Elian's relatives claim excessive force in suit over Miami raid

[yellowcanine]

Elian's relatives claim excessive force in suit over Miami raid


By CATHERINE WILSON
Associated Press Writer

MIAMI --

The estranged relatives of Elian Gonzalez claimed in a federal lawsuit Tuesday that six federal agents used excessive force in an armed raid on their home to seize
the boy and return him to Cuba.

Elian's cousin, great-uncle and his wife claim the armed officers broke down the front door unannounced, sprayed irritating gas, held people at gunpoint and shouted
obscenities at sleepy, unarmed relatives, supporters and news media in the pre-dawn raid in April 2000.

"There was no sort of resistance," family attorney Ed Farres said. The agents "were told, 'Put your guns down. You can take him.' None of that was heeded."

Elian returned home with his father two months later and celebrated his 10th birthday Friday with Cuban President Fidel Castro, who insisted in a two-hour speech
at the boy's school that his communist system will survive him.

EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT

[Democat]

1. Didn't they get the Republican memo a few years ago?

"Get over it!" :)

[yellowcanine]

2. "Uncle" Lazaro paraphrases FDR!

"This case is about what really happened in this house on that dawn of infamy."

Nice touch, Lazaro! Your little "battle" where no one got so much as a scratch can be compared to the attack on Pearl Harbor where thousands died and a large part of the U.S. Pacific Fleet was destroyed! Delusions of grandeur, anyone?

[Say_What]

5. Drunk Uncle Lazyo is the cretin who refused to speak English

any time he made an announcement to the media even though he's been in this country for more than 20 years. What a scum bucket.

Meanwhile, little Elian is growing up is safely back in Cuba with his REAL family and not those zoo keepers in Miami.


Fidel Castro (news - web sites), Cuban President, right, watches Elian Gonzalez during a party to celebrate the 10th birthday of Gonzalez-the shipwrecked boy who was the center of a fierce international custody battle four years ago- center, in the Elian's school in Cardenas, about 140 km at East of Havana on Friday December 5, 2003, in Matanzas, Cuba. Juan Miguel Gonzalez, Elian's father is in the left side with Elian's brother Liannis. (AP Photo/Cristobal Herrera)

[cosmicdot]

3. Elian was hiding in a bedroom closet when a black-clad agent burst in

"a black clad agent" uh, the US government ...

and, the media was inside the house filming it - the media could get in ...

... but our Atty General (who executed the event brilliantly) couldn't ... unfriggn' believable ...

who's financing this countdown to 2004 PR event?

disgusting

[Guaranteed]

40. Did you see that picture?

It's a fake. Look:



Please.

[David__77]

4. I heard there were armed anti-Castristas there...

I heard there were people with heavy weapons "guarding" the Gonzalez home. It seems that some in the Cuban-American community wanted a provocation--even bloodshed, so as to further their agenda. In order to thwart this possibility, it seems that the right use of force was used. I understand the noone was hurt.

[yellowcanine]

6. Nobody was hurt but

there was a lot of wounded pride on the part of the Miami relatives and the "fisherman".

[Say_What]

7. You heard right. Reports at the time said Orlando Bosch Avila

had been seen in the crowd around the house, but they were worried about other known felons, believed to be armed, in houses near the distant relatives house said to be positioned in case a rescue was attempted. It would be easy enough to turn up the reports, which were published just days after Janet and Co. rescued the boy.

Ah, Miami, haven for known terrorists in the US.

[DoYouEverWonder]

19. Orlando Bosch was in the house

he was Elian's 'pediatrican' and most of the supporters that were outside were members of CANF. Knowing CANF's history of violence, I think the DOJ had a right to be concerned.

Besides this whole story stinks from start to finish. This whole thing was another photo op brought to you by Friends of Bu$hCo in order to win Florida in 2000. Too bad the majority of Floridians still voted for Gore.

[0007]

33. I wasn't aware that Orlando Bosch was in the house...

And I didn't know that Orlando Bosch was an pediatrician. I do know that he is a terrorist that has been thrown in prison for blowing up airplanes and that junior's daddy gave him a pardon.

