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Writers
and Staff
Lincoln Daily News.com
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ldneditor@lincolndailynews.com
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(To
top of second column)
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Response to Mr. Harris' letter
4-28-00
Dear editor:
After reading the
letter from Mr. Harris, I too feel privileged to express my
feelings about
the Elian Gonzalez episode. In doing this, I don't know Mr.
Harris and express no personal
feelings towards him.
I also respect his feelings and opinion, yet he omitted the real
story.
Juan
Miguel Gonzalez was NOT and is NOT Elian's primary caregiver and
has NOT been
for four years. His mother divorced him and he remarried. The boy
was in the custody of his
mother.
The
father showed no interest of coming to the U.S. to even visit his
son until Fidel Castro
became involved and started ranting and raving. He is the one
who said Elian must be returned
because he is the son
of Cuba (didn't mention Juan Miguel). ONLY, and I repeat ONLY
after
Fidel
rounded up Juan Miguel's relatives, his wife's relatives and put
them on a compound, did he allow (or most likely, dispatch) the
father to come to the U.S.. What a farce that is.
Mr.
Harris states that the INS SWAT team secured the safety of Elian.
Hmmmm, didn't realize
he was in danger. The only danger I saw, as millions of
Americans (and foreigners throughout
the world) saw, was
a masked intruder, armed to the hilt,
pointing an automatic weapon at
Elian and his cousin.
This was more than danger, this was terrifying and totally
uncalled for.
That
could have been my (or anyone's) son or daughter. (I do admit
that these men and women
were acting under
orders from Clinton and Reno).
If
anything, the mayor of Miami kept the peace and prevented the
"LEGAL" demonstrations
from getting out of hand. The only individuals using their offices
as bully pulpits were Clinton
and Reno. (In the case
of our attorney general, it is more like a bully puppet).
The
only individuals responsible for the WAY Elian was, in Mr.
Harris's words "transferred"--
in my words "abducted"--were Clinton, Reno, Greg Craig
(Clinton's personal attorney)
and Fidel Castro.
Doesn't it seem a little odd that Greg Craig, the president's
personal
attorney, is now working for Fidel Castro?? Hmm.
There
should be no shame targeted towards Elian's relatives who saved
him from drowning,
who stayed with him in the hospital, who took him into their
home and simply wanted a better
future for him, in a free country,
as his own MOTHER died for.
I ask again, where was this
so-called, loving
father, during these four months, hmmm??
The
only individuals who put their political agendas above the higher
cause of humanity
were the president, attorney general and Greg Craig. Discredit
belongs to those who
continuously lie to the American people, who use the highest
office of our land as if it were a
motel and have shamed our nation. No, Mr. Harris, shame on
everyone who has placed their
political agenda in
front of the "REAL STORY."
So
far, the federal government has spent over $775,000 on Juan Miguel
Gonzalez, a communist
individual from a communist country. Doesn't that alarm anyone
that these are our (mine
and yours) tax dollars. We pay for his travels, planes and
limos, we put him up on an American
military base then transfer him to a lavish government-owned
private resort and treat him
(this communist) as if
he is a head of state. That's
the OUTRAGE, that's the SHAME.
I do
agree with Mr. Harris, that custody and visitation rights are
wrongly dished out in many
cases, but the Elian Gonzalez escapade is a totally different
ballgame. Been there, done that
has no relevance in
this matter.
Thank
you.
George
A. McKinney
Pharr,
Texas
Local resident expresses approval of
reunification of a father and son
4-25-00
Dear
editor:
I
would like to express in the most profound sense my gratitude to
U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, and to the President of the
United States, William Jefferson Clinton, for their resolve in
bringing Elian Gonzalez out of his great-uncle Lazaro's custody,
and into the custody of his father Juan, who is the legal and
rightful primary caregiver of little Elian. The INS tactical field
officers responsible for securing the safety and custody of Elian
Gonzalez performed in a most professional manner, and I salute
these men and women in uniform. To the men and women in blue on
the volatile streets of Little Miami I offer a heartfelt thank you
for a job well done in maintaining law and order. I would like to
point out that the mayor of Miami has been anything but helpful in
reuniting Elian with his father Juan, and has used his office as a
bully pulpit for inciting the Cuban-American community to rally
around the home of Lazaro, Elian's great-uncle, and in doing so
raised the level of tension to an unwelcome level.
The
Miami family of Elian bears the brunt of criticism and
responsibility for the way that Elian was transferred out of their
custody and into the U.S. Border Patrol's hands. This family
defied the laws of the U.S. government, and in doing so brought
about the drastic actions required by U.S. marshals, actions which
were executed not only upon themselves but little Elian as well.
The family stonewalled at each and every turn of events and
continually raised the bar ever higher during Justice Department
negotiations. Additionally, legal rulings viewed unfavorably by
the Miami family went unheeded. Shame on this family for their
selfish conduct, and shame on the Cuban-American community for
their complicity in tactically surrounding the home where Elian
stayed. This strategy raised legitimate concerns within the local
and federal levels of law enforcement agencies with regard to the
fact that the crowd could very well ignite in violence over the
taking of Elian from the home of his great-uncle Lazaro.
Allow
me to take this opportunity to publicly chastise in the sternest
possible terms the "family values" organizations across
this nation that have been abjectly silent about the rights of a
father to be united with his child. As Yogi Berra might say,
"Their silence is deafening!" I have lost much respect
for these "family values" groups as they put their own
political agendas above the higher cause of a family's right to
remain intact. Shame on them. These organizations have brought
discredit upon themselves and have diminished their causes in the
process.
I
have been in Elian's father's shoes, and know from past
experiences what it is like to be denied not only rightful custody
of my own child, but to be denied visitation rights as well.
As
the great state of Missouri has imprinted upon their license
plates: S-H-O-W M-E. Yes, indeed, when all is said and done, I
want the good folks that are espousing what is in the best
interest of little Elian to do just that...SHOW ME, don't tell me.
From
the been there, done that club,
Perry K. Harris
Lincoln
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Please send your letters by e-mail to ldneditor@lincolndailynews.com
or by U.S. postal mail to:
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Lincoln Daily News
601 Keokuk St.
Lincoln, IL 62656
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Lincoln Daily News reserves the right to reject any letter for any
reason. Lincoln Daily News will publish as many acceptable letters as space allows.
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