RE: Political kidnapping of 6-year-old Cuban Elian Gonzalez

Sure, you're right. The INS decision is correct imo, as is the public's
support for it and I'm sure most of this is done without any adulation of
Castro. But you don't find it a bit ironic that some of those expressing
such humanistic concern for the kid are also those who shrug their shoulders
at the often brutal repression within Cuba? Cameron Brooks' post ("Castro
isn't the issue...") was a perfect example of just the sort of uncritical
"adulation" to which Beatty refers. This isn't a minor issue, it's an echo
of a long, sad period in leftist politics which has either passively ignored
or actively justified the mass violence perpetrated in the name of leftist
ideologies in the 20th century ("Stalin is not the issue..."). The
excuse-making for Castro is just the last act in this farce, one which has
chosen hip posturing in place of confronting in a critical manner the
complexities and realities of all ideological constructs.


Anthony Chase


-----Original Message-----
From:   owner-wsn@csf.colorado.edu [mailto:owner-wsn@csf.colorado.edu] On
Behalf Of David Smith
Sent:   Friday, January 14, 2000 9:38 PM
To:     WORLD SYSTEMS NETWORK
Cc:     WORLD SYSTEMS NETWORK
Subject:        Re: Political kidnapping of 6-year-old Cuban Elian Gonzalez

Seems to me that the real issue here is whether a 6 year old belongs
with his surviving parent or not.  National polls of the US citizens show
that the majority think that he does and support the INS decision to
return the kid to his dad in Cuba.  Seems to me that reasonable
people can endorse that without any "adulation of Castro" (I doubt that
the many of the 56 percent of Americans who agree feel this "adulation"!)

dave smith
sociology
uc-irvine

On Fri, 14 Jan 2000, Jeffrey L. Beatty wrote:

> If indeed the boy is sent back to Cuba (as now seems quite possible), I
> think we should attach to him a note reading:  "Personal to Fidel:  Here's
> Elian Gonzalez, courtesy of the American government of laws.  You should
> try it some time."
>
> Sorry--as a post-1960s person, I have a hard time comprehending the
> adulation of Castro in some circles.
>
>
> --
> Jeffrey L. Beatty
> Doctoral Student
> Department of Political Science
> The Ohio State University
> 2140 Derby Hall
> 154 North Oval Mall
> Columbus, Ohio 43210
>
> (o) 614/292-2880
> (h) 614/688-0567
>
> Email:  Beatty.4@osu.edu
>
____________________________________________________________________________
> ___
> This is my quest/to follow that star/no matter how hopeless /no matter how
> far,
> to fight for the right/without question or pause,/to be willing to
> march into hell for a heavenly cause--"The Impossible Dream," Man of La
Mancha
>
>