by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright April 25, 2000
All Rights Reserved.

have no regrets whatsoever," said unrepentant Attorney General Janet Reno, defending her "Operation Reunion"—the predawn raid of Lazaro Gonzalez’s Little Havana abode, ironically snatching 6-year old shipwreck survivor Elian Gonzalez from the arms of his savior, fisherman Danato Dalrymple. No one’s supposed to ask what was he doing in Lazaro’s closet? With all the ire directed toward Janet Reno, where’s the outrage at Elian’s Miami relatives flaunting the law to dramatize the anti-Castro cause? When federal agents ransacked the house, the paparazzi were capturing another forgettable Kodak moment. While everyone’s pointing the finger at Reno, who really called the shots? What did she stand to gain—more bad publicity? God knows, after Waco and Ruby Ridge, she was already flirting with disaster. Was her ego really so offended having her overtures snubbed by Elian’s relatives? I don’t think so. Any way you cut it, Reno took the heat.

       With all the ongoing 'negotiations,' whose timetable were Elian’s relatives really on? By the time federal authorities arrived on the scene, they were methodically photographed by the wire services and others. If the Justice Department really orchestrated their plan, would they have deliberately documented another public relations nightmare? If they really controlled the event, they would have chosen a different a photo-op. Within hours after the rescue, posters circulated among demonstrators depicting a menacing agent and frightened child, captioned "Federal Abuse." Skeptics wonder whether the stage was already set for the inevitable. Ruling against the Miami relatives, the INS and Justice Department were committed to reuniting Elian with his father. Who knew better than the Miami relatives—and their representatives—that time was running out? Capturing those ugly images was their best hope for slapping the Justice Department in the face and preserving the anti-Castro cause.

       With Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) interrogating Janet Reno and calling for Senate hearings, is it any wonder that the public is so turned off to partisan politics? Milking episodes like this usually boomerangs causing more political backlash than it’s worth. Few voters—except a small minority of Cuban exiles—believe that Elian should have remained with his distant relatives. With all the criticism about some politicians following polls, it’s time to accept the wisdom in numbers. Finding yourself out of touch with reality and on the wrong side of too many issues only helps the opposition. It’s not anti-American to recognize the supremacy of a surviving parent’s inalienable right to be reunited with their child. No slogan, ideology or government can change this basic fact. Debates about political asylum have nothing to do with the stubborn reality of child custody.

       Insisting that Elian’s status should be determined in a family court completely misses the point. Ugly as it sounds, the proceedings in family courts are highly partisan. Just ask any family law practitioner. Exploiting the family court, Elian’s Miami relatives did their utmost to impeach the credibility of his father Juan Miguel Gonzalez. Citing baseless claims about his abusive propensities, or, when that proved false, stretching it to Cuba’s Communist regime, flashed the relatives’ true motives: Using Elian to advance the anti-Castro cause. Yes, they were kind and indulgent to their poster-boy—almost to a fault. Insisting that Elian’s fate should lie in the hands of family court completely ignores the reality that the burden of proof about Juan Miguel Gonzalez’s fitness as a parent doesn’t fall on him.

       Though the family’s videotape of Elian showed good amateur skill, it convinced very few people about Elian’s true feelings. Most people know that 6-year olds aren’t too concerned about demonizing countries or people. Now that the kid’s been snatched away, the family’s questioning the authenticity of government photos showing Elian smiling and happy with his father. Suggesting that he’s been brainwashed by the Justice Department sounds almost as credible as Fidel Castro coercing a father to say that he loves his son. Refusing to play by the rules, Elian’s caregivers went over the top when they suggested that they may have weapons inside the house. Much of Reno’s criticism surrounds using excessive force to free Elian. When negotiations failed, what was the Justice Department supposed to do? Enter Lazaro’s home unarmed and beg for cooperation? No way!

       Before a U.S. marshal’s plane lifted off the tarmack at Homestead Airforce Base with young Elian bound for Washington, the political fallout spread fast and furious. "A chilling picture that defies the values of America, and is not an image a freedom-loving nation wants to show the world," remarked Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush. Echoing Bush’s view, "these are the tactics of the Cuban government, not a free democracy which respects human rights and the rule of law," vented Rep. Senator Connie Mack of Florida. Walking a tightrope, Democratic presidential hopeful Al Gore weighed in saying, "[he would have preferred] that the matter to be resolved in court with the family coming together. Poor Janet Reno—you just can’t please all of the people all of the time.

       Putting politics aside especially during an election year is a tall order to fill. While high-fives aren’t in order, Janet Reno executed her clandestine plan to perfection. Though some were offended by the images and unexpected timing, the mission was accomplished without incident. Choosing to finally end this chapter of the Elian saga, Reno believed—together with a vast majority of Americans—that the 6-year old boy should be returned to his sole-surviving biological parent. With most experts agreeing with her view, she allowed common sense to seize the day. Ugly as the whole mess was, father and son were reunited. Despite protests from the exile community, Elian will return with his father to his life in Cuba. Like it or not, it’s better than being pulled like a piece of taffy between resolving his own trauma and playing poster-boy for the anti-Castro cause. With lots of love from his family and a little time, hopefully he’ll overcome this terrible nightmare. Who knows, maybe he’ll even recall something positive about his brief visit to the land of OZ.

About the Author

John M. Curtis is editor of OnlineColumnist.com and columnist for The Los Angeles Daily Journal. He’s director of a Los Angeles think tank specializing in human behavior, health care, political research and media consultation. He’s the author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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