Thought I would share this with the board; a good Op Ed piece on Sen. Bob Smith's and others reactions to the raid in Miami,
SM
Politicians, Cubans in NH react angrily to predawn raid
By SHAWNE K. WICKHAM
Sunday News Staff
"Our nation has died a little this morning," a Cuban-born retired history professor from Plymouth said yesterday, reacting to the federal government's pre-dawn seizure of 6-year-old Elian Gonzalez in Miami.
Like many in New Hampshire, Manuel Marquez-Sterling, who retired last year from his teaching post at Plymouth State College, was riveted by the televised images of the small boy being removed from his Miami relatives' home at gunpoint. But for him and other Cuban-Americans interviewed yesterday, it felt like a betrayal.
"I came to this country 40 years ago, fleeing from that government in Cuba, because I thought this was the country of law, democracy and principles," he said. "And frankly, today, I am shaking. I don't know if I am in the right country or not."
"It's incredible that this is happening in the country of the home of the free and the brave."
A lifelong student of history, Marquez-Sterling said, "Nations don't die suddenly and from external causes. Nations die slowly, a little event after another little event, and from within. We should say a prayer for our nation because I think it has died a little this morning."
Sylvia Abelleira of Nashua, who teaches Spanish at Nashua High School, said she felt that Cuban-Americans like herself had once again been "betrayed by the Democratic party."
"The first one was during the Bay of Pigs, the second was during the Carter government when Fidel Castro sent all the people in jails and people in mental hospitals and prostitutes, and he flooded Miami with that kind of garbage, and this is the third time that the government bowed their head to the master Fidel Castro," she said.
She believes it was fear that Castro once again would send criminals and other unwanted individuals to America that was behind the Clinton administration's decision to go after the boy.
But Abelleira, who came to this country with her two young children in 1967 and became an American citizen four years later, said the wire service photo of Elian Gonzalez being removed at gunpoint from his relatives' home will be used as propaganda by Castro. "With that picture, Fidel is going to tell all the children in Cuba that this is what the American government does to children," she said.
"And unfortunately, the American people don't know what is happening in Cuba. They just see a poor father away from his lovely son, but that is not the case. That son is going to hell; he's not going to be in the arms of a loving father," said Abelleira.
Politicians outraged Members of New Hampshire's congressional delegation were among those denouncing the tactics used by federal agents who took the boy during the lightning-quick raid. In a prepared statement, U.S. Sen. Bob Smith (R-NH) said the child had been subjected to "violent police tactics better suited for the Gestapo or KGB than for a country or a government that is supposed to uphold the rule of law and protect our basic freedoms."
And in a telephone conference call with reporters, Smith said, "I'm disgusted, I'm angry, I'm sad. I couldn't feel worse if my own son were taken."
Smith, who traveled to Florida in January to meet with the child and his relatives there, said he has talked by phone with the family "almost on a daily basis," and believes an agreement could have been worked out.
"I think this is one of the blackest marks in American history for our Justice Department," Smith said. "If that's justice, I don't want any part of it."
"We've got a criminal president and a criminal Justice Department, and they've now committed a criminal act," the senator said. He later said he was equally "disgusted" with members of his own party who failed to act in the case.
Smith reacted furiously when a reporter from a Seacoast newspaper asked whether he had received any political contributions from the South Florida Cuban-American community, cursing and calling it "an outrageous question at a time like this." But he did reply, saying, "No, I don't have one penny from the Cuban-American community."
U.S. Sen. Judd Gregg also issued a statement condemning the raid. "America is supposed to be a shining light to the world, where we value the interest of a child, and speak for a reasoned and compassionate approach to issues of human rights. By these actions today, the president and his administration have again shown their complete lack of understanding of these core values," he said.
U.S. Rep. John E. Sununu released a brief statement: "It is outrageous that the INS would endanger innocent lives by seizing a child at gunpoint. The federal courts have ruled that Elian Gonzalez has a right to remain in the United States throughout his hearing process, making this dangerous confrontation on the eve of the Easter holiday completely unnecessary."
And former U.S. Sen. Gordon Humphrey, who is seeking the Republican nomination for governor, also issued a press release calling the seizure of the boy "brutal, reckless and dangerous."
"Janet Reno learned nothing from the Justice Department's over-reaction in Waco," Humphrey said. "This is government at its ugliest."
Two nations compared Anna Lopez of Candia, who came here from Cuba alone at the age of 11 and became an American citizen when she was 22, said she was "appalled" at yesterday's developments. "Ripping away a 6-year-old boy, with an armed and masked man breaking into the room?" she asked. "I feel Clinton and Reno sold this little boy out to Castro."
"They had a deal with Castro, definitely," she said. "Castro was calling all the shots. That's what he does; he treats the Cuban people like puppets. He has strings, and he was doing this with the American government."
Lopez said she relates to Elian Gonzalez since she, too, came here as a child, alone. Her parents followed several months later; her father briefly returned to Cuba for a time to join the underground resistance, and she had an uncle and three cousins who fought in the Bay of Pigs invasion.
