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COMMENTARY Thursday, May 4, 2000 - Page 15 Capturing the public's political minds The Elian What do a four-foot Cuban, a Texas gov- David Lee describes the effects of some 20-year-old mom with four kids. It's Gonzalez ernor, and southern bumpkin baseball player major national events on the depressing." . , have in common? All th~ce have captured pUQiic'5 political mentality. This statement made in Sports Illustrated our political minds for this past year. - is what sparked the most controversy since for Saga Whether it' was the iIlegal Cuban boy This upcoming November when Amen- our dear President was almost impeached named Elian, presidential hopeful Dubbya.' . cans head to the ballots they will find three lying under oath about an intern named or the baseball player who spoke his mind names on the presidential ballot. 1 Monica. Edward K, Schultheis examines John Rocker, we the people of America have Early last year when George "Dubbya" John Rocker was on a hunting trip with a the saga of the ti-year-old's had something complain about each and ev- Bush look center stage in the presidential SI reporter when he uttered these shocking cry day. race, polls indicated that the Texas governor words. And only a few months later, one of struggle in America. The discovery in Novemberof6-year-old was the best thing since sliced bread. Well, a the best relief pitchers in baseball was sus- It has gotten to the point where no one Cuban refugee Elian Gonzalez, lost at sea year later, our hero has beaten the liberal in pended for speaking his mind. really cares anymore. It has lasted for after the boat carrying his family to Miami disguise John McCain and is ready to beat God forbid a few people feelings are hurt. over five months and most people just capsized, sparked an international custody Al Gore like a drum. But, this is what society has resorted to, pun- want the situation to go away. It is some- battle that has pitted Miami's Cuban-Ameri- Vice-President Al Gore won in a land- ishing a man because he offended some what reminiscent of the Clinton-Lewin- can community against Havana, igniting the slide election over former Senator Bill Bra- people. Would this have happened to any- sky saga. What is that? The Elian biggest threat to US-Cuban relations since dley, while Dubbya thumped McCain with a one else? Rocker was punished for not fit- Gonzalez story. the missile crisis of 1962. huge Super Tuesday win on March 7th. ting the mold. It is amazing to me how much poli- And why is this young child still here? The dark horse in the upcoming race will A few bleeding heart liberals were of- tics has been involved in the life of a 6- Why is he causing so much trouble? Most be the Reform Party candidate, Pat fended by the comment, one of which hap- year-old Cuban refugee. Will he go? Will people have their opinions. Some say let him Buchanan. The question with Pat is who will pened to be Ted Turner, owner of Rocker's he stay? Will the turmoil ever end? Well, stay. They wonder how we could send him he hurt more, Gore or Bush? baseball team, the Atlanta Braves. So, what right now, it doesn't look like anything is back to communist Cuba. Some would con- Although Pat will take some of the die- happens? going to happen over the next couple of sider this a win for Fidel Castro over our . hard Republican votes from the more mod- Rocker is suspended the first month of weeks. government. erate Bush, Buchanan will likely take a good the season, but that sentence is cut in half In fact, according the Associated However, others actually see the right percent of the teamsters away from our Vice- because of the player's union case. side. They see that this young boy is being President. in this day and age, you can murder the Press, the Miami family is happy that their appeal to retain the boy has not been taken away from his father and given to his Buchanan plans to appoint teamsters unborn, illegally keep a foreign boy, pass turned down but they are still angry over uncle. I know if I were the father 1 wouldn't President James Hoffa to a cabinet position. laws to take away our second amendment the fact that they can't visit Elian, who is want my son taken in the middle of the night, This race promises to be the closest in re- rights, but don't speak your mind on some- staying with his father in Maryland. Both nearly eaten by sharks, and.then kept away cent memory and should provide much ex- thing or you will be punished. he and his father, Juan Gonzalez, have from me to make a political statement. citernent for the rest of this year. This past school year has been quite been temporarily moved to Maryland fol- We have a vice-president trying to win "I would never play in New York. I would eventful. I am sure that the summer will pro- lowing 'the early morning raid where an election, going against our president and retire first. It's the most hectic, nerve-rack- vide more illegal acts by the government, Elian was seized by federal officials. attorney general, just to swerve a few votes ing city. Imagine having to take the [Num- charismatic politicians doing anything to get Photos of the incident, which have in his favor. But for once, Clinton and Reno ber] 7 train to the ballpark, looking like into office, and the remainder of our rights been pasted in every paper around the na- have it right. you're (riding through] Beirut next to some slowly being taken away from us by the gov- tion, have sparked controversy over the Finally after six months they are doing kid with purple hair next to some queer with ernment. the right thing by taking this illegal immi- AIDS right next to some dude who JUSt got Again I have to say, how typicaU~ Arneri- force that was shown by the FBI and US Marshals. grant boy and reuniting him with his father. out of jail for the 'fourth lime right next to The Miami family complained that the Microsoft poised to take a major fall child would be scarred for life by the