Elian's Miami Family May Be Drunk Drivers And Criminals, But They Love Him And Believe In Freedom

Since last December, Elián Gonzalez, the 6-year-old Cuban refugee boy, has become for those who love gossip about the living what Jon Benet Ramsey was for the morbid Enquirer readers. Who killed Jon Benet remains a police issue. But the Elian case is downright ideological because it involves the issue of freedom v. so-called parental rights. Who should have custody over this boy who watched his mother drown off the Florida coast late last year? His father, a dirty communist in Cuba, or his freedom-loving relatives in free Miami?

US officials went to Cuba and interviewed Elian's father and found him to be a fit parent. How could they possibly have concluded that a man committed to Fidel Castro and his commie doctrine could be a fit father? How can you love your little boy and say you're a Marxist? Indeed, if freedom is our ultimate value, how can Attorney Janet Reno hand this kid over to a commie tyrant? The boy is obviously happy here. Look at the photos of him kicking a soccer ball near his cute little house in Miami. He has posed with great-uncles Lázaro and Delfin González and cousins Jose and Luis Cid, men who, judging from the photos, obviously love him. So what that Uncle Lazaro has had four convictions for driving under the influence during the 1990's. Big deal that his license was revoked or suspended for three years! He underwent treatment for his alcoholism in July 1997. More importantly, Lazaro obviously believes in freedom -- to drive while drunk anyway.

Great Uncle Delfin also pursued the freedom to drive while inebriated. But he paid the price for it. He lost his license for two years. And only two of his four drunk driving accidents involved property damage or personal injury. Last month, cousin Jose, one of Lázaro and Delphin's nephews, began serving a 13-year sentence for grand theft, forgery and violating probation. His twin brother, Luis Cid, goes on trial next week for robbing a tourist last year. Just because his relatives have criminal records and drive while drunk doesn't mean they don't love the kid. Loving the little boy is the opposite side of the hating communism coin. Just compare the risk of Elian driving in a car with Uncles Lazaro or Delfin, or accompanying one of his cousins on a second story job, when they get out of prison, with the risk of sending him back to his Marxist father.

Elian's other great uncle, Manuel, has been barred from seeing the boy because he believes the kid should go home. He's a closet commy, say those who want Elian to stay here. Who else would send a small boy back to Castro - who is obviously going to control every thought of the boy, just as he controls every thought of all residents of the island. The anti-Castro Cuban American National Foundation CANF has dealt correctly with Elian's trauma by buying him toys, a puppy, and trips to Disney world. That's the American way. What better treatment for a boy who lost his mother than to shower him with all the wonderful things that makes this country great?

CANF has also organized press conferences for Elian. They encourage TV cameras to park outside his house and take pictures of him playing with toys. Being on TV, now that's real freedom. That pinko Janet Reno says she plans to return the boy to his father just because it's the law and it would subvert our migration Accord with Cuba and compromise the US position in almost 2,000 international custody cases. What a sad comment on this Administration! Choosing law above freedom!

On the psychological plane, wrapping the kid in the US flag and drenching him in Disney world and toys more than compensates for the absence of his law-abiding and sober father, who suffers from the character defect of being a commy. Well, given these facts, you decide!

Saul Landau is the Hugh O. LaBounty Chair of Interdisciplinary Applied Knowledge at California State Polytechnic University