Check his rap sheet:

CRIMINAL INDEX FILE OF ORLANDO BOSCH

With the revolutionary triumph that took place in Cuba on January 1, 1959 behind him and the adoption of a series of measures that were to benefit the general population, Orlando Bosch begins to conduct contrarevolutionary activities in the central section of the island and El Escambray, establishing contacts with gangleaders in this region. The heads of these bands of bandits, committed such revolting and cruel acts as the murdering of farmers, teachers, and such heroic figures as Alberto Delgado-the man of Maisinicu.

In a clandestine fashion, he left the country in 1960 en route to Miami in the United States. On the 31st of August of the same year, he is designated as the general delegate in exile of the terrorist organization "MIRR" (Insurrectional Movement of Revolutionary Recuperation). In conjunction with this group, he planned, organized, and participated in actions against Cuba.

During judicial proceedings that took place in the United States following charges accusing him of exporting arms and ammunitions, Orlando Bosch testified on June 4, 1966 that the CIA had urged and supported him in his sabotage of the refinery in Habana.

During this period, Bosch was also directly or indirectly participating in the activities of "Movimiento Nacionalista Cubano" (Cuban Nationalist Movement) which was a band of terrorists based in the United States.

In the year 1968, he founded the contrarevolutionary group called "Poder Cubano" (Cuban Power) which he used as a means of developing and implementing his terrorist theme of war throughout the world. The primary goal of which was to attack, and in any way hurt the interests and objectives of those countries that had freely established diplomatic and commercial relations with Cuba.

The list of international terrorist attacks against the objectives of Spain, England, Japan, Mexico, Poland, and other countries that traded with Cuba, reached 78 in 1968, being condemned and repudiated by the international community.

Among the actions taken by this band of terrorists, we can cite the following as those in which their leader, Orlando Bosch, directly or indirectly participated:

1/8/68 Bomb sent in a suitcase to Havana, Cuba.
1/25/68 Bombs placed in various commercial establishments in the United States.
2/1/68 Bomb against Mexican consul in Miami, United States.
2/2/68 Bomb placed at the residence of the British consul in Miami.
3/12/68 Bomb placed at a restaurant owned by Cuban emigrants in the United States.
3/13/68 Bomb placed (but did not explode) at the Chilean consulate in the United States.
4/2/68 Bomb placed at a pharmaceutical company in the United States.
4/22/68 Bomb placed at the Mexican consulate in the United States.
4/22/68 Bomb placed at the Spanish office of tourism in the United States.
5/5/68 Bomb against the British vessel "Greenwood" in the United States.
5/25/68 Bomb placed on board the Japanese ship "Aroka Maru" in the U.S.
6/21/68 Bomb placed at the tourist offices of Spain in the United States.
6/23/68 Bomb placed at the Mexican offices of tourism in the U.S.
6/27/68 Bomb explodes in the garage of the Mexican consul in the U.S.
7/4/68 Bomb placed at the Cuban consulate in Canada.
7/4/68 Bomb placed at the tourism office of Canada in the U.S.
7/7/68 Bomb explodes at the Japanese Office of Tourism in the United States.
7/11/68 Bomb explodes near the Cuban mission in the United Nations damaging the Yugoslavian mission.
7/11/68 Bomb placed on board the Japanese vessel "Michagesan Maru" in Mexico.
7/14/68 Bomb at the Office of Tourism of Mexico in the United States.
7/15/68 Bomb is discovered at an office of the French government in the United States.
7/16/68 Unexploded bomb is discovered at the Mexican consulate in the U.S.
7/17/68 Bomb is placed but left unused at the house of a Cuban dignitary in the United States.
7/19/68 Bomb placed in the French Office of Tourism in the U.S.
7/19/68 Bomb placed at the Shell Petroleum Company building in England.
7/19/68 Bomb at a Japanese travel agency in the United States.
7/26/68 Bomb placed at Mexican tourism offices in the United States.
7/31/68 Bomb against British consulate in the United States.
8/3/68 Bomb placed at a branch of a British Bank in the U.S.
8/5/68 Bomb placed at the headquarters of the Communist Party in North America.
8/7/68 Bomb placed on board the Bahamian ship "Caribbean Venture" while at a U.S. port.
8/9/68 Bomb against Mexican Representatives in the U.S.
8/9/68 Bomb at the residence of the Mexican consul in Miami.
9/11/68 Bomb placed on British vessel docket at Mexican port.
9/12/68 Bomb explodes on board Spanish ship "Satrustegui" in Puerto Rico.
9/16/68 Bazooka attack against Polish ship in the United States
9/17/68 Bomb placed on board a Mexican airliner in the United States.
9/19/68 Bomb placed at the home of the Mexican consul in the United States.
10/18/68 Bomb at a Canadian travel agency.
10/20/68 Gas bomb at a theater where a Cuban actress was rehearsing.
10/24/68 Assassination attempts against the Cuban ambassador to the United Nations.
8/6/69 Bomb at the Mexican Department of Tourism in the United States.
8/6/69 Bomb placed the offices of Shell Oil of England in the U.S.
8/6/69 Bomb at the offices of Air France in the United States.

