OT: Reflections on the 4-year-old girl who slipped out the back door and Elian Gonzalez

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Yesterday all charges were dropped against Joanne Small, the mother whose 4-year-old daughter slipped out the back door of her house early Sunday morning while her mother was asleep. Mrs. Small was arrested and charged with neglect, and the girl was placed in foster care. The parents regained custody Monday night, and charges were dropped yesterday.

But the fact that the child was taken away in the first place, and that charges were even considered, raises questions in my mind. The rationale, as I understand it, was that because so many children suffer harm because of abusive or incompetent parents, we can't just unthinkingly send children back, there has to be some sort of investigation first.

Well, maybe. But if so, then why are the same children's rights advocates not clamoring for an investigation of Elian Gonzalez's father's fitness as a parent before sending him back to Cuba? Why are the same people who advocate all kinds of rules that legitimize the government taking children away from their parents in this country, saying in the case of the Cuban boy, "He belongs with his father, send him back, no questions asked"?

Flame away.

-- Markus Archus (apxov@mail.com), March 02, 2000

Answers

Because he wasn't in his father's care or custoday when he "disappeared". He was taken by the mother to America without his fathers knowledge. That's like saying we should investigate the parents of a child who has been kidnapped, before returning him. I think everyone agrees Mrs. Small got a crummy deal, but we also know there ARE parents out there who will leave their little children alone to go out partying all night...so...slightly more understandable.

-- kritter (kritter@adelphia.net), March 02, 2000.

Elian Gonzalez (and ANYTHING Cuban) is a POLITICAL issue, and this is an ELECTION YEAR.

Get real....

-- Dennis (djolson@pressenter.com), March 02, 2000.


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