Sitting at home with my high-speed connection, my cold Dr. Pepper, and all the blessings of being a free American, this story truly brings home some of the things that are easily taken for granted:

LAURA WIDES-MUNOZ
Associated Press Writer
MIAMI
Dissidents in Cuba’s eastern provinces said Friday the country’s military has beefed up its presence on the streets and is telling citizens they have permission to respond with force against anyone who speaks out against the government.

In a series of interviews conducted by phone in Miami, dissidents told The Associated Press they are fearful about retaliations against political opponents of the government.

“Everybody now knows that that Fidel is ill, but everyone is waiting,” said Juan Carlos Gonzalez Leiva, 41, an attorney from the province of Ciego de Avila. “They are wondering what is going to happen. There is a grave silence. It’s like being in the center of a hurricane.”

Having the freedom to speak our minds, to disagree, to dissent, is one of the many things that makes our nation great, in spite of what the left claims to be true about those of us on the right. Those of us that have spent our entire lives with this freedom can’t even begin to imagine what life would be like if our right to speak freely were snatched away.

In Banes, in the Holguin province, Guillermo Llanos Ricardo, 30, said the town’s only independent library was surrounded by citizen patrol groups checking the identification of anyone seeking to enter.

“These are well-known groups that have incited violence against dissidents in the past,” he said.

Nice to have your neighbors looking out for you.

Meanwhile, Eliecer Consuegra Rivas, 33, the head of the opposition group Eastern Democratic Alliance in the city of Antilla also in Holguin, attributed the relative calm on the streets to fear of reprisal. He said he has been repeatedly warned not to speak out informally by neighbors and officially by government representatives.

“The messages they are getting to us every day are that shouldn’t leave our home or talk,” said the former elementary school basketball coach. “They tell people not to have pity. And that they should do what they want with those they see demonstrating against the government.”

How incredibly sad. May Cuba’s liberty come quickly.