In October of 1968, United States officials detained his for his terrorist activities, further sentencing him to 10 years in prison.

In 1972, he was freed without serving his full sentence. However, while he was still in prison, he continued to plan and direct the activities, conducted by the terrorist group "Poder Cubano".

In 1973, he traveled throughout various countries in Latin America, arriving in Venezuela with a fraudulent passport from the Dominican Republic, and is arrested. Afterwards, he traveled to Curazao, where he met with Guillermo Novo (participant in the assassination of Orlando Letelier) and travelled with him to Chile. There, he received an official welcome and treatment from the fascist junta headed by the blood thirsty Pinochet. During his stay in Chile- from December 1974 through December 1975- Orlando Bosch established numerous contracts with members and leaders of the Fascist Chilean Junta and with those from the extreme right wing group -Triple A. As a result of his visit and with the objective of continuing to receive support from the fascist Junta for his terrorist activities, Bosch pledges to physically eliminating Chilean personalities in exile (which would serve the interests of the Junta). In this context, he was involved or directed, with the aid of Chilean fascist leaders, the following actions:

10/3/74 Assasination of the former commander of the Chilean Armed Forces General Carlos Pratts an his wife in Argentina.
10/5/75 The gunning down in Rome, Italy of Bernardo Leighton (Vice President of the Chilean Democratic Party in Excile) and his wife.
3/76 Orlando Bosch is arrested by the Costa Rican police on charges of the plotting assasination of the exiled Chilean leader Andres Pascal Allende in Costa Rica.
9/21/76 Assasination of a former Chilean minister during the administration of Salvador Allende, Orlando Letelier, and his colaborator Ronni Moffit in Washington, D.C. in the United States.

In 1974, Bosch created the terrorist organization "Accion Cubana" counting on his plans to be executed with the full support of the chilean fascist Junata. With this group, he participated or plotted (during 1974-1975) the following international terrorist actions under the auspices of the Chilean fascists and the Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza.

1/21/74 Bomb placed at the Cuban diplomatic mission in Canada.
1/21/74 Bomb at the Cuban diplomatic mission in Argentina.
1/21/74 Bomb at the Cuban mission in Peru.
1/21/74 Bomb placed at the Cuban embassy in Mexico.
2/13/74 Bomb placed at the Cuban embassy in Madrid, Spain.
4/4/74 Placed bomb against members of the Latin Press in Mexico, but never exploded.
10/1/74 Bomb placed at the Panamenian embassy in Caracas, Venezuela.
10/30/74 Bomb at the Venezuelan-Cuban Institute of Friendship in Venezuela.
11/14/74 Bomb at the hotel where Cuban delegation was staying.
7/75 Shots fired at the residence of a Cuban functionary.
8/3/75 Assasination attempt against the Cuban Ambassador Emilio Aragones in Argentina.
11/17/75 Bomb placed at Venezuelan Tourism firm in Venezuela.
11/17/75 Bomb at the Cuban Embassy in Venezuela.
11/30/75 Bomb against Soviet commercial office in Mexico.

