Remember Elian Gonzalez?

[Gawain of Orkeny]

Ive been wondering what ever happened to him and how he was doing in Cuba. I should have guessed.

Elian, '60 Minutes,' and the party line
Oct 10, 2005
by Jeff Jacoby ( bio | archive | contact )

Email to a friend Print this page Text size: A A Like Winston Smith, Elián Gonzalez has learned to love Big Brother. CBS News loves him, too. Elián's excuse is that he is 11 years old and has been brainwashed by a totalitarian police state. What excuse is there for CBS?

Last week, "60 Minutes" aired an interview with Elián, the Cuban boat child who survived a desperate escape from Fidel Castro's island dictatorship in November 1999 only to be forcibly turned over to the Cubans by the Clinton administration the following April. The story was a shameless piece of agitprop. From correspondent Bob Simon's opening description of the Elian affair as a conflict on the order of the Bay of Pigs invasion and the 1962 missile crisis to his fawning speculation at the end that Elián "may have a future in Cuban politics," virtually the entire segment had the oily feel of Cuban government propaganda. Which it may literally have been: Simon disclosed that "Castro's personal cameraman" had "helped" put the story together.

Anyone who watched "60 Minutes" knows that Elián now has "carefully gelled hair." That he is the president of his seventh-grade class. That he likes math and wants to be a computer scientist. That he thought the best part about being interviewed was getting "a bottle of really cold water and a gizmo in his ear for simultaneous translation." And don't forget that hair.

"What's also changed about you is your hair," Simon cooed. "Your hair looked very different then. You didn't have hair like that."

Ever since his forced return to Cuba in April 2000, Elián has been exploited endlessly by the communist government's disinformation apparatus. "60 Minutes" showed him being welcomed as a "conquering hero" and delivering a "patriotic speech in front of the cameras and Castro." (An excerpt of that speech, complete with servile "Viva Fidel," is posted on the CBS website.) "Che Guevara was yesterday," Simon intoned, "Elián Gonzalez is today, and that's precisely how the regime is playing him."

But Elián was not the only one being played by the regime. "60 Minutes" made much of the fact that Castro came to Elián's elementary school graduation and pronounced himself Elián's friend. "That's quite something, isn't it," Simon gushed, "for the president of a country to say he's honored to have a kid as a friend?"

Elián: Yes, and it's also very moving to me. And I also believe I am his friend.

Simon: Do you think of him as a friend?

Elián: Not only as a friend, but also as a father.

Simon: If you had a problem, would you call him up and tell him about it?

Elián: I could.

Well, it is good to know that Elián thinks so highly of Castro. And one must admire the restraint shown by "60 Minutes," which somehow managed to avoid mentioning that Elián's friend and surrogate "father" is also the world's longest-ruling tyrant, a sadist who has killed or imprisoned tens of thousands of dissidents, and, not incidentally, the Stalinist thug who drove Elizabet Brotons -- Elián's mother -- to her death in the Florida Straits.

Come to think of it, why did Brotons want so desperately to leave Cuba? Why was she willing to risk her and her son's life on such a dangerous -- in her case, fatal -- attempt to cross the 90 miles that separate Cuba from freedom? Was it was the grinding poverty, the ubiquitous rationing, the constant shortages? Was it the lack of the free speech? The suppression of religion? The inability to criticize the government without risking years behind bars? Was it the informers on every block? The political dossier maintained on every student's "political attitude and social conduct?" Was it the knowledge that once Elián turned 11, he would be subject to mandatory labor for six to eight weeks every year? Was it the sheer, soul-crushing misery of living in a country routinely ranked as one of the most unfree places in the world?

"60 Minutes" had nothing to say about any of that.

On the other hand, it did show Elián saying -- when prodded by Simon -- that he had no good memories of his stay in Miami, that the relatives who cared for him "tormented" him by speaking of his mother, and that when he was seized at gunpoint by a federal SWAT team, he "felt joy that I could get out of that house."

It bears repeating: Elián is only 11, and was just 5 when these events took place. He cannot be blamed for spouting the Communist Party line. But CBS has no such excuse. "Helped" by "Castro's personal cameraman," indeed. Edward R. Murrow must be spinning in his grave.

Yes hes much better off there..

[Strike For The South]

Who honestly cares? In a couple of years Castro is gone and I can get my smokes.

[lars573]

Ive been wondering what ever happened to him and how he was doing in Cuba. I should have guessed.



Yes hes much better off there..

Indeed he is the education and health care systems are 2 times better than what he would get in Florida. Especially since Castro wants to milk his PR potential, he'll make sure the little guy gets all the best.

