What have we become?

Back in 2000, there was a young boy who garnered a lot of attention.  His name was Elian Gonzalez, and he was brought to the US from Cuba by his mother. 

They stayed with relatives in Miami and his father - still in Cuba - waged a legal battle to have him returned to him. People around the country took sides in the issue.

After some time, attorney general Janet Reno sent in a group armed men to remove him from the home he was living in and this picture summed up the experience (and won a Pulitzer).

People were outraged at the action.  While surely there were a few people who defended this course of action, sending armed agents to take a boy by force, in what amounted to an international custody dispute, caused quite the uproar. Over reach! Over reaction! Why were they armed? And since he was likely to be taken back to Cuba (funny, the word "deported" wasn't associated with this activity), that's outrageous!

Janet Reno said that decision affected her deeply.

Elian was returned to his father in Cuba. 

This week, we heard about a five year old boy being taken by armed ICE agents at school.  While we don't have the luxury of a picture of the moment (at least as far as I know), I have to imagine that he had a similar look of fear. 

In a way, what's the difference? Armed agents forcibly removed the boy - Liam Onasser - in order to lure his parents out.  And surely he will be deported along with this parents. 

And in this case, our government is simply defending this and the outrage is muted because… it's the gaslighting about making us safer. 

And I have no doubt that any of them have any trouble sleeping and it is unlikely to affect them. 

Damn.  A quarter century really has changed us.