In June 1976, under the leadership of Orlando Bosch, the organization "Comandos de Organizaciones Revolucionarias Unidas" was formed in Costa Rica to carry out numerous terrorist activities agains Cuba and other countries. That year registered the occurrence of the ultimate terrorist act- the sabotage (during the course of the flight) of a Cuban civilian aircraft en route to Barbados. < See part II of Mono Morales' deposition for further information on this > Other terrorist activities planned or executed by Orlando Bosch with CORU are:

6/6/76 Bomb placed at Cuban mission in the United Nations.
7/1/76 Bomb at the Costa Rican-Cuban cultural center in Costa Rica.
7/8/76 Bomb at the Cuban mission in Spain.
7/9/76 Bomb at the luggage/freight department of the flight of Cubana Airlines in Kingston, Jamaica.
7/10/76 Bomb placed at the office of Cubana Airlines in Barbados.
7/11/76 Bomb placed at the offices of Air Panama in Colombia.
7/23/76 Kidnapping attempt of the Cuban consul in Merida, Mexico, killing D'Artagnan Diaz Diaz.
8/9/76 Kidnapping of two Cuban dignitaries in Argentina.
9/1/76 Bomb placed at the Embassy of Guyana in Trinidad and Tobago.
9/18/76 Bomb placed at the offices of Cubana airlines in Panama.
10/6/76 Sabotage in mid flight of a Cubana airlines flight, killing 73 passengers.

As a result of his participation in the sabotage of the Cuban jetliner, Bosch is arrested by the authorities of the government of Carlos Andres Perez. However, from his prison cell, he continued to direct the activities conducted by CORU. During this stage, Orlando Bosch- facing the firm possition taken by the Venezuelan government in office at that time, determined to punish those responsible for the crime committed in Barbados- instructs the members of CORU to undertake a course of action that focused on activities that would hurt the interests and objectives of Venezuela abroad, as well as pressure tactics against the government of Carlso Andres Perez. During this period, the following terrorist activities took place:

3/30/77 Bomb placed at the Venezuelan consulate in Puerto Rico.
8/36/77 Bomb on board a Venezuelan airplane in Miami, United States.
12/23/77 Bomb placed at the office of the Venezuelan airline "Viasa" in the United States.
12/30/77 Bomb placed at the Venezuelan consulate in Puerto Rico.

Similarly, in 1978, from prison, Orlando Bosch planned and directed the execution terrorist activities against Mexico as a statement and response from the international terrorist elements, toward the government of Mexico in relation to the assasination of D'Artagnan Diaz Diaz by the criminals of CORU.

Following instruction from Orlando Bosch, the terrorist groups conducted the following activities against the interests of Mexico:

2/7/78 Bomb placed at the Mexican consulate in the United States.
2/7/78 Bomb placed on board the merchant vessel "Azteca" of Mexico at a Mexican port, resulting in 2 deaths and 7 injuries.

On September 9, 1978, the revolutionary government of Cuba announced its willingness to facilitate the initiation of talks with representatives from the Cuban community in the exterior not involved with terrorism. This step in the Cuban Revolutionary process provoked a severe reaction of impotence from the fascist group headed by Orlando Bosch, who immediately instructed the members of his band of terrorists to increase their activities against Cuba and against the participants in these negotiations. Such plans culminated with the assassination of Carlos Muniz Varela and Eulalio J. Negrin, members of the Cuban community in the exterior and of the Cuban diplomat in the United Nations Felix Garcia.

Among the terrorist activities undertaken during this stage under the leadership of Orlando Bosch in conjunction with the group OMEGA-7:

9/9/78 Bomb placed at the Cuban mission in the United Nations.
10/5/78 Bomb placed in front of Madison Square Gardens where Cuban boxers where scheduled to fight.
10/6/78 Bomb placed at the offices of the tourist firm "Girasol" of the Puerto Rican Socialist Party.
10/6/78 Bomb placed at the offices of the tourist firm "Antillana" in Puerto Rico.
10/6/78 Bomb placed at the offices of the firm "Record Public Service" owned by a Cuban emigrant in Puerto Rico.
10/23/78 Bomb at the newspaper "La Prensa" in the United States.
11/18/78 Bomb threat against TWA airlines against flying into Cuba.
12/28/78 Bomb placed at the local offices of the travel agency "Varadero" in Puerto Rico, presided by Carlos Muniz Varela.
12/29/78 Bomb at the Cuban mission in the United Nations.
12/29/78 Bomb placed at Lincoln Center in the United States where Cuban artists were scheduled to perform.
3/26/79 Bomb placed at the local offices of TWA airlines at J.F.K. Airport in the United States.
3/26/79 Bomb placed at the firm Weehawken, New Jersey, presided by Eulalio J. Negrin, member of the Committee of 75 (Comite de los 75).
4/28/79 Assassination of Carlos Muniz Varela, member of the Brigade "Antonio Maceo" and director of "Varadero Travel" in Puerto Rico.
11/25/79 Assassination of Eulalio Negrin- a member of the Cuban community in the exterior and participant in talks and negotiations with the Cuban government- in New Jersey, United States.
9/11/80 Assassination of the Cuban diplomat in the United Nations Felix Garcia Rodriguez.

This Orlando Bosch, criminal by nature, shamelessly admitted before the Venezuelan Military Tribunal in charge of the Barbados crime investigation, his fascist convictions and his active participation in numerous activities against the Cuban Revolution.


Nice guy, 'eh?

[Mika]

37. Bosch is the Al Zwahari of the Cuban "exiles"

Both pediatricians and murdering terrorists.

[Say_What]

38. He's a former pediatrican turn terrorist, not licensed in the US and never

was he Elian's pediatrician although there were reports of him in the crowd outside. That would have been suicide for the Gusanos--as stupid as they were they were smart enough to know that. He's wanted in Cuba for blowing up a Cubana airliner for keeerist's sake.

On edit: not licensed to practice medicine, that is. As for terrorism, he got the okeydokey from Bush I AND Bush II.


<clips>

..."EXILES financed explosions in Cuba," read a Nuevo Herald newspaper headline on November 16, 1997. That affirmation couldn’t be clearer. However, in Miami, the United States’ terrorist sanctuary, the such news didn’t perturb anyone. And some years later, that metropolis is still totally beyond the reach of the law, the Senate and even the multimillion-dollar War on Terrorism.

A living example of the extent of this criminal tolerance is Orlando Bosch, the pediatrician of death, anti-Cuba arch-terrorist, protected by the Bush family, the Cuban American National Foundation (CANF) and the CIA. The brains, together with Luis Posada Carriles, behind the sabotage of a Cubana airliner in full flight, provoking the death of 73 passengers on October 6, 1976, killer Bosch is now personally represented in the White House by his lifetime buddy Otto Reich, who sprung him from a Venezuelan jail....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/forum_archive_html/DCForumID38/1725.html

[Judi Lynn]

39. Thanks for posting this small thread!

I never would have seen it, otherwise. Really great.

_Bush may be getting advice from his "exile" contacts that he needs to do this now, as it would NEVER happen with a Democrat in the White House. Normal people wouldn't consider it.

Very, very sad. If anyone takes the time to investigate, he/she'll see _Bush has cast his lot with true Cuban "exile" criminals, nothing less.

They have to make their move before more and more Americans can finally know what has been going on, and this would happen when the travel ban and embargo are removed. At that point, there will be people like you and me who suddenly are flabbergasted, appalled, and horrified at the difference in what we have been told, and the reality of deep agression and terrorism and abuse FROM THE U.S., gleefully handed out by some true villains and psychopaths in the "exile" community.

On edit:

Whoops, I forgot to post the great photo of Orlando Bosch, provided in I.G.'s great opening post:




Here he is as a tender youth:

[Judi Lynn]

8. Do you remember seeing the tour of the house on tv with Maryslesis?

She was pretending to be in a traumatized state, and pointed to a door on the floor.

This might refresh your memory:

Several hours after Elián was evacuated, Marisleysis Gonzalez alleged on live television that the agents broke the door to her mother's bedroom in half during the raid. She pointed to the broken door lying on the floor.

Authorities have no independent record to dispute it -- though still photos shot by Diaz in the room suggest the door was not as seriously damaged as the later TV tour of the house would indicate.

