Colext/Macondo
Cantina virtual de los COLombianos en el EXTerior
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Hace un par de semanas yo escribia en los foros colombianos quejandome por
la abundante correspondencia que circulaba acerca del caso de Elian Gonzalez.
Dije "de esa agua no bebere" y miren que gran mentira con la que resulte.
Pues bien... ni modo de escaparse uno del tema. Ademas, leyendo y mirando
las noticias en los ultimos dias, es casi labor imposible el abstraerse del
sentimiento de indignacion, repudio y hasta asco por la forma tan lamentable
como la comunidad cubana y la familia del ninno en Miami han manejado
(manipuleado) todo el caso. Que lastima que aqui en USA se dejen manejar
asi de un grupo de extremistas anticastrista y/o de tanto fanatico religioso.
Luego de la carta que nos envio Gio, les remito otra que me llego tambien.
Esta ultima es un ejemplo de las cartas que se estan enviando para solicitar
que se deje tanta ridiculez en el caso de la reunion del ninno y su padre.
Saludos,
Nestor Raul
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Sample Letter for the Case of Elian Gonzalez
Elian Gonzalez is a 6-year old Cuban boy rescued in the Straits of
Florida this November by US fishermen. A survivor of a shipwreck that
killed his mother and stepfather, Elian was found clinging to an inner
tube, where he had floated without food or water for several days.
Without his father's knowledge, Elian's mother took him on a dangerous,
overcrowded boat on an illegal (by US law) trip across the treacherous
straits to Florida. While Elian should have been immediately returned to
his father in Cuba, many Cuban-Americans have mobilized to politicize
Elian's case, and have made him a pawn in their 40-year, ongoing showdown
with Fidel Castro. Fanatical right-wing Cuban-Americans are mounting
illegitimate and bogus legal challenges, hoping to make a spurious
custody case into a political show-trial against Fidel Castro.
The INS recently ruled that Elian should be returned to his father,
prompting massive demonstrations from the right wing Cubans supporting
Elian staying in the US. The Florida state court system sought
jurisdiction over the case, a clear departure from established precedent,
and clearly in violation of US law.
Many presidential candidates--Republicans and Democrats-- have endorsed
this ridiculous position. Recently, GOP Congressman Dan Burton has issued
a subpoena for young Elian to testify before Congress. To subpoena a 6
year old is to continue to use him as a political pawn in the US'
illegitimate 40-year standoff with Cuba. Meanwhile, in Cuba, Elian's
family longs for his return, and the Cuban people vent their outrage at
the illegal and immoral delay in Elian's return.
The Attorney General has taken some positive steps. She nullified the
Florida state court custody case (which was being adjudicated by a judge
with clear political connections to Elian's Florida relatives). But
Attorney General Reno has stopped short of her clear mandate to uphold
the INS ruling and return Elian to Cuba. In doing so, she sets a
dangerous precedent by not exerting her clear authority, for fear of
political ramifications for herself, and for elected officials courting
the Miami vote.
The tragic case of young Elian is a hot political issue. As persons of
faith and conscience working to build bonds of friendship with our
brothers and sisters in Cuba, we must enter this increasingly ugly
political fray. To continue to build a relationship with Cuba, the United
States must refrain from pandering to a tiny--albeit very
wealthy--portion of the population who let their hatred of Castro and
communism cloud their judgement on clear family and international
relations issues. As citizens of the US, and persons of conscience, we
are called to action. We encourage all Witness for Peace members to write
to the Attorney General, and urge her to do the right thing. We have
provided a sample letter to this effect, for your convenience. You may
also write the Director of the Immigration and Naturalization Service
(INS), the Secretary of State or President Clinton to demand the
immediate return of Elian Gonzalez. Please do not hesitate to contact
Witness for Peace ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) with any questions or
concerns. Thanks in advance for your work on this.