[Alexander the Pretty Good]

And yet he seems to have no idea he's living in a totalitarian state.

Brainwashing also a plus?

[solypsist]

so it seems people outside of the US are not allowed to be content. or at least appear so.

[Crazed Rabbit]

Indeed he is the education and health care systems are 2 times better than what he would get in Florida.

And the official propaganda of a totaltarian regime should be trusted why...?

so it seems people outside of the US are not allowed to be content. or at least appear so.

Way to crush that straw man!

Crazed Rabbit

[AggonyKing]

yes. I went to cuba recently, and no one seem to know were he is, so I'm guessing it got old, but there's these new campaing for the 5 heroes *cough* Spies *cough*

[Crazed Rabbit]

Not only spies, but people who gave flight patterns of a Cuban resistance group operating in international waters to Castro, who had his air force shoot down one of their planes.

Crazed Rabbit

[AggonyKing]

Not only spies, but people who gave flight patterns of a Cuban resistance group operating in international waters to Castro, who had his air force shoot down one of their planes.

Crazed Rabbit

castro will do anything to keep that dam economic blockade, with out it, he's nothing, dam the guy is smart

[Soulforged]

And the official propaganda of a totaltarian regime should be trusted why...?

Did he said that? First try to separate, then try to abstract yourself, and finally try to priorize when you make your statement.

so it seems people outside of the US are not allowed to be content. or at least appear so.

Yes I love this quote:

Why was she willing to risk her and her son's life on such a dangerous -- in her case, fatal -- attempt to cross the 90 miles that separate Cuba from freedom?

castro will do anything to keep that dam economic blockade, with out it, he's nothing, dam the guy is smart

You don't need to be smart if you can use force for everything. Besides "the guy" is loosing his mind recently.

[Hurin_Rules]

So a father should have his own son returned to him if, and only if, we are allies with the political regime under which he lives?

Great family values there.

Sorry, the father has a greater right to his son than anyone else, and that was ultimately what the case boiled down to.

[Adrian II]

Sorry, the father has a greater right to his son than anyone else, and that was ultimately what the case boiled down to.

That was what it boiled down to, but the case was about more than that. Both sides used him for propaganda reasons. However, in the U.S. Elian could camp outside the President's home for a month to protest his policies and get a hearing from the press. In Cuba he can not say so much as 'booh' to Castro without having privileges withdrawn from him and his family.

[English assassin]

However, in the U.S. Elian could camp outside the President's home for a month to protest his policies and get a hearing from the press. In Cuba he can not say so much as 'booh' to Castro without having privileges withdrawn from him and his family

Bring back Batista ! Down with universal healthcare and an average life expectancy of 77.23 yrs (compare US, 77.71)

I'm SURE its Elian's inability to protest against the government that is upsetting the right wing posters here, seeing how supportive they all were of Cindy Sheenan (?sp?).

Hurin rules rules. The child should be with his father. Maybe we could debate Cuba in another thread.

[Louis VI the Fat]

I'm SURE its Elian's inability to protest against the government that is upsetting the right wing posters h

Hey, that's what's upsetting me as well.

Bottom line for me was that you don't return a boy to a country run by perfid commies, regardless of whether they have decent healthcare or not.

[Tribesman]

Not only spies, but people who gave flight patterns of a Cuban resistance group operating in international waters to Castro, who had his air force shoot down one of their planes.

Would that be the CIA backed terrorist group whose ex-military plane was shot down by Cuban fighters in Cuban Airspace ?
Or have you been listening to too much of ....the official propaganda of a totaltarian regime ?

Sorry, the father has a greater right to his son than anyone else, and that was ultimately what the case boiled down to.
Yep family values , it is better for a child to live with his father than with a convict in a house of convicts .
Besides which he was a wetfoot , since '94 wetfoots have to be repatriated , its government policy .

castro will do anything to keep that dam economic blockade,
Yes it is voted on every year , and every year it is always Cuba that uses its Veto so that the blockade is kept in place .

[English assassin]

Bottom line for me was that you don't return a boy to a country run by perfid commies, regardless of whether they have decent healthcare or not

Why ever not? Cuba certainly has a bad record on fair trials and other important issues, but the healthcare and life expectancy is interesting, no? It suggests to me that maybe this is a communist regime that is actually trying some form of communism, as opposed to arbitrary rule by and in the interests of the apparachniks. Probaly they could do a bit better if Uncle Sam hadn't spent the last 40 years trying to [perform a sex act after which it may be uncomfortable to sit down] on them.