Diaz's photos show the agents arriving in the bedroom -- and retreating with the child -- beside an intact door. Diaz, for his part, did not reply to a question about how the door was broken in two.

http://64.21.33.164/CNews/y00/may00/01e18.htm

It's even referred to in Judicial Watch's complaint sworn out against Janet Reno, Doris Meissner, and Eric Holder:

Elian was in the rear bedroom, held by the same person who had pulled him from the sea months earlier. Federal agents kicked the door open, splitting it in half. The top half swung on its hinges while the bottom half fell to the floor.

http://www.judicialwatch.org/cases/55/Stafford.htm

(Oh, please!)


Here's a photo everyone saw a long time ago before anyone made the connection between Maryslesis's tour of the house, pointing out a battered, door ripped off its hinges, broken, lying on the floor, and THIS PHOTO, showing an agent coming through AN INTACT DOOR!



It can also be seen, obviously on its hinges in this photo, as the INS agent comes to carry Elián out:

[tlcandie]

10. Reminds me of OLD leftovers in the fridge... trying to cook/fix em

up for something tasty really soon! Just in time for the BAN CUBA and May 1st * deadline for proposal against CUBA!!!

Rara siskboom bah! This should rattle those right wing conservatives' cages!!!

[Say_What]

11. What I remember more is in DC with Sntr. Smith from NH and

trying to push their way onto Edwards AFB and then MariSleazy shrieking on national tv. What a f*ck'n circus!! A senator from New Hampshire with Gusanos in tow--I doubt that his constituents were too crazy about that. If I remember correctly, they voted him right out of office.

[Judi Lynn]

12. Yes, you're right. Poor ol' Republican Senator Bob Smith took a hit

went down in flames in the election. No doubt he embarrassed his constituency beyond endurance. Hey, it looked like a good time to work the Miami Mafia for some loose change, didn't it?


Smith to the rescue

We should also give tribute to Indiana Rep. Dan Burton, who makes more campaign money from OUTSIDE his state than from within, as he butted right in there, too. He was so concerned about keeping Elián living with his drunken great uncle, and neurotic second cousin, and felon twin second male cousins, you'd think it would have awakened within him the temptation to visit his OWN little boy whose mother he didn't marry. (Maybe she wasn't a Republican!)


Hey, thanks, Burton

[david_vincent]

22. Cheap shot

Maybe he just didn't want to marry her. Maybe SHE didn't want to marry HIM. And, for that matter, it's none of your business and none of anyone else's either.
Or do you feel obligated to explain your matrimonial decisions to the world at large? If so, that's YOUR thing. I don't know why you'd feel that way, but that's none of anyone's business either. For my part, I wouldn't care to listen to you explain your personal life.
Bottom line: his personal life is exclusively his business. You can judge him all you want, but doing so is invasive and pointless, and pretty meager fare when you have his politics to examine.

[Judi Lynn]

25. Maybe you forget he was one of the loudest name callers

during the Clinton Monica Lewinsky attacks.

On edit:

Here's a reminder:

"Burton was also one of the House leaders in the failed effort to impeach Clinton over the Monica Lewinsky affair."

http://www.stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/268/danburton.shtml

[Judi Lynn]

29. Thanks for reminding me to look for more on Dan Burton

He was the gentleman who called Bill Clinton a "scumbag."

(snip) According to the newspaper's account, Burton said: "If I could prove 10 percent of what I believe happened, he'd be gone. This guy's a scumbag. That's why I'm after him."
(snip/)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/stories/burton042298.htm

[dfong63]

36. in other words,

According to the newspaper's account, Burton said: "If I could prove 10 percent of what I believe happened, he'd be gone.

in other words, "NINETY PERCENT OF MY BELIEFS ARE UNSUBSTANTIATED", or "I HAVE INFLATED THE FACTS BY A FACTOR OF 10."

[Judi Lynn]

42. Now you're talking! n/t

[Instant Karma]

35. I thought he was married already when the son was born

Was that incorrect?

[0007]

34. ...and to think these guys have no shame in knowing and dealing with,

Orlando Bosch see above post #33

[kskiska]

13. Now Smith is in Florida

trying to run for office there after the Bushies screwed him in NH.

