It must be difficult for communist sympathizers in the US to justify Castro’s decision to allow Elian Gonzalez’ dad to finally come here.

Before, the argument was, “He shouldn’t have to come here . . . just send the boy back.”

They couldn’t bring themselves to admit that the father wasn’t allowed to come get his son. And if the father was free to travel, but chose not to . .. what does that say about his level of love for the child?

So no matter how you look at it . . . the lifestyle that this little boy and his mother were trying to flee from does not reflect the romantic ideal liberal elitists have created in their minds.

Communism is a system that subordinates the individual to the will of the dictator, the government . . .or euphemistically, the “people.”

If Cuba had the freedoms we are led to believe they have, this little boy would be begging to go home to his father.

The real test of the legitimacy of this latest gesture is to see if Elian’s dad and other members of the family can choose to stay here instead of taking Elian back to Cuba.

If he can . . . the boy should be released to his custody. If he doesn’t . . . it means they are all being held hostage so the father can retrieve this little pawn of the state that has embarrassed an aging dictator who has nothing to show for his tenure other than pain, suffering, death and imprisonment.