Who am I? (What's my name?)

Most thought we needed a change, and they were right.

So when a young leader came along, everyone was at least receptive.

When the young leader spoke eloquently and passionately and denounced the old system, the press fell in love with him.

They never questioned who his friends were or what he really believed in.

When he said he would help the farmers and the poor and bring free medical care and education to all, everyone followed.

When he said he would bring justice and equality to all, everyone said "Praise the Lord."

And when the young leader said, "I will be for change and I'll bring you change," everyone yelled, "Yes!"

But nobody asked about the change, so by the time the executioner's guns went silent the people's guns had been taken away.

By the time everyone was equal, they were equally poor, hungry, and oppressed.

By the time everyone received their free education it was worth nothing.

By the time the press noticed, it was too late, because they were now working for him.

By the time the change was finally implemented my country had been knocked down a couple of notches to Third-World status.

By the time the change was over more than a million people had taken to boats, rafts, and inner tubes.

You can call those who made it ashore anywhere else in the world the most fortunate.

The preceding was a Letter to the Editor of the Richmond Times-Dispatch from Manuel Alvarez Jr and appeared in print on July 7, 2008.

I made it generic to make you think.

Mr. Alvarez was writing of his native Cuba and Fidel Castro.

Even without the graphic, your mind pictured Obama and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Mr. Alvarez ended his letter...

Luckily, we would never fall in America for a young leader who promised change without asking, what change? How will you carry it out? What will it cost America?

Would we?