Lopez said she believes Elian's father should have custody, but that it should be "in a free country, not in Cuba."
"I agree that it was time for the father and son to be reunited, but it had to be done in another way, in a way where both families would be in agreement," she said.
Lopez, who works as a social worker for a child abuse prevention program, said what happened to Elian Gonzalez yesterday "was child abuse, definitely."
"I think I will have it for several weeks in my mind, the picture of that little baby looking, with his eyes popping out. He was horrified to see this man in a full mask and hat and riot gear and a big rifle pointed out."
Another Cuban-American who makes New Hampshire his home, Roberto Alonso of Orford, said he was "shocked" at what happened yesterday. "I think this has been horrible," he said. "I have been a sympathizer of Clinton so far, but this is over for me. I am going to vote Republican."
"I was thinking, this is the style of Reno and Clinton, no?...This is more Waco. The only thing is nobody has been killed, fortunately, so far, and for that I am happy."
Dozens of calls flooded the Sunday News switchboard as New Hampshire residents awoke to the news about Elian. Callers disagreed about who should ultimately have custody of the child, but virtually all said the government's methods were wrong.
However, one caller, Evelyn Medeiros of Merrimack, said she was glad the agents took Elian back to his father. But she was angry at the protesters she saw on television. "My concern is they are waving the American flag upside down," she said. "This should not be allowed. Our flag is being shown disrespect. Our country is being shown disrespect. We need to take a stand."
But Professor Marquez-Sterling explained flying an upside-down flag is a very old custom in Cuba when someone disagrees with the government. "Whenever we think the government has done something wrong, we fly the Cuban flag in reverse and it's a way to protest - which, by the way, is a very gentle protest vis-_-vis burning the flag," he said.
Marquez-Sterling was among those who criticized the timing of yesterday's raid, coming the day before Easter. "This is the holiest moment in the entire year, the resurrection, when life begins all over again," he said. "What is the message our government has sent? Couldn't they wait three more days? Do it on Monday? It's the day of resurrection."
Abelleira agreed. "They chose the worst moment, I think, of any kind for people, because they could do this Monday if they want to, but at least let the Holy Week finish in peace," she said.
Sen. Smith noted during his impeachment trial, President Clinton postponed the bombing of Iraq because of Ramadan. "Well, happy Easter, Mister President," he said bitterly.
Smith also turned some anger on the majority of Americans whom polls showed supported returning the boy to his father. "I hope all the 61 percent who think this is the right thing, I hope they have a nice Easter," he said.
SM
Politicians, Cubans in NH react angrily to predawn raid
By SHAWNE K. WICKHAM
Sunday News Staff
"Our nation has died a little this morning," a Cuban-born retired history professor from Plymouth said yesterday, reacting to the federal government's pre-dawn seizure of 6-year-old Elian Gonzalez in Miami.
Like many in New Hampshire, Manuel Marquez-Sterling, who retired last year from his teaching post at Plymouth State College, was riveted by the televised images of the small boy being removed from his Miami relatives' home at gunpoint. But for him and other Cuban-Americans interviewed yesterday, it felt like a betrayal.
"I came to this country 40 years ago, fleeing from that government in Cuba, because I thought this was the country of law, democracy and principles," he said. "And frankly, today, I am shaking. I don't know if I am in the right country or not."
"It's incredible that this is happening in the country of the home of the free and the brave."
A lifelong student of history, Marquez-Sterling said, "Nations don't die suddenly and from external causes. Nations die slowly, a little event after another little event, and from within. We should say a prayer for our nation because I think it has died a little this morning."
Sylvia Abelleira of Nashua, who teaches Spanish at Nashua High School, said she felt that Cuban-Americans like herself had once again been "betrayed by the Democratic party."
"The first one was during the Bay of Pigs, the second was during the Carter government when Fidel Castro sent all the people in jails and people in mental hospitals and prostitutes, and he flooded Miami with that kind of garbage, and this is the third time that the government bowed their head to the master Fidel Castro," she said.
She believes it was fear that Castro once again would send criminals and other unwanted individuals to America that was behind the Clinton administration's decision to go after the boy.
But Abelleira, who came to this country with her two young children in 1967 and became an American citizen four years later, said the wire service photo of Elian Gonzalez being removed at gunpoint from his relatives' home will be used as propaganda by Castro. "With that picture, Fidel is going to tell all the children in Cuba that this is what the American government does to children," she said.
"And unfortunately, the American people don't know what is happening in Cuba. They just see a poor father away from his lovely son, but that is not the case. That son is going to hell; he's not going to be in the arms of a loving father," said Abelleira.
Politicians outraged Members of New Hampshire's congressional delegation were among those denouncing the tactics used by federal agents who took the boy during the lightning-quick raid. In a prepared statement, U.S. Sen. Bob Smith (R-NH) said the child had been subjected to "violent police tactics better suited for the Gestapo or KGB than for a country or a government that is supposed to uphold the rule of law and protect our basic freedoms."
