A Puerto Rican citizen critizizes the American bombing above and on Puerto Rican soil. He talks of the experiences and the past events that lead to a protest at the American Naval Base by nationalists and other citizens.
I have had enough of the American’s so called “practice bombing”. Today, the 19th of April, my dear friend Dave Sames Rodriguez was killed during another session of what the Americans claim to be “bombing practice”. How did this happen? Why are people afraid when they hear jets and missiles flying above in air? I’ll tell you why; finally I will speak up for the people of Puerto Rico… no nation will prevent me from ensuring the safety of my family and neighbors.
My biggest question takes the form of this: are the Americans truly just practicing their military tactics, or are they purposely missing targets and killing innocent civilians. It is hard to say whether the people of the United States of America are lying about their military or actually just making mistakes, but I do not want to make the mistake of letting murders and blood thirsty leaders rule my homeland. We have worked so hard to end up where we are as a Nation; we have been through so many wars and treaties to be the Puerto Ricans we are today and nobody has the right to blow all that into shambles. I understand that this outlook on the Americans comes from a strong and biased point of view and takes a cynical tone, but along with Dave’s death, the Americans “accidentally” caused four other of my fellow citizens of Puerto Rico to be injured. Thankfully none of them died as well, but that does not weaken the consequences and blame that shall be thrust upon the Nation of United States.
There is absolutely no need for the Amiercans to be dropping bombs from the air onto civilized areas. No necesitamos los aviones por encima y la destrucción de nuestras ciudades. Even if the bombs are not being dropped on these places, the Americans know that they have little control as to where the bomb will acutally land so they are taking the risk of killing and injuring people below. Today, when the two US F-18 fighter planes dropped two five hundred pound bombs on my Puerto Rican Town of Vieques, people were hurt yet they continue to practice bombing. Over the years we citizens of Vieques have been bombarded from both US bombing in the air above and in the seas. We are unluckily located between Puerto Rico’s main island and the US Virgin Islands, so the Americans believe that they can walk and drop whatever they want on our homes.
This is not the first time that a deadly bombing has occurred, yet I pray that it will be the last. Many years ago, in 1955, another citizen, a mere thirteen year old boy who live a road down from me, Chuito Legrand, was also killed by an explosion dropped by Americans. Another incident occurred in the 1970’s when a bomb was dropped near a school in Vieques. How are we supposed to feel safe in our nation when we are afraid to send our children to school? The Americans who rule over us say that their goals are to make us a stronger and powerful nation, yet all they do is cause us devastating destruction. These accidents are destroying our beliefs in the American system. If the United State’s pernicious protection is all they have to offer, I would rather them leave and let Puerto Rico be independent. The Americans will realize the mistakes they have made since I will be taking part in a vigil at the Navy Base to protest these incidents.
Along with me, other protestors, mostly fishermen like myself and supporters from both the main island of Puerto Rico and my very own town will gather on the naval base in the hope that we will make a difference and show the US that Puerto Rico, as one, wishes them to leave us to ourselves.. We want the US military to leave our land alone as they have their own vast land in the United States to crater with bombs. Is this just a misunderstanding or a new way of placing fear into the hearts of Puerto Ricans? The first step to gaining our own independence or control is by pushing the US navy all the way back to the shores of Florida and then we will look and begin from there. The process of colonizing is over for the US… now the time for the Puerto Ricans to rise above American virtues and guns has come and we will take back our nation, piece by piece and life by life. Vieques is a strong city and we have been through many other historical struggles; this American difficulty will just be added to the long line struggles from the last five centuries. We have beaten the Spanish, broke through slavery as well as economical exploitation. We can be rid of the people as long as our motto is “navy go home”.
Jose San Marini
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