January 20, 2000
Democracy and a six-year old kid - THE COMMENTARY
By Joseph Planta
VANCOUVER - I don’t even remember what the hell I was doing when I was six-years old. But, I have the feeling when he’s 17, a Cuban kid named Elian Gonzales will remember being six. He was born in Cuba and is now in America. His journey to America is epic enough and horrifying enough to remember, but the fallout of that is a hell of a thing to happen to a six-year old kid.
The papers, the chat shows, the Sunday morning talk shows, radio and, of all places, David Letterman, is full of talk about what to do with Elian Gonzales. In November of this year, his mother and a group of Cubans got on a ship or something decrepit like that to escape to the land of democracy, the United States. But along the way, the ship sank and everyone except young Elian survived. The tyke was found clinging to some sort of tube, and thus brought to family in Miami. Not long after that, his father back in Havana, not to mention Fidel Castro and the rest of Cuba called for the return of the young boy. People in America feel he should be entitled to stay, and it looks like the boy would like to.
A battle that could have been just paper shuffling and immigration stuff, has turned into a diplomatic nightmare. Instead of a battle fought by a father wanting his son back, it smells like remnants of a Cold War battle. The boy is the centre of a battle between two nations, two ideologies and two long-suffering adversaries.
America represents democracy, Disneyland and a future. Cuba represents communism, dictatorship and what is essentially right. I’m of the opinion that the boy be sent back. Not only is it right, but its also fair. We cannot assume that the child be asked what he thinks. Six-years old is far too young and America is far too possessive. They are presuming that they are right. The United States of America is assuming that communism is wrong, when all that they have done is inherit a terrible legacy born from its forefathers. America is presuming that the boy has no future in Cuba, but he is still technically under the responsibility of his father. His father is willing to take him back, but he’s been turned into a pawn for his nation, Cuba. The father should get the kid back, and that’s that.
What this whole mess uncovers is that Cuba and the United States have a long ways to go. Relations have to be defined and should be fixed. These two nations have been feuding over a rather silly matter, what ideology is right. The US’ side is rather muddled, because it prides itself with 224 years of upholding liberty and justice for all. In this matter they are exercising their ‘big brother’ mentality of assuming they are all knowing and all right. For that, and for using this young child’s life as grounds for vanity, they have no sense of liberty and justice at all.
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