By:
Marie Hanerhoff
Kendra Downey
Stephen Redding
Austin Standley
When six-year-old Elian Gonzalze was coming across the Atlantic Ocean with
his mom, stepdad, and ten Cubans, their boat collapsed and eight Cubans,
his mother, and stepfather drowned. He was one of the only three survivors.
The boy was found clinging to an inner tube off the coast of Florida on
Thanksgiving Day. Information says that his father may have wanted him
to come over to America. Senator Bob Smith says, “ This young man is asking
for help. Help him. Do not send him back to Cuba.”
Cuban student Ernestl Fernandev says, “Mr. Burton, you who want to make
Elian a U.S. citizen; why don’t you worry about first helping all the poor
people in your country.”
Burton also says, “ I am also sympathetic to the mother who risked her
life and ultimately drowned in the high seas to try to bring this boy to
a free country.”
Our Opinions
Question: What do you think Elian
should be able to do?
Stephen:
I think that Elian should be able to make his own decisions.
Kendra:
Just
like Stephen said I think that Elian should make his own decisions because
if he tried to escape from Cuba, then why would he want to go back?
Austin:
I think Elian should choose where he wants to go.
Question- Do
you think that Elian should be punished for coming over to America?
Stephen: No,
because he said that didn’t like it over in Cuba and America is a free
country.
Austin: No
because he had no choice. And like Stephen said,America was the only free
country.
Marie: No
I don’t think he should be punished because if he didn’t want to come to
America with his mother, he could have stayed with his father. Since he
didn’t stay in Cuba that must have meant it was bad enough in Cuba that
he needed to be free.
Kendra: I
say no because it’s not his fault that Cuba is not a free country.
Question: If
you ever got to meet Elian what would you say and why?
Stephen: Why
did you come to the United States? I would say that because I want to learn
more about why he came.
Austin: What
would you do with a 100 grand? I would ask that because I know you’re not
very rich in Cuba.
Marie: I
would ask him if he could completely and entirely make his own decisions,
where would he choose to go? I ask that because he needs to start making
his own decisions.
Kendra: I
think I would ask him how he feels about his mother and stepdad’s death.
I would ask that because I think it’s sad to not have a mother.
Sources-
http://www.CNN.com,
http://www.ABCNEWS.com,
http://www.usatoday.com,
http://www.WEEK.com