I'd disagree with this in principle, but its also worth adding that Castro will die shortly, whereupon Cuba will no doubt be immediately opened up to exploitation by sugar producing multinationals paying well under the US minimum wage, just like the good old days. Why, I bet they'll even have those foreign owned casinos open again soon. So Elian will get his chance to live in a capitalist paradise anyway.

[Idaho]

The US gets it's knickers in a twist over Cuba and the rest of the world is largely non-plussed.

That 'article' was perhaps one of the worst pieces of journalism I have read in ..hmm.. days now. It is completely unsubstantive and just repeats the original material making scary ghost noises in the background.

[Adrian II]

Cuba certainly has a bad record on fair trials and other important issues, but the healthcare and life expectancy is interesting, no?

Sounds like the ideal prison to me.

(..) Castro will die shortly, whereupon Cuba will no doubt be immediately opened up to exploitation by sugar producing multinationals paying well under the US minimum wage, just like the good old days. Why, I bet they'll even have those foreign owned casinos open again soon.

After Castro's death I think we will see a lenghty transition in which the Communist party cadres will secure their cut of the profits whilst the country gradually opens up to the Miami fascists. Cuba will not become a cesspool, it will probably be more like Nicaragua after the Sandinistas.

[Tribesman]

My mistake ....Would that be the CIA backed terrorist group whose ex-military plane was shot down by Cuban fighters in Cuban Airspace ?

It is only an established fact tha BTTR 1 was in Cuban airspace , is still disputed if BTTR 2&3 were in Cuban or international airspace .
Interesting to note that the pilot of BTTR 1 , a terrorist implicated in 30 murders has said that the Joint Chiefs , Airforce (NORAD) and USMC are liars , I thought they were his friends

[yesdachi]

The US gets it's knickers in a twist over Cuba and the rest of the world is largely non-plussed.

That 'article' was perhaps one of the worst pieces of journalism I have read in ..hmm.. days now. It is completely unsubstantive and just repeats the original material making scary ghost noises in the background.

Excellent way of describing the article! Wooooo indeed.

As to Cuba, the US does get more excited about anything that happen there because it is only 90 miles away and there are a lot of people of Cuban decent here.

Not at you, Idaho, just in general.
I am curious if the Cuban people are looking forward to changes after Castro’s passing. Perhaps if there are any Cubans out there they could tell us their thoughts… … *crickets* … … oh, I’m sorry without free speech there’s not much chance for any Cubans to tell us their thoughts.

I don’t think state healthcare is a bad idea but I wouldn’t want to give up any of the limited freedoms I have to get it.

[Tribesman]

there are a lot of people of Cuban decent here
Damn hispanic illegal immigrants , sneaking into the States , taking honest Americans jobs .....forget the Mexican border , send the minuteman project vigilantes to the Florida coastline .
Hmmm.....I wonder why the usual anti-illegal immigrant posters are so pro- illegal immigrant when it comes to this subject ?

[BDC]

Cuba is entirely America's fault anyway. Castro only became a communist because America didn't want him to replace wossname, the chap before. So much corruption...

[Tribesman]

Cuba is entirely America's fault anyway.
Not "entirely" BDC , mainly would be a better word to use .

[Crazed Rabbit]

So a father should have his own son returned to him if, and only if, we are allies with the political regime under which he lives?

Great family values there.

Sorry, the father has a greater right to his son than anyone else, and that was ultimately what the case boiled down to.

His father? From whom he had been seperated since nearly a baby? Who hadn't seen him in years? How convenient to forget that his own mother died trying to get him to the USA. Admit it: the people here don't care a whit about returning him to his father, they just wanted to appease Castro.

The case didn't boil down to that, it boiled down to Clinton kissing Castro's butt.

And where is all this crap about 'great healthcare' coming from? It seems many are eager to believe whatever Castro's propaganda machine pumps out.

If his healthcare is so great, why hospitals in Havana look like this: http://www.therealcuba.com/Page10.htm?

If it's free to all, why are cubans forced to use crappy hospitals such as the one above, and only cash paying tourists get to stay in the nice hospitals?

And why is the Topes de Collantes Tuberculosis Hospital, truly free to all Cubans during Batsita, now only open to wealthy tourists?

Crazed Rabbit

[English assassin]

And where is all this crap about 'great healthcare' coming from? It seems many are eager to believe whatever Castro's propaganda machine pumps out.

Since you ask, I always source basic country statistics, like life expectancy, from the CIA world fact book. It may well be crap but it saves arguments with right wing American posters.

[Tribesman]

Nice site Rabbit I do like the page that lists the poor innocent Americans who have been assassinated , executed and disappeared , some great cases there eh ?