[Say_What]

16. LOL that's funny. Maybe he thinks that the CANF will rescue

him--but they have their own shills they want to install, so I doubt it. Nothing like a guy who will grovel for $$$ by moving to the state where the bank is located. Thanks for the giggle :D

[Judi Lynn]

18. Priceless! He probably thinks the Miami Mafia can get him back

to the Senate.

He's have to wait until they can get the Florida Legislature to gerrymander a new district for him, the way they did for Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart's brother, the new Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart.

He must be mad if he thinks he can become a big fav in Florida.

[kskiska]

26. I remember Marisleysis giving reporters a tour

of the house, standing in Elian's bedroom wailing, "This is Elian's bed," and disgustedly throwing down a broken piece of the bed (a mock car).

…and meanwhile, "The Fisherman" was frantic with excitement. At one point he was so filled with his own self-importance and popularity that he proclaimed he might even run for mayor.

BTW, the real "Fisherman," Donato's cousin, sided with Elian's father, and has visited Elian in Cuba several times.

[CBHagman]

43. Ah, Michael Moore used that footage in "The Awful Truth"

Tearful wails of "They broke his bed!" and all that.

Psst, Gonzalez relatives! Your 15 minutes were up long ago.

[Judi Lynn]

44. Jeez! Never saw that.

Was that one of his tv programs on the Bravo Channel?

He's had their number for a loooong time! He also wrote "Those Keystone Cubans" concerning "exile" terrorists.

It's not available anywhere on the internet now, dagnabbit.

[Say_What]

45. This'll do: Letter from Michael Moore to Elián González

<clips>

...You are only six, so I know you can't understand what all of the politics are about. That's okay. Some day, you will. In time, you'll read how these former Cubans, who are abusing you, instead of staying in Cuba and fighting for freedom like our ancestors did for this country in 1776, they turned tail and ran to Miami. Once here, they began demanding that we Americans fight their fight for them.

What did we do?

Something stupid! We fought their fight for them! We based our entire foreign policy in this hemisphere on one thing -- eliminating Castro. We tried to assassinate him. We sent "troops" to invade at the Bay of Pigs. We prevented medicine and food from being shipped to Cuba. When I was nearly your age, we almost blew up the world over Cuba and Castro. Can you believe that? We had become as insane as those ex-Cubans in Miami!

And we've stayed that way for forty years. We're still wacked-out over Cuba. Last year, we fined an American citizen $10,000 because he went down to Cuba to tune pianos! It's illegal in this "free" country to travel there. Loopy, huh? We've been driven crazy 'cause that we still can't get rid of Fidel Castro. He's out-lived nine of our presidents!

We have allowed these ex-Cubans with the yellow stripe down their backs to operate numerous terrorist missions from South Florida. These same ex-Cubans were the ones who broke into a place called Watergate (that eventually brought down a president), ran drugs for arms operations (that brought down a popularly-elected government in Nicaragua), and, according to some Americans, were behind the assassination of our president, John Kennedy (that puts us on a slippery slope we're still sliding down).

Now, these very ex-Cubans who were afraid to stand and fight Castro have suddenly found the courage to fight...us! That's right, they have made it clear that they will fight, with violence, any federal officers or troops who are sent in to enforce our laws (those outrageous ones which say a son should be with his father).

And you are caught in the middle of all this. I am so sorry. I wish there was something I could personally do. I will write to our Attorney General ([e-mail]) and tell her to stop this child abuse. I will encourage others to do the same. I wish I could convince our vice-president (who's running for president) to help, but he too has decided to abuse you by using you for his own political gain. The governor of the state you're in, Jeb Bush, is the brother of a man running for president. He wants to use/abuse you, too. I just want you to know that 80% of the country doesn't like either of these men.

http://www.cubasolidarity.net/mmoore.html

[snooper2]

9. must be running low on cash..

eom

[trumad]

17. I love the "Fisherman Tale"

Donato Dalrymple the famous "fisherman" who wasn't a "Fisherman"...LOL The dude happened to be out on his Cousins boat that day they found Elian...

<snip>
Fisherman. Fisherman. Pescador. Pescador.

