Immigration policy deeply disappointing

There has been a dispute over Elian Gonzoles as to whether he should stay in America or if he should return to Cuba. I'm sure you've already heard of this, but I would like to voice my opinion to you.

I have heard both sides from the news, my teacher and magazines. I strongly feel that Elian should return to Cuba. My reasons are:

1) that we have made a law that clearly states that if we find a Cuban on the American soil he/she is a U.S. citizen, but if we find them in the water as we did with Elian, then we must return them to Cuba. And we have followed that law for many years now, and I don't see why we should stop at this point in time.

2) I also feel that Elian's father has a very good point in that this has nothing to do with Elian but is clearly about politics. If this had something to do at all with Elian, we would have already sent him back to Cuba.

Let's look at the situation. He met his uncle only a few months ago, and he has known his father all his life. The down side to this, I feel, is that his uncle has been swaying Elian to stay in America, which I very strongly feel is wrong. If Elian would return to Cuba right away, then maybe he would be able to recover from this experience.

Just today I have learned that America does not let poverty-stricken people into this free country of ours, we only let in immigrants who are trying to escape from their government whom we don't really care for.

I must tell you that I was deeply disturbed by this announcement. And I questioned this at first and thought aren't the poverty-stricken ones the ones who need this country the most? But then I was talking to a friend about this issue and she told me that if we did let all the poverty-stricken people immigrate here that there would be no resources left to feed the nation. That hurt me also just as deeply that this world does not have enough money, love, assurance and food to go around.

I have known this for some time now and when I heard this today, it really sunk in. I finally realized that not everybody lives a fairly decent life; people around the world live in misery. I felt so mad that I have a wonderful life with CDs, stereos, TV and many other objects that are so meaningless that it made me even more mad. Then I thought being mad does not help.

So what is a way that we can help this world? I have not come to a conclusion that is realistic yet, but when I do, I give you my word that you will definitely receive another letter about it.