Allow me a departure from the politics to share some memories of our first Easter in the U.S.   It was indeed a welcome sight to see the first signs of spring after heavy snowstorms in February and January.   It was also a time for a few cultural adjustments for this Cuban kid embracing his new homeland. We came from a very traditional Spanish Easter culture. We called it "Semana Santa" or Holy Week. Before Castro outlawed religious celebrations, took our guns away, and shut down the press, Cubans generally celebrated the very Catholic Easter.   It was a very Spanish country, as most Cubans of my generation have grandparents who moved to the island from Spain from the 1850s to the first half of the 20th century. These Spanish immigrants brought Catholicism and very traditional Christmas and Easter customs. Many of the small merchants were also Spanish immigrants and you could see their traditions in the...(Read Full Post)