Volume II No. 15
 11-28-03
 Lessons To Be Learned From
 The Mysterious Case Of Gao Zhan
 { Immigrants Who Take The
   American Dream Life For Granted }
 author: Vance Cureton
 © Copyright 2003

 She looks like any other well-educated, upwardly mobile immigrant. 
 Unassuming. Composed. Intelligent. And most of all, trustworthy.
 Gao Zhan, the lovely 43 year old suburban DC housewife of Asian 
 descent, who was held captive on the Chinese mainland on "trumped 
 up charges" of espionage. And what a story it was back in 2001.

 Now it seems Gao's story is even more startling. -- And puzzling.
 Certain facts have come to light, that this same woman { under the
assumed name of Gail Heights } has illegally sold microprocessors 
 { with military use capability } to the Chinese goverment { under 
the cover of the Nanjing Research Institute of Electronics Technolgy. } 
 The very same goverment that allegedly held her against her will,
 and subsequently charged and convicted her of espionage. Only
 to release her on a "medical" parole six months later.

 Gao profited $539,000 for the illegal export.

 $539,000! What a tidy sum. How many native-born Americans
 wouldn't risk life and limb for that kind of cash?

 There is more to this story. Not only in her plea bargain did Gao 
 admit to the illegal export of the powerful microprocessors, but 
 the goverment dropped an investigation into other of her alleged 
 illegal activities { in exchange for Gao's cooperation } such as 
 money laundering and the selling of devices that have no real 
 civilian-use value. Gao allegedly has been exporting prohibited
 products for as long as four years.

 As of now, Gao faces up to 13 years in prison. Her sentencing is 
 scheduled for March 5th, 2004.

 What is the true story with this woman? Is she a victim of her 
 own inattention to the finer points of import-export law?  Or was 
 this episode more sinister than that.

 Some goverment officials believe the whole "captivity thing" in 
 China was a sham. And was just a method to cover Gao. And 
 demonstrate that she was in no way "a favorite daughter" of her 
 homeland. Regardless, Gao's unfortunate case is the immigration 
 authorities' worsenightmare of the seemingly law-abiding emigre 
 who under the right circumstances can be persuaded/manipulated 
 to act against the best interests of her adopted homeland.

 But Gao claims no such malicious intent. Did anyone actually 
 expect that she would? 

 As with the case of the once-accused "spy" Wen Ho Lee there
 are so many explanations and excuses. Although, admittedly 
 in Lee's case no espionage-type of activites were proven. In
 fact, the goverment backed away from the most serious charges. 
 But, Mr. Lee's activities at his former workplace, { the Los 
 Alamos National Laboratory } to this day remain open to 
 interpretation. -- And that is not a good thing.

 How is it that such a brilliant man as Wen Ho Lee who can 
 navigate the complexities of nuclear physics, but who in 
 turn, becomes hopelessly befuddled and careless over 
 important workplace protocols as to what types of sensitive 
 US government information can or cannot be downloaded, 
 transferred, or stored, on an unauthorized or unsecure computer
 system.

 Please.

 The scholarly Lee is a man who has no doubt spent his entire
 adult life researching and investigating difficult subjects that 
 would have most Americans scratching their heads. Yet, he 
 managed to get himself into serious legal trouble on account 
 of his own curious and poorly explained actions. And as for 
 Mrs. Gao, why was it such an impossibility for her to acquire 
 the sensible legal assistance that would have kept her on the 
 safe side of America's import-export regulations?

 Neither Wen Ho Lee or Gao Zhan are unintelligent individuals in 
 any sense of the word. And neither has it been proven that either 
 intentionally did anything to harm the United States of America.
 --- But, you simply do not take chance with the law. Any sane 
 person over the age of ten, realizes that. Therefore, is it truly 
 unreasonable that law enforcement officials would come to 
 question the loyalties of a Lee or a Zhan?

 Do immigrants and naturalized citizens have no fear? Do they feel
 as if the laws of this country are a joke? That American jurisprudence
 is soft? Or that if trouble comes, all that's necessary is to lawyer-up
 and plea bargain your way out of a jam?

 There is a big enough problem with American-born white collar 
 criminals, who all too easily claim ignorance when caught breaking
 the law. Their cases, as well as the the cases of individuals such
 as Wen Ho Lee and Gao Zahn should be adjudicated every bit as
 harshly as the criminal cases of anonymous neighborhood hoodlums 
 brought into the local precinct on a B & E charge. Common hoodlums
 don't receive special considerations, just because they might manage
 to come up with an elaborate excuse to justify the inexcusable. 

 There are inconsistencies in other areas as well.

 In California, illegal immigrants have been granted the right to apply
 for driver's licenses. Outrageous, considering that in most first world
 countries, non-citizens, tourists, and temporary residents, who who 
 want to drive must at the very least display a valid international driver's 
 license. And such licenses aren't the easiest documents to obtain.

 Why then, have people who have broken our laws by entering this
 country without proper authorization in the first place, be granted 
 the authority to legally drive? -- Doesn't the line have to be drawn 
 somewhere? Are the laws broken by these undocumented arrivals, 
 in the end, meaningless?

 As they say..."Only in America."

 No wonder we have such cases as Gao's.

 Once upon a time, living in the United States - for people not born
 here - was a privilege. A priviledge that was never taken for granted. 
 Now even illegal immigrants demand social surfaces and health 
 benefits. And expect that their demands will be complied with.

 How absurd.

 The lack of fear so many immigrants - both legal and illegal - seem 
 to have for being caught in the wrong, is a telling indictment of the 
 weakness of American law as to immigrant behavior. Too many people 
 come into this country seeking only money, prestige, and fame. 
 They never truly come to regard America as "home." In other words
 love and loyalty for the "mother country" does not get left behind in 
 the dust. -- Not that anyone should ever purposely turn their back
 on their own cultural heritage.

 Yet, these new immigrants disrespect our culture, our traditions, and 
 flout our laws. And unlike immigrants of past generations some even 
 refuse to learn to read, write, or speak English. They won't make the
 effort.

 If necessary the entire immigration system in this country should 
 be revamped out of concern for the safety and security of the people 
 born and raised in this land. It is vitally important that the immigration 
 authorities have every tool available so that they may know who to 
 KEEP OUT, as much as who to allow in.

 Enough of conflicted intellectuals with fancy degrees. Who may 
 in some respects pose a threat every bit as serious as the terrorists
 who live and work among us. And it matters not whether these 
 intellectuals hail from Africa, Asia, Europe, or South America. If 
 those persons who are new to this country are discovered to have
 divided loyalties, then they don't deserve a home in our "sweet land
 of liberty."

 It is time immigration law acquired some teeth. And that America's
 borders come to mean something once again.

 Enough of this rediculousness.
 

 ReadingPost.Com
 © Copyright 2003

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