The moniker made him sound like a character born of Hemingway, and he looked and sounded the part: broad-shouldered, barrel-chested, salt of the earth, with tattoos covering his arms and a passionate bark to his speech.

But, in fact, he is no fisherman; he cleans houses for a living. Thanksgiving Day was the first time The Cleaner had ever gone fishing. He didn't even want to fish, he admits, but agreed to drive the boat for his cousin, content just to be be out on the water, listening to oldies on the radio. He left it to his cousin to bait the hooks. "My cousin was getting on me," he grouses. "He always does.<snip>
http://64.21.33.164/CNews/y00/apr00/27e21.htm

[DoYouEverWonder]

20. I love the child saved by the dolphins tale too.

Remember the one about Elian holding onto an inner tube for 48 hours? Have you ever seen pictures of him on the stretcher when they rescued him and a few hours later when they released him to his CANF connected relatives? I lived in So Fl and lived on a sailboat. I can guarantee that that child was not in the water hanging on to anything for 48 hours. He was hardly even sunburnt. Just didn't happen. This whole story stinks like a kettle of bad fish.

[Judi Lynn]

21. What do you mean the story stinks?

If he didn't get sunburned it was because God sent the Magical Dolphins, who protected him!

Here's an inspired piece of art created to celebrate that blesséd event!



:crazy: :silly: :dunce:

[Say_What]

23. Here's another... and remember ellie ewing--gotta pix of her too.

[Judi Lynn]

24. Good grief! Wouldja look at that painting!

Also check the sign in the yard: "Loco Castro is the SadDam Hussein of the Caribbean!"

Ellie Ewing's looking sprightly as usual.

[DoYouEverWonder]

27. Some who has been in the water for 48 hours

Does not look like this the next day:

[Judi Lynn]

28. Thanks for posting that photo.

I've never seen one from that time other than one showing him going into the hospital.

That is AMAZING. How could he float for what was it, two days, and not get burned to a crisp?

Must be the "magic dolphins," or perhaps the Holy Virgin they claimed they saw in the bathroom mirror inside Lázaro's house who protected the little boy.

[Say_What]

30. Here's the photo of him in the ambulance

I couldn't believe that those f*ck'n scumbag Gusanos would use this traumatized kid in the name of *freedom and democracy* to further their sick vendetta with Fidel Castro. They revealed themselves to the country as the pieces of sh*t they are.

There was a recording at the time they held him kidnapped in Miami where Elian was outside and was waving to a jet flying over saying "Take me home, take me to Cuba". Lazyo and MariSleazy had to shut him up quick, but someone got it on video. I can't imagine that this kid won't be scarred from being in that cage with a media circus surrounding him for 5 months, forced to make a hostage tape against his own father. Dispicable. and people wonder why the Cubans refer to them as Gusanos?




and a few days ago on his 10th birthday.


Cuban boy Elian Gonzalez looks on as President Fidel Castro (news - web sites) sits behind him during his 10th birthday celebration at his school in Cardenas, December 5, 2003. Elian is the shipwrecked boy who was traveling illegally with his mother and other passengers from Cuba to the U.S in November 1999. His mother and most of the others died when their boat capsized and Elian was placed with family members in Miami. He finally returned to his father in Cuba on June 28, 2000, after a fierce international custody battle. PICTURE TAKEN DECEMBER 5 REUTERS/Claudia Daut

[kskiska]

14. I guess Uncle Lazaro and his gang aren't allowed to vacation

in Cuba anymore, the way other "exiles" are. He used to get a hearty welcome from Juan and his family, even to the point where Lazaro slept in Juan's bed while Juan slept in his car.

[Moderator]

15. yellowcanine

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DU Moderator

[JoFerret]

31. Aaaarrgh!

The Return of the Miami Relatives. It's like the return of the repressed. Or Dracula after the stake through the heart. Say it ain't true!

[Say_What]

32. They need money, so they're doing it the old fashioned way--suing the govt

It's kinda like the return of the Body Snatchers...

[imax2268]

41. The kooky relatives are back...

anyone remember when they were saying that the photos of elian with his dad were doctored...?

Whiners...go back to Cuba if you don't like it...the boy belonged with his father....get over it...