[jveritas]

When Elian Gonzales split FR right down the middle, with venom and anger that made this last little spat look like a Nerf™ War, people said FR was over.

This was before my time on FR, why did the division occur on FR during the Elian Gonzales case?

[Bob J]

J, take out Terri, insert Elian...mix and match.

[Charles H. (The_r0nin)]

This was before my time on FR, why did the division occur on FR during the Elian Gonzales case?

As I had a very strong opinion on the matter, I'm not sure I could give you a fair representation of both sides' arguments. Suffice it to say that there was a very strong contingent of people of FR who believed Elian belonged with his father, and another very strong contingent who believed it was wrong to send anyone back into a Communist country. There was very little "discussion" on the matter, as both sides started from very different premises. They tended just to shout past each other, with lots of name-calling. It was even more passionate than the Schiavo case, especially the night/morning that Elian was taken by the Reno brigades. But we got through it...

[Melas]

I was still a lurker during the Elien days, but it was fairly simple. It was a matter of priorities. Everyone pretty much agreed that provided he was fit, a child belonged with his father. Everyone pretty much agreed that a child was better off in Florida than in Cuba. Unfortunately, that's where the rubber met the road. Those who gave the higher priority to keeping a boy with his father were excoriated by those who believed it was best he stay in America, even if it meant he would never see his father again. The latter in turn called the former every name in the book. It was pure ugliness.

[cyncooper]

This was before my time on FR, why did the division occur on FR during the Elian Gonzales case?

Some thought parental rights trumped political issues of returning the boy to a communist state.

The arguments were fierce and mean but not devoid of logic or rational thought (at least not completely).