4.04.00
Father's Day

3.30.00
Bush's Opportunity

3.28.00
A Risky Campaign-Finance Scheme

3.24.00
Johnny PAC

3.22.00
Gary Bauer's John McCain

3.21.00
Re-entry

hat if Elián were currently being cared for in Miami by two lesbians? Would this be an "alternative family" that would meet the approval of the Left? One of the more entertaining instances of hypocrisy in the festival of it presented by the Elián Gonzalez case is watching the same people who defend ANY family arrangements as legitimate — indeed, as healthy departures from the patriarchal family structure — suddenly braying for a child to be returned to his dear old dad.

New York Times bore Bob Herbert the other day even complained that hatred of Castro is overwhelming respect for "the traditional bonds of parent and child." Yes, that's right: the "traditional bonds." How touching — but we all know that if Elián were being cared for by a single mom in the Bronx — or by an extended family of grandmothers and such — the Left would consider suggestions that he desperately needs his father as backward in the extreme. In any other circumstance, Elian would need a dad the way a fish needs a bicycle.

In keeping with its new-found respect for patriarchy, perhaps the send-Elián-back liberals should reconsider their support for cash-welfare payments to single mothers, because these payments are a noxious deterrent to fatherhood. Maybe they should look afresh at educational and child-welfare policies that de-emphasize parental rights. Perhaps they should support giving the father a veto over a woman's decision to have an abortion — since it's plainly worse to have your child's life snuffed out altogether, than merely to be separated from him.

None of these new positions will be forthcoming, because the Left is more worried about returning Elián to Cuba than reuniting him with his father. The idea that Elián's mother gave her life in the cause of bringing her son to crass, commercialized America just drives the Left nuts — and they'll resort to any argument to avoid the embarrassment of the little boy continuing to breathe free so close to Disneyland. The best solution to the case, of course, would be for Elián's father to come and live here with his son. But Juan Miguel Gonzalez should brace himself — as soon as he's on American soil, his current defenders will suddenly lose all their respect for his rights and privileges as a father.

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