April 24, 2000
Like millions of other Americans, I am genuinely concerned at the grotesque image of Elian Gonzalez being forcibly taken from the custody of family members in Miami before dawn last Saturday morning.
At the outset, in a conversation with Attorney General Reno several weeks ago, I urged that she allow the relevant courts to make the custody judgement for Elian after all information by both sides had been heard and considered. The Attorney General firmly but politely rejected my
suggestion.
At approximately the same time Senator Mack and I jointly proposed legislation in the Senate to award citizenship to Elian now so that whatever happens in this dispute and whether he is returned to Cuba, he would have the choice of becoming an American citizen.
When he reaches the age of 18, he could walk into the office of the U.S. Interests Section in Cuba and achieve the dream for which his mother gave her life. Elian Gonzalez should be given real, tangible hope that he will live free of the shackles of the communist dictatorship created by
Fidel Castro.
Most of all, Elian’s future ought now to be decided by U.S. courts – not by the Clinton Administration and Fidel Castro working together or separately. |