raid Reno billed General that Attorney Janet as the last resort. However, a psycholo- In May, the Microsoft-Gmpar::J1ion.iace;;,_M.atthew-l1!g[f elaborates on gist contradicted this by stating that the to run PC's. and corporate computers. If the raid would not have any permanent ef- division by the US government due to the Microsoft'S troubleSiifRllr's-juture software giant has its hands tied behind its fecton the child. !893 Sherman Antitrust act. This division in the computer industry. back, what will happen? was prompted by US District Judge Thomas Obviously, the Miami relatives were Then again, if Microsoft is successful, not cooperating in any way so Reno took Penn field Jackson, who issued his rulings on gerous advantage in Free Celltechnology. what does this mean for the small compa- the necessary steps. the unfair business practices of the software Previous to Jackson's report, the software nies vying for a place in the software mar- What is the big deal though? Isn't he corporation. giant could have settled the case out of court, ket? like any other refugee that is caught cross- This 43-page report could dismantle the but instead decided to let the court decide In my opinion, they should not be divided of water ing the 90-mile that lies body software giant in the same way that Bell was it's fate. Why? like Standard Oil and Bell. Both of these between the United States and Cuba? divided into such groups as Bell Atlantic, Jonathan Zittrain of Harvard Law School companies were divided by regions, but Bell South, and PacBelL feels [hat Microsoft is thinking strategically Microsoft cannot because it is based around Shouldn't he be sent back to Cuba any- As a result of events earlier in May, with this issue. Redmond, Washington. way? Microsoft's stock value has been sliced from Microsoft officials can drag their feet While this antitrust case is going on, how- Apparently not, when we see how around $1 15 dollars per share at the begin- through the summer and into the fall when a ever, the federal government has seemingly long he has been residing on American ning of the month, to 66 5/8 Monday. new administration would replace Clinton. ignored large mergers that could potentially soil at the cost-of over a million dollars This initiative was made because These officials are willing to do this be- become monopolies. to pay for the family's expenses, protec- Microsoft has inhibited other corporations cause they expect the Republicans to take In November, the Federal Trade Commis- tion, airline costs and other expenses that from entering the same market by including over the White House. "A new administra- sion approved the merger of two oil giants, have been building up since Thanksgiv- Internet Explorer on its Windows operating tion, especially if it is Republican, might Exxon and Mobil. Meanwhile, AOL and ing day. platform. decide the antitrust battle' against the com- Time Warner are planning to merge, and This has become such a big deal that As a result, 19 states, including Maryland pany pointless and drop the whole issue," it is front-page news every day. This is are following suit and suing Microsoft. These Zittrain adds. Viacom and CBS are also a pursuing a simi- absurd. There is more news than the lar deal. states are in favor of dividing Microsoft into This whole maneuver may be effective Certainly, the AOL and Time Warner troubles of a 6-year-old who is in limbo between Cuba and the US. two companies, one of which would sell In- for Microsoft, especially if they can show merger would offset Microsoft's Internet ternet software, while the other would sell that new linux technologies are challenging dominance It is the father's responsibility to take Windows. Should Microsoft be divided be- Microsoft's prominence. With such large mergers occuning, the care of his child now that his mother is cause of this? It would be effective because the corpo- government really seems hypocritical by gone and if the father wants to take his son home, then so be it. I feel thai they should not be divided so ration would avoid the costly settlement with breaking up Microsoft, yet-letting these po- We the people should hastily. When I bought my computer, it came the government and also has a chance to win tential monopolies slide. give his Miami relatives not continue to when it money installed with Netscape Navigator and their case with a republican administration. Where I live in New Jersey, Mobil and America Online, therefore, not only show- In addition, the company would certainly Exxon are the dominate gas stations. In many is dear that they don't have Elian's best in mind. interests ing favoritism to Internet Explorer. Further- regain the money they lost in the stock mar- cases, they are across the street from each more, Windows does not inhibit me from ket within several months: other. Certainiy that must be a monopoly. The answer is clear, let Juan Gonzalez installing any other web surfing programs. Should Microsoft be able to escape Only time will tell, what will be the out- take his son back to the country that he Therefore, J do not feel that they are violat- again? Is this good or bad for the nation? come of this battle. loves. Do not continue to let this inno- ing any antitrust laws. Many people feel that Microsoft is the J just want them to do something with cent child be the pawn for the ongoing The Free Cell game installed in Windows "Great Satan" of the computer industry, feud between Republicans and Demo- those "illegal 98 is created and copyrighted by Microsoft's while others can not conduct everyday ac- erations." page faults" and "illegal op- crats. End this saga which has dominated Jim Home; however, I do not see the gov- tivities without their software. If the federal government can do some- headlines andpit family members against ernment griping that Microsoft has a dan- Microsoft makes a great deal of software thing about that, then I'll be happy. oue another r Iif before herea1ly does become