Regarding the case of Huei-Ju “LuLu” Yen, the Taiwanese girl who ran afoul of U.S. Customs and is not allowed to return to this country for five years, I feel uniquely qualified to provide commentary.

My son, Ben, brought LuLu from Taiwan to our home in Auburn last July. From the moment she walked through the door, I began to realize what a remarkable individual she is. Journalist, rock climber, gourmet cook, model, piano player, bungee jumper and simply a good person. Everyone who meets LuLu is soon enchanted.

She had built quite a fan base among her readers of the Franklin Journal. One has even suggested that he would go on a hunger strike until the matter is resolved in her favor. Those closest to LuLu have begun a letter-writing campaign to our Maine delegation in Washington, D.C., and to their respective local newspapers. The intent is to get LuLu’s five-year sentence reduced to something more befitting the “crime.”

The first time that I ever spoke with LuLu was during a phone call that Ben had made from Taiwan. Toward the end of the conversation, I asked LuLu how Ben was treating her. “Well,” she replied, “for the most part he treats me very well, but when he doesn’t, it only makes me stronger.”

It is with great certainty that I predict this whole episode will also.

Ralph A. Fletcher, Auburn

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