And why is the Topes de Collantes Tuberculosis Hospital, truly free to all Cubans during Batsita, now only open to wealthy tourists?

Is that because they have eradicated TB amongst the locals ? And how was it free healthcare to all Cubans under Batista . 78% of the population lived in rural locations , there was only one rural hospital , it had 10 beds there are now 62 rural hospitals. Only 8% of the rural population had access to healthcare .
Since you ask, I always source basic country statistics,
Yeah them statistics can be a bit of a bugger can't they , that infant mortality one should really make Rabbit wonder why his countries is lagging behind Cubas , or the ratio of doctors to patients , or dentists , or world leading medical training institutes . I wonder how much more they could have achieved if it wasn't for the embargo and economic sabotage .

[Crazed Rabbit]

Since you ask, I always source basic country statistics, like life expectancy, from the CIA world fact book. It may well be crap but it saves arguments with right wing American posters.

I didn't say life expectancy was crap.

Is that because they have eradicated TB amongst the locals ?

If so, why don't they let the locals come in for free anyway? Or do they just declare TB to be eradicated and close the hospital to the locals?

I wonder how much more they could have achieved if it wasn't for the embargo and economic sabotage .

Not much. They're a communist state; they never have good economies.

And are you going to actually try and refute the facts about healthcare on that site? Or just try to dismiss them?

Crazed Rabbit

[English assassin]

And are you going to actually try and refute the facts about healthcare on that site? Or just try to dismiss them?

Well, since Cuba seems to be doing as well as the US on the basic healthcare outcome measures such as life expectancy and infant mortality, I was rather drawing the global inference that health in Cuba must be pretty good. There may be other reasons to prefer the US to Cuba but health doesn't seem to be one of them.

My broader point was that it appears that whatever it may be Cuba is not a kleptocracy, since there seems to be some reasonable attention being paid to the welfare of the population at large.

Come on, the persistence of a communist regime in Cuba for 40 years, after all that has been thrown at it, does deserve a slightly more thoughtful analysis than the scary ghost noises Idaho rightly identified. Maybe Cubans like it? Maybe Uncle Sam's hosility to ther regime has actually kept it in power? Maybe someone in the White House should be asking themselves these questions?

[Tribesman]

And are you going to actually try and refute the facts about healthcare on that site? Or just try to dismiss them?

Firstly , what facts ?
Secondly , that site yes it is full of facts
So far "facts" that you have put forward are ;
Healthcare was free for all under Batista ...False
A hospital for fee paying foriegners is open to fee paying foriegners ...yes well .....that is because they are fee paying foriegners at a fee paying hopital for foriegners
A site that has some photos , hey I could provide you some nice photos of civilised western hospitals to match those if I had had a camera with me .
So another facts you have put foreward in this thread....
Not only spies, but people who gave flight patterns of a Cuban resistance group operating in international waters to Castro, who had his air force shoot down one of their planes.
...would those be the same flight plans that the "resistance group" have to submit to Havana ATC if they intend to cross the 24th parallel ?
So , it does raise the question , do you understand the meaning of the word "fact" ?

[Spino]

Come on, the persistence of a communist regime in Cuba for 40 years, after all that has been thrown at it, does deserve a slightly more thoughtful analysis than the scary ghost noises Idaho rightly identified. Maybe Cubans like it? Maybe Uncle Sam's hosility to ther regime has actually kept it in power? Maybe someone in the White House should be asking themselves these questions?

Maybe Cubans like it?!? Chances are that most who don't like it live in fear of recrimination if they speak out against the imperfections of the 'glorious revolution'. You really need to speak with some Cuban families living in Florida on the pros and cons of life in modern Cuba. Many of them, especially the more recent emigres, are all too willing to offer insightful commentary on what life is really like in Cuba. It should come as no surprise that the overwhelming majority of them despise virtually everything associated with Fidel and the revolution. This past summer I had the opportunity to watch "The Motorcycle Diaries" with one Cuban family. Some... err, 'choice' comments were made about Che, especially during the scenes that made him out to be some selfless, messianic figure in the making.

I would agree that the U.S. embargo has probably done more to keep Castro in power and the 'revolution' alive than anything else. Thanks to the embargo Castro has had an easier time controlling what goods can and cannot enter the country. Furthermore the embargo has become a powerful propaganda tool in that it is no doubt cited as the primary cause for all that ails Cuba and the revolution.

When Fidel finally kicks the bucket expect that island to explode in a massive celebration the likes of which have not been seen since the Berlin Wall fell.