By Susan Brady Konig. NY Post. May 24, 2000
DONATO Dalrymple, the fisherman/housecleaner who saved Elian Gonzalez's life, is suing Janet Reno for unnecessary roughness during that horrific raid in Miami last month.
He claims the unreasonable search and seizure violated his rights as an American citizen. At least he's keeping the story in the headlines.
Where's good old media scrutiny when we need it? Why has everybody thrown up their hands on this Elian Gonzalez case now that the 6-year-old's out of sight at Castro's summer residence in Maryland?
Perhaps it has to do with the vague and inaccurate views of many of our top governmental agencies. Apparently, according to a State Department spokesman, Elian, his dad, stepmom and half brother have the freedom to go anywhere they want on their U.S. visitors' visas.
Still, they stay locked up at the Wye Plantation, never leaving.
Unless of course it involves a fancy dinner, Nintendo and a swimming pool at a pro-Castro get-together in Georgetown given by Smith Bagley, the head of the Arca foundation, which throws its money behind free trade with Cuba.
And strangely, the Justice Department is unable to recognize the uniform Elian is wearing these days - that of the Pioneers Communist-indoctrination group which Cuban schoolchildren are required to join.
An INS spokesperson maintained that it's up to the father how Elian is educated and clothed. Conveniently, Juan Gonzalez has made the same "choice" that every father in Castro's Cuba is forced to make.
Why not just send Elian back?
If he's not going to enjoy the freedoms of this country while he awaits the results of our legal system, why not have him in the real Cuba, instead of living like a prisoner in Maryland where no one can visit without the approval of the Cuban government?
Everyone was outraged about this case when the boy was happily scampering around the backyard of his relatives' house in Miami.
Now no one's saying a word even though we - the public and the press - are completely denied any access to a child who's applied for asylum here in the U.S. but, during that waiting period, is being held captive by the country he is attempting to flee.
Cuba is calling the shots on our soil.
It's all about parent's rights, right? What about grandparents rights? Why no concern for Elian's grandmother, the one back in Cuba being held in a government facility "for her own protection"?
Of course we're all supposed to buy into the premise that Juan Miguel is free to make any decision regarding his son while Castro holds his grandmother hostage.
And what about Elian's playmates, shipped up to Maryland by Castro so Elian wouldn't have to fraternize with freedom-tainted American children? In a television interview with a reporter, the mother of one of the Cuban kids expressed concern as to when her child would be allowed to return home.
Allowed? Apparently the mother has no real say in the matter. And neither does Juan Miguel Gonzalez. Elian has not been returned to the father's custody because the father never had custody. In Cuba, only Fidel has custody.
The AP photo of little Elian in his Communist-indoctrination uniform tells a very disturbing story.
Put it next to that other photo - the one taken on April 22 in Elian's uncle's house in Miami - the one of the federal agent and Elian and Donato the fisherman/housecleaner.
It's very difficult to look at these photos, and the indisputable facts surrounding them, without reaching this conclusion: With the total cooperation of the United States government, little Elian's mind is back under the control of Fidel Castro.
And with the total cooperation of the United States government, Elian's body will soon follow.
You can e-mail Susan Brady Konig at skonig@nypost.com.
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