_________________________________________________________________
The Honorable Janet Reno
United States Attorney General
Department of Justice 950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20520
Fax (202) 647-7120
Dear Madam Attorney General,
I am writing you to ask for your further intervention, to expedite the
return of Elian Gonzalez, the 6-year-old Cuban boy rescued at sea by
US-based fishermen. Elian has already lost his mother and stepfather
in the shipwreck, and suffered a terrible trauma in the Straits of
Florida. At this point, the boy absolutely needs to be with his
father.
As you know, Elian's case has drawn international attention, and has,
unfortunately become a political issue in both the United States and
Cuba. Here in the United States, many in the Cuban-American community
have supported the spurious lawsuits filed in order to keep Elian from
being returned to his father. I am grateful that you negated the
illegal change of venue to state court, which these Cuban Americans
orchestrated. I am hopeful that you will uphold the INS ruling, and
send Elian to his family in Cuba without further delay..
Recently Representative Dan Burton (R IN), supported by Senator Jesse
Helms have issued a subpoena for Elian to testify before Congress.
This act is particularly reprehensible, as it uses a frightened,
traumatized young boy as a political billy-club, with which some
members of the US Congress seek to bludgeon Fidel Castro. Others in
Congress have been advocating conferring upon Elian US citizenship.
This would be a miscarriage of justice to the extreme, as it would
place Elian's case back into the hands of a politically partial judge
with a clear conflict of interest. It would be a slap in the face to
the millions of immigrants who have been waiting years for
citizenship. And it is most probably unconstitutional, as citizenship
must be sought, not imposed. Can a 6 year old boy in a throes of a
family crisis make this kind of a decision?
But perhaps most disturbing are the statements made by political
candidates of both parties, who declare pompously that they "will not
support condemning this child to a life of oppression in Cuba." These
statements are clear pandering to the Cuban-American zealots who place
their personal hatred of Fidel Castro above the interests of a young
boy.
The United States has formal agreements to return refugees to Cuba.
The INS ruled on this case, declaring it a simple matter of upholding
US immigration law. This is certainly reason enough to send Elian back
to Cuba. Yet if more justification is needed, US family law is quite
clear: Elian belongs with his father and his grandparents in Cuba, not
with his great uncle and second cousin in Miami. Though family legal
matters are essentially a state issue--and Elian's case is a clear
federal issue--State department officials in Cuba, and National
Council of Churches President Rev. Dr. Joan Brown Campbell have all
affirmed that Elian's family in Cuba is loving and wholly capable of
providing for the boy.
Madam Attorney General, Elian needs to be returned to his father
immediately. Any further delay will increase young Elian's trauma, and
compounds the damage already inflicted in our country's evolving
relationship with Cuba. The political and legal antics of a portion of
the Cuban-American community are therefore destructive not only to
Elian, but also to US-Cuban relations and United States' international
reputation.
The Immigration and Naturalization Service has demonstrated that it
alone does not have the resolve to stand up to the vocal handful of
angry Cuban political activists who vent their rage at Castro at the
expense of a young boy. And while I have understood the Clinton
Administration's desire to stay out of what is essentially a clear-cut
legal case, I feel it is absolutely essential that the Administration
speak out decisively right now. It is absolutely your prerogative to
send federal marshalls to collect Elian and deliver him to his father
or grandparents, who have all expressed a willingness to take Elian
home. Or you may deliver him to Rev. Campbell, who has also expressed
a willingness to accompany Elian back to his family in Cuba. It is
ultimatley unimportant who brings young Elian home, as long as he gets
back to Cuba, soon.
I will close by quoting one of Elian's relatives in Miami. He said in
an interview, "what can Elian's family in Cuba provide for him? Only
love." This statement captures the essence of this ridiculous feud,
and alone provides ample justification for Elian's return to Cuba.
Though Elian's family in Miami can give him tickets to Disneyworld, a
puppy, and many other material gifts, I sincerely question if Elian's
family in Miami can give him love.
Delay in this matter is unnecessary, and is likely to complicate
issues further. I implore you to end this charade immediately, and to
use your power as Attorney General to return Elian to his father.
Sincerely,
--------------------------------------------------------------
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