren't forced to swallow the same old "How the U.S. was won" history so common to a majority of those educated in this country.
In "Our America," Marti reflects on how to create a new beginning and offers many insights; one is the belief that in order to govern well, a sincere relationship must exist between the governor and the population. The "governor in America... must know the elements that compose his own country, and how to bring them together." He must be able "to reach that desirable state where each man can attain self-realization and all may enjoy the abundance that Nature has bestowed on everyone in the nation to enrich with their toil and defend with their lives."(Marti 86,87) Marti goes on to state that "The government must originate in the country. The spirit of the government must be that of the country. Its structure must conform to rules appropriate to the country. Good government is nothing more than the balance of the country's natural elements."(87) He believes that a successful governor is one that identifies the proper way of establishing "the right kind of government, and to govern accordingly." And to whole heartedly "know one's country... is the only way to free it from tyranny."
Marti also heeds several suggestions; one of which is to advise those who may believe all is well in America, to wake up and arm themselves with "weapons of the mind, which conquer all others." He believes that "a powerful idea, waved before the world at the proper time, can stop a squadron of iron-clad ships."(84) Marti also proposes that all nations, unknown to one another, "clasp hands and become one" --that there is still power in numbers. The people of the Americas can no longer hide under the professional-victim umbrella, but instead rise up and mobilize, "march together, and... go forward in close order."
Despite Marti's noble efforts, there are still those who feel each country should mind its own; furthermore, that each person should mind their own. Unity is not the answer, but diversity, in all its shapes and forms. While mass unity may seem a good idea, it may also be viewed as idyllic -- too idyllic in fact -- and therefore unattainable given the world's present state with its need for peace treaties and cease fires. Realistic as these circumstances may be, that does not necessarily mean they are etched in stone. Unity may be tangible yet. The world must try to rid itself of these dangerous attitudes that have become all too common in societies where prejudiced behavior is justified by those misinformed souls with their "it's a free country" and their "freedom of speech" crutches. Laws were established to protect the people and ensure their rights, not to be abused and definitely not to be distorted and twisted around in order to fit our own opinions. Marti offers that "Whoever foments and spreads antagonism and hate between the races, sins against humanity."(94) He has now handed the torch over to the next generation proclaiming that "The present generation is carrying industrious America along the road enriched by their sublime fathers; from the Rio Grande to the Straits of Magellan, the Great Semi, astride his condor, is showing the seed of the new America throughout the Latin nations of the continent and the sorrowful islands of the sea!"
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