Posted on 04/29/2011 9:41:04 AM PDT by jazusamo
“Elian’s father wanted him, and that’s where he belonged.”
Elian’s father’s evil overlord wanted him, too.
Castro was his father, the State trumps all father’s rights in Cuber.
I don't know. If he'd seen the pic he was flat out lying and if he hadn't he was still lying because the agents that entered were not acting very sensitively.
He stated a supposed fact that wasn't true, of course I'd bet that wasn't the first time and I know it wasn't the last time he hasn't been truthful.
He and his boss are two of a kind.
“I found it strange that they did not understand that the father was nothing more than a pawn used by Castro to force the U.S. to say ‘uncle’ in front of the world. Clinton pretended to offer for the father to move to the U.S., but it was rejected and, of course, not pursued (because Clinton didn’t really want to).’”
Yeah. I remember at the time wondering why, aside from the polarization, this was such a big story. What about all the other kids in Elian’s position? Surely there was some precedence.
The answer, of course, was that it was a story because Castro and Castro-sympathizers made it a story. It was the last meaningful throwback to the old Cold War PR fights (considering our deference to China). We lost.
So I guess Elian's mom disagreed with you. She must have had her reason(s). But we will never know.
How is Elian, politics4us. Do you happen to know how he is doing?
Holder never won his spurs for anything. He rode the pony at the fair once, but that was after-hours and cost him $200.
I agree that I was using that scale, but intentionally so, because that is the scale used by most people in favor of sending him back.
I agree with you. Even using “Their” scale, that would be the equivalent of sending him back to abusive parents.
I could assume you are a Clinton-Reno tool, but I will give you the benefit of the doubt of being sadly misinformed.
I followed the Elian story as closely as anyone could.
I know of the phone calls from the father to Uncle Lazaro in Miami in which he expressed his desire for Elian to live in the U.S.
It was only after Castro got involved that the father, Juan Miguel Gonzalez ( a member of the Cuban communist party) started to accuse the Miami relatives of kidnapping and even child abuse.
Outrageous charges - if one looks at how happy Elian was in Miami with his relatives.
I don’t fault the father. I know he was in an impossible coerced position, but to insist that the father wanted him returned to Cuba is an outright falsehood. Too many Freepers fell for that media and government line.
Or maybe you got sucked in by the Dan Rather 60Minutes interview with the father choking back tears. Well, it wasn’t the father on TV crying. That was the translator.
FYI: Elian’s mother and father were divorced.
Obviously, the mother didn’t want Elian to live with the father - else why try to escape? Sadly, she perished in her dream of freedom for Elian and herself.
You might also be interested in the Walter Polovchak case in which a 14 year old boy was granted religious asylyum by the Carter/Reagan administrations preventing his deportation to Russia in 1980. George Will called him ‘the littlest defector.” His case bounced around in the courts for 4 years until he attained the age of 18, and his Russian parents no longer could contest his choice of remaining in America.
“What about all the other kids in Elian’s position? Surely there was some precedence.”
There was precedence.
The Walter Polovchak case in 1980.
He wrote a book called “Freedom’s Child.”
“Polovchak’s Ukrainian parents, Anna and Michael, found themselves in a drawn-out court battle, fighting to take their son back to his homeland. Young Walter, at 4 feet and 82 pounds, said he would sooner die than return.”
The ACLU took the side of the parents - naturally.
His case dragged on in courts for six years (much thanks to the Reagan administration) at which point he turned 18yrs of age and could decide for himself.
http://articles.latimes.com/1988-04-03/news/vw-1068_1_american-dream/2
http://www.henrymarkholzer.com/how_robert_novak_helped_save_the_littlest_defector.html
As must you be, Gatun.
I can hear and feel the pain still in your heart.
It was and still remains so sad and needless.
Never have the corruption and coarseness of the governments involved been more exposed to the core.
Sacrificing an innocent boy who survived such a horrendous crossing for their ill gains.
A Ronald Reagan would have kept this case in the court systems until the boy was free, as he did with the boy, Walter Polovchak.
The only solace I have is that one day Cuba will be free, and Elian, having suffered hardships, will be the stronger for it. I cannot believe he has truly been indoctrinated.
Thank you for your reply.
“....But they’ll never let us.”
Communists fear freedom’s call even after years of brainwashing.
----
"Surprisingly (to me), that is what the majority of Freepers thought, at the time, at least the ones who posted...."
------
I feel it is necessary to correct this misconception. There were vastly more FReepers who saw the importance of Elian living in freedom with his extended family in Miami.
You are correct that a lot of FReepers wanted him to go back to Cuba. Their position was heavily influenced by bad experiences with divorce or child custody battles in their own lives.
Unfortunately, the fact remains (as it did then), Elian's father is the communist state and their advocacy for his return did Elian and them no favors.
Maybe you are great (maybe not), but I believe you are not a thinking individual.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.