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Five years later, Elián, now 11, is living a ‘normal’ life
SUN-SENTINEL.COM ^ | APRIL 17, 2005 | VANESSA BAUZA

Posted on 04/17/2005 7:38:18 PM PDT by CHARLITE

CáRDENAS, Cuba · Elián González says he wants to be a gymnast when he grows up. But his grandfather, Juan González Sr., knows Elián's future career choices are as variable as any normal preteen's and could change next month.

"I want him to be a good man, to do good deeds, not do anything he will regret. Everything else is all right," he said, sitting in his home in the coastal town of Cárdenas under a large photograph of a very young Elián.

At age 11, the boy whose bitter custody battle stands as a symbol of the Cold War conflict between Cuban-Americans and Cuba has been saddled with high expectations.

Five years ago this month, armed federal agents stormed into the home of Elián's Miami relatives and scooped him up in a lightning-fast, predawn raid that crushed the hopes of Cuban-American exiles. Within hours Elián was reunited with his father, Juan Miguel González. Two months later, after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal from the boy's Miami relatives to keep him in the United States, Elián and his father boarded a chartered Learjet and returned to Cuba.

(Excerpt) Read more at sun-sentinel.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Cuba; Culture/Society; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; Philosophy; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 1999; 2000election; 200101; 20010119; billclinton; clinton; communism; cuba; elian; florida; floriduh; gonzales; gorewar; gregcraig; gregorycraig; janetreno; life; miami; normal
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To: CHARLITE
"Two months later, after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal from the boy's Miami relatives to keep him in the United States, Elián and his father boarded a chartered Learjet and returned to Cuba."

And there were Freepers here, as I vividly recall, who supported this. You know who you are. Any of you care to step up to the plate?

"It's all about Parental Rights." BARFFFFFFFFF!

21 posted on 04/17/2005 8:08:30 PM PDT by yooper (If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there......)
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To: samantha

You are right, I just cut and pasted, and didn't pay attention to the date on it.


22 posted on 04/17/2005 8:09:06 PM PDT by FairOpinion
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To: CHARLITE

I predict that Elian will become the next Cuban dictator.


23 posted on 04/17/2005 8:09:36 PM PDT by Tired of Taxes (News junkie here)
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To: StACase
All the rabid liberals were all for throwing the book at any male accused of sexual harassment, until Bill Clinton was accused, and then they rushed to his defense; they were resolutely against fathers' rights, until the case of Elian Gonzalez; they were against any rights of a husband, until the Terri Schiavo case.

In the first and third instances, it was really all about abortion (for Clinton because he was committed to appointing pro-abortion judges, and to vetoing even the slightest infringement on abortion rights; for Michael Schiavo because of the fear that any victory for Terri could be exploited by pro-lifers). In the Elian case it was because of their love for Fidel Castro.

24 posted on 04/17/2005 8:10:14 PM PDT by Verginius Rufus
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To: samantha

Yeah, you're right --

"Elian cost us the election" was Clintoon's remark on Jan 19, 2001, his last day in office.


25 posted on 04/17/2005 8:11:35 PM PDT by Californiajones ("The apprehension of beauty is the cure for apathy" - Thomas Aquinas)
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To: TAdams8591; FairOpinion; StACase; CondorFlight; MizSterious

I worked with a nurse at that time, who was Cuban but here legally. She could not figure out how anyone would want to make that little boy go back to Cuba. Her 76 year mother was cleaning floors on her hands and knees for Castros friends and living on what little her daughter could send her.

Upon returning from a visit she stated she did not see any cats or dogs there, as they had all been eaten.


26 posted on 04/17/2005 8:15:08 PM PDT by tertiary01 (How many highly paid "professionals" did it take to kill a powerless disabled dependent woman?)
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To: Tired of Taxes; All
"I predict that Elian will become the next Cuban dictator."

Right after he changes his name to Winston Smith.

27 posted on 04/17/2005 8:16:11 PM PDT by shibumi (Forget the Box! Try thinking outside the Oort.)
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To: FairOpinion
"All the tenured posters here who thought Michael had the right to kill Terri, wanted Elian back with his father in Cuba?"

How did you guess?

Exactly so.

Now...isn't that rich?

