Posted on 04/23/2002 11:22:12 AM PDT by Walkin Man
Mob Attacks Marines
Tue Apr 23, 2:13 PM ET
By PAISLEY DODDS, Associated Press Writer
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - A mob armed with bats and pipes attacked 10 U.S. Navy (news - web sites) Marines, leaving one with a cranial fracture and others with injuries from broken bones to minor scrapes, the Navy said Tuesday.
The Marines — more than 60 wearing civilian clothes at the time — had just finished work as a security detachment for contested military exercises on the outlying island of Vieques.
Two Marines were arguing between themselves outside at about 11 p.m. when a mob armed with lead pipes and bats started beating them, Barker said. He did not say what the fight was about.
Eight other Marines came to their friends' defense, and the brawl developed into a large street fight involving more than two dozen people, the Navy and police said.
The attackers fled when police were called. There were no arrests.
Police and the Navy said the fight occurred outside the Hard Rock Cafe, but manager Arnoldo Pegan said it happened about five blocks away.
"The Marines stopped by for dinner and like always, they were well-behaved," he said, adding he saw no argument.
The Marines, stationed in Tidewater, Va., are expected to return to their duties on the mainland this week. They had arrived at the cafe in white civilian buses.
Anti-military sentiment in this U.S. territory flared after an off-target bomb killed a civilian guard in 1999 on Vieques.
Protesters regularly break into the bombing range to delay exercises. The Navy says that during the latest round of maneuvers, which ended last week, protesters threw rocks and other objects at military personnel. The protesters say their demonstrations are peaceful.
works for the dems
A friend's wife who has been here for many years, recently voted in France's election. Just went into New York to do so.
I guess you're just too simpleminded to grasp the difference between legal and illegal immigration.
BTW word of advice, never ever ever confuse a Puerto-Rican with a Mexican, It's like calling a North Carolinian a Yankee.
It seems to be a very logical and practical approach for accommodating a large absentee population that is concentrated in one area.
If Joisey had a similar population temporarily residing in San Juan, it would make sense to do the same thing.
Do you know what the percentage is that "don't want our military?"
They already pay no federal income tax.
So if I move to Puerto Rico, I don't have to pay?
Give them independence. Free PR now!
In many votes among residents there, those that want independence have always lost.
I fear many of the top echelon of the Republican party and nearly all Democrats and 99% of the left all share that same aforementioned simplemindedness.
I hope so too. And I'm sure they could have if they wanted to. But those boys are too disciplined and well behaved, so they probably held back and didn't.
Smart business man that wants the marines to keep frequenting his place of business.
It's more like the difference between a person who's willing to work hard even for meager wages, no matter how lowly a job (Mexican), and a person who expects... no, demands a handout, and then complains that it's not good enough (Puerto Rican). If you've ever been to PR, you know what I'm talking about. They are the epitome of laziness.
Please, let's "free" them... the sooner the better!
Puerto Ricans have exactly the citizenship rights warranted. The full rights of a United States citizen are only obtained through one's citizenship in a sovereign state of the United States. Puerto Rico must petition and be accepted for statehood to realize the status of one of the sovereign states of the United States and for its citizens to have the full array of rights under the Constitution.
Further, I do not believe Puerto Rico deserves statehood. It is a typical remnant of the Spanish Empire with none of the heritage this country was built on. And it shows. For Puerto Rico to qualify for statehood, it should demonstrate a commitment to this country's basic institutions.
Since Puerto Rico will never embrace the American way, it is left with two options; status quo, or independence. I support either.
However, with either choice, the United States should stop this nonsense about the live firing range. Keep it and use it. Take reasonable security measures. For those that break into the area, tough! If they survive the live fire, prosecute them for trespassing and throw them into a federal penitentary.
And BTW, in my younger days, I was Officer-in-Charge, Shore Bombardment Area, San Clemente Island.
Lazy is not a word I would use to describe her mother or father at all. They work too hard and take no handouts.
But, I know where you get your stereotype. Just this weekend, I was chating with my father-in-law about the mexicans and how hard they work here for a pitance.
He said that his mother (who lives in central PR) was complaining about how lazy the PR People have become down there. Apparently they have to hire illegal Cubans to do the crap work because it's beneath the Puerto Ricans. And then they complain about the Cubans taking all the jobs...
BTW: The "middle class" you speak of in Puerto Rico is dependent on US government jobs and subsidies in order to maintain their "middle class" status. There is a good reason why a disproportionate amount of the businessmen I deal with down there are Cuban exiles or their children.
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