Notable & Variable: Well, Well, Henry

Henry in Autumn:

CanesFan,

You assume a lot of things and get a lot of things wrong. You take at face value the idea that this guy wants to take responsibility for this daughter that he fathered with some crazy lady he got into the sack with once. Given the fact that the foster family is one that the Cuban regime would really like to hurt (because the guy makes his living getting Cuban ballplayers to defect) you can't rule out the idea that the regime dug this guy up and shipped him over here with instructions to reclaim the daughter.

Your examination of the "father's rights" doesn't take into account the rights of the little girl. The only stable person she's had her entire life is her half brother, who was adopted by the Cubas family. By giving in to the father's "rights" you are ripping her out of the arms of her closest sane relative. The girl left Cuba when she was 2 years old. She doesn't even know this man who has parental "rights" over her.
Posted by: Henry "Conductor" Gomez @ Babalú blog on September 27, 2007 03:12 PM


Henry in Summer:

"Here we go again.... Let me first begin by saying i'm a Cuban American. I honestly think this could become another Elian-like scenario all orchestrated by Castro. Are we going to allow Castro to win again as we did with Elian and hurt the Miami Cuban image by playing this game? People let's pick our battles - THIS ISN'T ONE OF THEM. Whether we like it or not, the biological father has every right to reclaim his daughter since her mother is unfit to raise her. Let's put our political beliefs and passion on the side right now and think clearly about this issue. This isn't politics. This is a child whose father did sign the consent form to let her leave with the biological mother...however, since the mother cannot raise her appropriately, he has every right to take her back. YES - most likely the Cuban Government is financially supporting him here in the U.S. (that's obvious). Let's take a moment and reflect on the consequences we as a people face if we decide to make this a political battle. Look what happened with Elian and the credibility we lost as a people. Cubans in Miami lets wake up and pick out the right battles... let's attack Castro on real issues that impact Cuba and not play his little game and fall victims to his plow that will eventually end in failure. To the eyes of the world we will be seen as ruthless and immature for not allowing a girl to live with her father. It's his choice to decide what to do... if he is brave enough, which I doubt, he will publicly inform the press he was paid by the government and risk his family back home to uncover the truth... but I doubt he will do that and I don't blame him. Let's stop allowing Castro to win these stupid battles and attack him with more credible reasons such as the fate of the two Cuban boxers who simply because they wanted to defect and were deported to Cuba face prison, family persecution and the loss of their professional athletic careers - just to mention one case. This is already well documented as the coach already mentioned in Brazil that their careers are "dead". There are numerous issues we can certainly use to attack Castro and uncover the real truth and show the world his true colors. This isn't one of them. For those in Miami and elsewhere who look at any Cuban issue as a way to simply bash Cubans and Cuban Americans, I think you have to question yourselves and your personal hatred or jealousy and stop attacking a group of people simply because you cannot stand the fact that the Cuban community is one of the most successful migrant groups in the U.S. History. However, that's not the point here and honestly, your ignorant insults just make me laugh and just show your true colors and the issues you have. Having that sort of hatred won't lead you anywhere and you will just be losers forever. It's attitude people. Back to the issue... Cubans wake up and let's move on... this is not an issue we should stir up and allow the real issues to get clouded over parental rights. The world is watching... let's not make a sequel to Elian."
Posted Anonymously [by Henry Gómez] @ The Miami Herald Forum on August 6, 2007