And in a telephone conference call with reporters, Smith said, "I'm disgusted, I'm angry, I'm sad. I couldn't feel worse if my own son were taken."
Smith, who traveled to Florida in January to meet with the child and his relatives there, said he has talked by phone with the family "almost on a daily basis," and believes an agreement could have been worked out.
"I think this is one of the blackest marks in American history for our Justice Department," Smith said. "If that's justice, I don't want any part of it."
"We've got a criminal president and a criminal Justice Department, and they've now committed a criminal act," the senator said. He later said he was equally "disgusted" with members of his own party who failed to act in the case.
Smith reacted furiously when a reporter from a Seacoast newspaper asked whether he had received any political contributions from the South Florida Cuban-American community, cursing and calling it "an outrageous question at a time like this." But he did reply, saying, "No, I don't have one penny from the Cuban-American community."
U.S. Sen. Judd Gregg also issued a statement condemning the raid. "America is supposed to be a shining light to the world, where we value the interest of a child, and speak for a reasoned and compassionate approach to issues of human rights. By these actions today, the president and his administration have again shown their complete lack of understanding of these core values," he said.
U.S. Rep. John E. Sununu released a brief statement: "It is outrageous that the INS would endanger innocent lives by seizing a child at gunpoint. The federal courts have ruled that Elian Gonzalez has a right to remain in the United States throughout his hearing process, making this dangerous confrontation on the eve of the Easter holiday completely unnecessary."
And former U.S. Sen. Gordon Humphrey, who is seeking the Republican nomination for governor, also issued a press release calling the seizure of the boy "brutal, reckless and dangerous."
"Janet Reno learned nothing from the Justice Department's over-reaction in Waco," Humphrey said. "This is government at its ugliest."
Two nations compared Anna Lopez of Candia, who came here from Cuba alone at the age of 11 and became an American citizen when she was 22, said she was "appalled" at yesterday's developments. "Ripping away a 6-year-old boy, with an armed and masked man breaking into the room?" she asked. "I feel Clinton and Reno sold this little boy out to Castro."
"They had a deal with Castro, definitely," she said. "Castro was calling all the shots. That's what he does; he treats the Cuban people like puppets. He has strings, and he was doing this with the American government."
Lopez said she relates to Elian Gonzalez since she, too, came here as a child, alone. Her parents followed several months later; her father briefly returned to Cuba for a time to join the underground resistance, and she had an uncle and three cousins who fought in the Bay of Pigs invasion.
Lopez said she believes Elian's father should have custody, but that it should be "in a free country, not in Cuba."
"I agree that it was time for the father and son to be reunited, but it had to be done in another way, in a way where both families would be in agreement," she said.
Lopez, who works as a social worker for a child abuse prevention program, said what happened to Elian Gonzalez yesterday "was child abuse, definitely."
"I think I will have it for several weeks in my mind, the picture of that little baby looking, with his eyes popping out. He was horrified to see this man in a full mask and hat and riot gear and a big rifle pointed out."
Another Cuban-American who makes New Hampshire his home, Roberto Alonso of Orford, said he was "shocked" at what happened yesterday. "I think this has been horrible," he said. "I have been a sympathizer of Clinton so far, but this is over for me. I am going to vote Republican."
"I was thinking, this is the style of Reno and Clinton, no?...This is more Waco. The only thing is nobody has been killed, fortunately, so far, and for that I am happy."
Dozens of calls flooded the Sunday News switchboard as New Hampshire residents awoke to the news about Elian. Callers disagreed about who should ultimately have custody of the child, but virtually all said the government's methods were wrong.
However, one caller, Evelyn Medeiros of Merrimack, said she was glad the agents took Elian back to his father. But she was angry at the protesters she saw on television. "My concern is they are waving the American flag upside down," she said. "This should not be allowed. Our flag is being shown disrespect. Our country is being shown disrespect. We need to take a stand."
But Professor Marquez-Sterling explained flying an upside-down flag is a very old custom in Cuba when someone disagrees with the government. "Whenever we think the government has done something wrong, we fly the Cuban flag in reverse and it's a way to protest - which, by the way, is a very gentle protest vis-_-vis burning the flag," he said.
Marquez-Sterling was among those who criticized the timing of yesterday's raid, coming the day before Easter. "This is the holiest moment in the entire year, the resurrection, when life begins all over again," he said. "What is the message our government has sent? Couldn't they wait three more days? Do it on Monday? It's the day of resurrection."
Abelleira agreed. "They chose the worst moment, I think, of any kind for people, because they could do this Monday if they want to, but at least let the Holy Week finish in peace," she said.
Sen. Smith noted during his impeachment trial, President Clinton postponed the bombing of Iraq because of Ramadan. "Well, happy Easter, Mister President," he said bitterly.
Smith also turned some anger on the majority of Americans whom polls showed supported returning the boy to his father. "I hope all the 61 percent who think this is the right thing, I hope they have a nice Easter," he said.