In Schiavo, you wanted the parents' rights to trump the husband's.

In Elian, screw the parent's right and give the boy to extended aunts and uncles.

LOL!

28 posted on 04/17/2005 8:16:53 PM PDT by DCPatriot (How about those Baltimore Orioles?)
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To: tertiary01
"Let me guess! All the tenured posters here who thought Michael had the right to kill Terri, wanted Elian back with his father in Cuba?"

That would be correct (see my 21).

On most days this is the most level-headed board around. Some of the comments I saw here during the Elian fiasco, from people who should have known better, turned my stomach.

But I'll always believe one thing; that little boy denied Al Gore the White House, and maybe providence sent him here to do just that. I believe that had Janet Reno not abducted that boy at gunpoint, Florida, and consequently the White House, would have gone to Gore. Gore knows it too, and he knew at the time that the kidnapping would not be good for his upcoming campaign, hence his opposition to the Justice Department's stand on the issue.

Enough Cubans were pissed off enough to vote for Bush.

29 posted on 04/17/2005 8:17:17 PM PDT by yooper (If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there......)
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To: mwyounce

You express my bitterness well.


30 posted on 04/17/2005 8:17:23 PM PDT by The Westerner
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To: tertiary01

And Elian's Mother gave her life to bring her son, so he can have a better, a free life here...

BTW -- ALL Cubans are here legally, because, once they step on US soil, they are entitled to stay legally, as per the 1966 Cuban Adjustment Act.


31 posted on 04/17/2005 8:18:37 PM PDT by FairOpinion
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To: DCPatriot

In Terri's case, the choice was between life and death, we are for life.

In Elian's case, the choice was between freedom or slavery, we were/are for freedom.

It is sad, that some FReepers stand for death for an innocent defenseless woman, and slavery for an innocent, defenseless child.


32 posted on 04/17/2005 8:21:28 PM PDT by FairOpinion
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To: Tired of Taxes

Or maybe Elian will become a democratically elected leader of Cuba.


33 posted on 04/17/2005 8:22:49 PM PDT by FairOpinion
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To: Californiajones

"Elian cost us the election" was Clintoon's remark on Jan 19, 2001, his last day in office


===


At least he remembered...


34 posted on 04/17/2005 8:23:43 PM PDT by FairOpinion
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To: FairOpinion
The image you posted was the "softer" of two that were taken when Clinton-Reno's thugs kicked down the door. That's the image that the liberal press most often chose to run. Here, below it, is the other image - - the one with Elian screaming in horror. I recall that the liberal newsrooms didn't like that one as much:



35 posted on 04/17/2005 8:24:04 PM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: Lancey Howard

Thanks for posting the other picture too.


36 posted on 04/17/2005 8:25:55 PM PDT by FairOpinion
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To: FairOpinion
"Elian cost us the election" was Clintoon's remark on Jan 19, 2001, his last day in office

The toon always had an excuse. The buck stopped.... over there somewhere.
But in this case he was correct - - Elian cost the rats Florida and the election.

37 posted on 04/17/2005 8:26:03 PM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: CHARLITE

So are we supporting illegal immigration only when its a cute kid and it would really stick it to Castro. I'm sure there's people who support what that militia group in NM is doing that also wanted Elian to stay, people struggle to get here and have family members die trying all the time.

I agree he should have been able to stay and the way it was handled with the raid was wrong, just trying to be devils advocate or whatever.


38 posted on 04/17/2005 8:26:21 PM PDT by Nomad817
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To: FairOpinion
It is sad, that some FReepers stand for death for an innocent defenseless woman, and slavery for an innocent, defenseless child.

Yeah, and I found myself on the right side of the law in both cases. Pun intended.

OTOH, you probably were calling for scrapping the Constitution and looking for a friendly judge to do your bidding.

39 posted on 04/17/2005 8:26:41 PM PDT by DCPatriot (How about those Baltimore Orioles?)
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To: CHARLITE

"Elián González says he wants to be a gymnast when he grows up"

So he can defect, and get out of that hell hole.

Question - After he defects, would President Hillary send him back to Cuba?


40 posted on 04/17/2005 8:26:53 PM PDT by FatherofFive (Choose life!)
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