Posted on 10/10/2006 6:38:59 AM PDT by Ebenezer
(English-language translation)
Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá yesterday favored a motion that senators and representatives [with the governing Popular Democratic Party (PPD)] will sign to demand that U.S. President George W. Bush release Puerto Rican political prisoners.
During a meeting yesterday of the PPD Legislative Conference, Representative Luis Raúl Torres made a motion in support of the release of the political prisoners, which was approved unanimously and supported by Acevedo.
Torres told EL VOCERO that he will send Bush and congressional leaders a letter to let them know the PPD leadership's feelings. He recognized, however, that the governor might make additional efforts in favor of Carlos Alberto Torres, Haydeé Beltrán, and Oscar López Rivera, who have been in prison for over 25 years for their struggle for the island's independence.
The PPD representative stated that, in the letter, he will call on the American president to offer these Puerto Ricans an "unconditional" pardon.
"They have paid, and it's time that they return to their families. Christmas is coming, and I believe it's the best gift to these prisoners' families and to the Puerto Rican people," Torres said. "A 78-year sentence is excessively long, and, if the codes are reviewed, we will find that there has not been that high a sentence in other cases."
A march titled "All Hands United for the Freedom of the Political Prisoners" took place on Sunday with hundreds of people walking from the Convention Center to Old San Juan to demand the release of these Puerto Ricans.
The PPD would not have been in power if it not had been for the support of the pro-independence faction. Call this gesture a quid pro quo.
ping
"Carlos Alberto Torres, Haydeé Beltrán, and Oscar López Rivera, who have been in prison for over 25 years for their struggle for the island's independence."
Ask most anybody in Puerto Rico if they remeber who these jokers are.
These are mainland radicals, left-overs from the sixties, who used the fringe "cause" of Puerto Rico independence as a front for their seditious activities.
Let them rot in jail.
Why don't we give Puerto Rico its independence? Sooner the better IMHO.
Less than 5% of the population wants independence.
It's waaaaay past time to cut this political liability loose and let it fend for itself.
That "political liability" sends a Conservative Republican to Congress. I'd rather keep PR than the bulk of the New England states.
Everyone to his taste. As far as I'm concerned, Puerto Rico is a net liability and a drag on the nation.
I am sure a lot of my fellow Puerto Ricans who are in the Armed Forces will share be as glad as I am to know how you think of us...
Yup. Feel free to spread the word.
Let PR decide what it wants, independence or statehood.
Three hundred million Americans might feel they ought to have a say in the matter, but whatever.
Reminder: Puerto Ricans are Americans.
All statehood petitions must pass through congress. My point is that the current status of PR needs to be resolved. Let's either bring her in as a state or allow her to be a sovereign nation.
Yes. Exactly.
But Puerto Rico is not a state, and it's long past time for it to establish its independence.
Really? Those are the only ones we hear from. What's up with the other 95%, are they a silent majority?
BTW - thanks for your service.
"Really? Those are the only ones we hear from. What's up with the other 95%, are they a silent majority?"
Not so silent. It's just that the pro-independence folks are very much like mainland radical leftists, loud but of no consequence. The 95% or the rest are about equally divided on whether to maintain the status quo (with a faction calling for "enhancements" to it) or to petition for statehood.
"BTW - thanks for your service."
And honor and a privilege.
Statehood is, or should be, a form of independence.
Mainlander and islander lives are too intertwined for the bonds to be broken. Ask yourself, what exactly is a Puerto Rican? And the answer is someone who either lives in or was born in Puerto Rico. There are many mainlanders who claim a Puerto Rican identity only to use it on the other side of the "us vs. them" game you fine folks on the mainland like to play so much.
But for example, if I was born on the island, but my wife was born in New York and our children were born in Alabama, who decides who gets to stay as an American?
Allow for multiple combinations of island and mainland born, and who lives on the island or on the mainland, and of those who owns businesses or property where, and it gets very complicated.
The decision to annex Puerto Rico was made a long time ago by men older and wiser than us.
It would not do any good if the 95% did speak up.
The Main Stream Media would not report it.
I believe that they probably do.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.