[pcx99]

America did not lose its way. American's did what American's have always done: support strong familly values. When the boy's father wanted his son back that was it, case closed. Familly won out over politics and government, just as it always has and as we hope it always will.

It's simply not American to break up a familly to prove the superiority of our system. We do not kidnap children, ripping them from the arms of their parents and force them to stay in a foreign land to appease some sense of holier than thou.

Even after all these years, no writter will be able to spin this as a disgrace on America, or cast shame and doubt. The American people are right now, and we were right then.

[dalereed]

Commie troll allert!

[Mr Rogers]

We didn't kednap him - his mother brought him. And we have long recognized a child is better in freedom than living as a slave with his father. And he WAS living with family - just not his father.

[whereasandsoforth]

Your idea of "family" and the dictators idea of "family" are very different. There are no "parental rights" in Cuba. Returning Elian to his "father" was a joke. His father has no rights as his son has no rights. The USA was shameful and ignorant to support his return. The Clinton people (Reno included) could not allow Castro to be embarrassed. Castro is their god.

This article says Elian has been forgotten. The writer needs to speak for himself. I will never forget. That poor child lost his free will and liberty that day. To regain it, he must once again risk his life. That is pathetic.

[MitchellC]

Baloney, but not a surprise from someone who draws a moral equivalency between the American system and Castro's dictatorial hell hole.

[mercy]

What a load!

The father's wishes were effectively and actually cancelled out by the fact that he was making those wishes known at the point of Castro's gun. By your quizling mental gymnastics we should return a child to the cluthches of a child mollester parent because the parent 'wants' the child. You and yours sent that kid back to hell and you will pay.

This nation will pay..... IS paying.

[breakem]

Notice, you stand up for the family, father and kid, and now you are a commie troll. I used to do these threads all the time, but you are dealing with cult-like behavior. Best of luck. I'm out.

Luis it's all yours, I can't go through this rerun again.

[aruanan]

America did not lose its way. American's did what American's have always done: support strong familly values. When the boy's father wanted his son back that was it, case closed. Familly won out over politics and government, just as it always has and as we hope it always will.

You know as much about the situation as you know how to spell 'family'.

[Zack Nguyen]

Family most assuredly did not win out over poltiics and government. If you think that Elian is under the care, protection, and guidance of his father, you are wrong. Elian is a property of the state. He is a slave. Elian's mother died that her son would live free. His father, under the direct control of the Cuba state (it was obvious - he went nowhere without Castro's officials in public), got his son back. And the tragedy is, he got him back using the government police of the land of the free. Castro must have sat back and laughed hysterically.

[bvw]

Well, to support the "family" shall we open up our jails so that sons can stay with their incarcerated Dads? Cuba is a slave state. Elian's "Dad" is Castro, there. His real Dad? Who knows -- and you likely don't -- how much he is with Elian.

And NONE of us know whether he is, in fact, the real Dad.

We know his MOM *died* tyring to bring him here, and we should have HONORed her attempt.

But so many wanted in on Castro's good side! The good side of a murderous tyrannical dictator. What side would that be. NO SIDE!

Yet there you place yourself. And not for family values either -- for in Cuba only the STATE is your family.

[Tench_Coxe]

Apparently, this is what you like to see as the future of the U.S.:

[ValerieUSA]

When the boy's father wanted his son back

When the boy's father's dictator demanded that he demand his son back.... There are no parental rights in Cuba except for Papa Fidel Castro.
Parental rights are for FREE PEOPLE, not for subjects under a communist dictator.