Freedom And The Rule Of Law

To the Editor,

“Let Freedom Ring?” Responding to Paula Hopper’s insulting letter of April 19, I am proud of our government for finally stepping in to return Elian Gonzalez to his father. It should have been done months ago.

The overwhelming majority of Americans are not “clueless sheep,” nor are we “stupid,” nor are we “farm animals,” Paula. Americans are blessed with both freedom and common sense. You have every right to your opinion. That opinion is the opinion of a minority of Americans who, coincidentally, happen to disagree with everything the current elected administration chooses to do. The astonishing vituperation for the “Clinton Gang,” as you called them in your letter, reveals a hatred that is over the line. To attack Janet Reno for her medical condition is too low a blow. She serves our nation in spite of her “quaking” condition. You must know she has Parkinson’s disease and yet see nothing wrong with taking that cheap shot.

I wonder if this hatred for our elected government is going to end with the election in November or if this partisanship will become a fixture in American politics for future generations. How sad that would be. What happened to American civility? Can we not disagree without being disagreeable? Hate radio (Rush and his pals) and the politics of personal destruction have brought us to this.

Most Americans are very tired of the political agendas associated with the Elian matter. This case is not about Fidel, or Clinton-haters, or Democrats or Republicans, or even communism or capitalism. It is not about how many toys Elian will have or how many visits to Disneyworld. It is about a father’s right to raise his child.

Even if Elian’s father decides to return to Cuba with his son, so be it. The likelihood that Cuba will remain Communist in the future is slim to none. Have you so little faith in Freedom that you do not think it will soon extend to Cuba? Democracy has now blanketed the countries of Central and South America and graced the countries behind the former Iron Curtain. Freedom is compelling and contagious in an Information Age. We agree on one point, Paula: Communism doesn’t work, but politics should have nothing to do with Elian.

If it was Elian’s father who drowned in an attempt to reach American and his mother demanded his return, would you have objected? If your six-year-old child were held hostage by a second cousin in some other country, would you not want that nation’s government to step in and return your child? Would you not expect the people in this country to rally in your behalf?

Don’t wrap yourself in my flag, Paula. That is the oldest trick in the book. Our flag, the beautiful flag that towers over Newtown, stands for the rule of law. A father and his son are reunited and we should rejoice that the system, our system, works and that common sense finally prevails.

Tom Belli

Taunton Hill Road, Newtown                                      April 25, 2000