LETTERS:

To the editor:

Janet Reno handled the Miami Cuban situation superbly. The Miami Cubans disgraced themselves, and the Republicans are again making fools of themselves. President Clinton did his usual marvelous job of moderating it all.

Our system of justice was on the international stage, and the entire world was watching every move Janet Reno made. The Florida Cubans were an unruly, angry mob. Some of them were as mad as Republican Congressman Tom DeLay is all the time. Thousands of the Florida Cubans had already demonstrated, setting fires in the streets, shutting off entire areas, and denying others the right to go to work, shop or do as they please. Little Havana was now outside the laws of the U.S.A.

The objective was to defuse the explosive situation and return Elian Gonzales to his father without bloodshed. As always, we give the lawbreakers too much time and too many infractions of the law. Janet Reno gave them every opportunity to comply with the U.S. laws. They refused. When all else failed, Janet moved quickly, firmly and took care of it properly.

The Miami Cubans have conducted themselves shamefully in this land of freedom they have adopted. It's a disgrace for Cubans to fly the Cuban flag in America. It's an injustice to America and all the freedoms the U.S. flag guarantees to all, including the Cubans who are waving the Cuban flag of the oppressive country they came from. Some of them need to be sent back.

The Republicans are the laughing stock of it all with yet another investigation of Clinton and a member of his Cabinet. They say they're just doing their duty. Their only duty for eight years has been to get Clinton. This attack backfired also. They now know the American people support Janet Reno so I think the Republican's strategy will be to be quiet and let it disappear. That way they won't have to back down. They're beginning to learn.

I personally think Janet Reno was easy on the Florida Cubans, especially Elian's Uncle Lazaro Gonzales.

W.T. WOODS

Bertrand