Elian at 11

[Catchawave]

Nice update ! And what a cutie-patootie :)

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/09/28/60minutes/main888950.shtml

(CBS) In the annals of conflict between Cubans and Americans, there was the Bay of Pigs, there was the Cuban Missile Crisis and, in 1999, there was Elian Gonzalez.

The last time we saw Elian, he was a 6-year-old in the eye of a storm in Miami, and possibly the youngest person ever to become the focus of an international crisis. Now, five years after he returned to Cuba with his father, you will hear Elian’s story from his point of view. 60 Minutes correspondent Bob Simon reports.

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At the age of 5, he survived an incredible sea journey after the boat he was on capsized during a storm. He was then caught up in another storm of sorts when his relatives in Miami tried to keep him with them, while his father wanted him back home in Cuba. During the entire five-month ordeal, everyone had something to say about Elian Gonzalez except Elian himself. He was the silent one, until now.

When we met Elian, now 11, what he seemed to like most about being interviewed was getting a bottle of really cold water and a gizmo in his ear for simultaneous translation. ....more

[freethought]

1. Did anyone get the impression that his answers were packaged

or "programed"? I personally did not. Still, I am not the best authority on that sort of thing. They did give a sound bite to some fellow who stated that Elian was "programed" by Castro. I think his repsonses were off time a little as he was listening to translations.

[glarius]

2. I watched it at 7PM and thought he was a normal little boy who answered

the questions naturally....The thing is he belonged with his father, communist or not and the whole silliness about him being programmed by Castro is ridiculous....He even graciously said he would not mind meeting his relatives in Miami again because "after all, they're my relatives."...I remember when his Miami relatives had him, he was put out on display daily....It certainly was not a normal or natural existence he was living then....Janet Reno did the right thing by sending him home to his father....

[freethought]

3. I would agree.

I didn't see anything that would indicate that he was not a normal kid.
One day he will be able to visit, I hope. Sorry, I am venting a little. I just think the Cuban embargo is wasted energy.

[glarius]

6. The Cuban embargo is ridiculous, IMO

The United States has normal relations with much worse countries than Cuba...It's completely hypocritical...

[Catchawave]

7. Viet Nam for one....

I never understood the Cuban embargo. If Castro's so evil, why haven't we "brought democracy" to them ?

[halley]

10. Economics

There is nothing there we want

[Catchawave]

11. What's funny, "swiftboat vet" backers are

heavily involved in Viet Nam economics! I remember reading about those who funded the swifties, also had financial interests in VN.

Cuba's a beautiful and historical Carribean Island, which would be a tourist mecca for the U.S., not to mention cigars!!

[EstimatedProphet]

15. Well, personally I wouldn't mind a Cuban cigar...

They are the best.

[RagingInMiami]

14. The only reason there is an embargo

Is because the Cubans down here insist on it, and they are a very powerful voting bloc. If anybody is programmed, it is the Miami Cubans.

The majority of them are programmed to vote for republican, no matter how it serves their interest, because they've been brainwashed into believing that a vote for a democrat is a vote for communism.

It's fucking ridiculous.

[cynatnite]

5. The Miami relatives were disgusting the way they displayed him...

I hated how they had to come and take him away, but there was no other choice, IMO. The boy belonged with his father whether we like the country he goes to or not.

[cynatnite]

4. A few times I thought, but...

I'm more than willing to be wrong because most of them seemed to come from him.

What was odd was the 'shrine' the Miami family had set up. That just squicked the hell out of me. Complete wacks, IMO.

[DoYouEverWonder]

8. What I saw was a nice, normal, well behaved young boy

Now imagine what he would have turned out like if he had stayed in Miami with his wacky relatives who were trying to turn him into the second coming. He probably would be an intolerable little brat at this point.

[0007]

9. Tis amazing what a good school can do for a lad.

[Catherine Vincent]

12. Yeah, I saw it over the weekend.

He and his family seem quite happy. I am happy that he was able to finally be with his father.

And yes he is still a cutey!

[ronnykmarshall]

13. Ahhhhh! What a sweet looking kid.

His dad's a handsome man too.