By Lionel Waxman. CNS / Flashpoint Commentary. 14 June, 2000
A cynic once said, "If you kill a few people, you're a murderer. If you kill millions, you're a statesman." American policy seems to recognize that aphorism, at least in the case of Cuba. At least for some refugees.
The court deciding the Elian Gonzales case restated our law of asylum. To be granted, the applicant must show a well-founded fear of persecution in his native land. But the surprise is that policy requires that the persecution single him out. If everyone in Cuba is subject to persecution, then
no one is: that's just the way it is in Cuba. On that basis, no one from Cuba is entitled to asylum.
But within days of the court's confirming that, INS granted asylum to other Cubans. So our policy is very flexible, one might even say arbitrary and capricious.
That arbitrariness is costing lives in the Caribbean and endangering our Coast Guard personnel. Because one of our policies, known as the "dry foot policy," allows migrants to stay only if they make it to land.
Those intercepted at sea resist rescue and even attack would-be rescuers. In one such incident, migrants in distress threatened suicide if the Coast Guard approached. Gun fire, pepper spray and gasoline fires marked the confrontation.
Our policy on Cuba is ridiculously inconsistent and cries out for re-evaluation. This is just not working.
Lionel Waxman is a nationally syndicated columnist and radio show host. |