barriomulas.com - The Acceptance of Violence in Puerto Rican Culture

"Terrorist" is a word easily thrown around by Americans. I know because while living in the U.S. for the majority of my childhood and teenage years "terrorism" was a term easily slapped onto Timothy McVeigh, Osama Bin Laden, and other renown bad guys. The term is fiercely negative and people take offense when you refer to U.S. foreign policy or politicians as "terrorist". "Harboring terrorists" is a term often applied to those countries who don't feel as strongly on the issue as mainstream Americans. "So you prefer the terrorists!?" asks a pro-War American upon hearing that I disagree with the war in Iraq.

Violence as a means to achieve political aim or express one self is perceived much more liberally in Puerto Rico. For example, the vast majority, if not all of Americans would quickly call Timothy McVeigh a terrorist, even if they sympathized for his motives.

Terrorist/freedom fighter Filiberto Ojeda, on the other hand, is quickly hailed as a misunderstood freedom fighter by possibly the vast majority of Puerto Ricans. (There were 106 photos of Filiberto Ojeda on Flickr as opposed to 47 of Pedro Rossello.) Not only are logos of his terrorist organization freely adorned on car bumpers, baseball caps, and murals in public housing complexes, but rarely are his violent actions scorned. We must remember that Ojeda lived many years as a fugitive, being sheltered by neighbors and common citizens. Many who demonize Ojeda do so not because of his violent tactics, but because of his motives for Puerto Rican independence. Aggressive pro-Statehooders who kick down signs, burst through government office doorways, and punch police officers are often hailed by the same movement that criticizes Ojeda.

My grandfather used to tell me about the days that he was in elementary school. "They would make us sing the school's hymn everyday. Me and my friends used to mock it by singing, "escuelita escuelita, voy a plantar una bombita" or "little school, little school, I'm going to plant a little bomb". He chuckled about the subject. It's not rare to hear a frustrated person exclaim something along the lines of "Dammit! If it was up to me I'd just blow up that building!" One ex-nationalist once told me, "If you gotta' plant a bomb, than you gotta plant a bomb."

People often joke about terrorist attacks, bombs, and Arab terrorists. One of the Taliban, Jose Padilla is referred to as the "Puerto Rican Taliban" in headlines, as if the media were proud of him, overlooking the fact that he was born and raised in the U.S. (Interestingly enough, as of the current moment his wikipedia entry mentions nothing about his Puerto Rican background.) One pro-independence radio host was introduced by a co-host as, "the guy who always dresses in black, since he's clandestine." Recently it was uncovered that a renown archbishop had met with - and apparently befriended - Ojeda prior to his death. (It would be unthinkable of Pat Richardson, for example, meeting with someone of the likes of Timothy McVeigh.) We are all familiar with the popularity of Liberation Theory in Latin America, where religious figures would align themselves with revolutionary movements. During the recent anniversary of the bogotazo uprising in Colombia, a panel of representatives from all of Puerto Rico's ideologies chuckled, "we need one of those over here."

Every year pro-independence activists and leftists gather at the annual Grito de Lares fest where open calls for violence are frequent and posters and t-shirts with "terrorists" are sold in public. Many streets in Puerto Rico are adorned with names, murals, or statues for Albizu Campos, one of the most notorious and most wanted terrorists sought by the U.S. during the early 20th century.

I really don't know where I'm going with all of this, but I do believe that it is an interesting observation. Violence and the defining separation between a "freedom fighter" and "terrorist" are obviously boundaries set up by culture. It's interesting to see how such concepts can clash in a system such as Puerto Rico's where one set of standards is subjugated by another set of standards (in this case, the federal government.) The general attitude is that Americans need to "calm down" and just "chill out". Much ruckus was caused when anti-Navy Vieques protesters were blacklisted on the U.S. terrorist list.

ronbothunter said:

WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OPPOSES YOUR RIGHT TO BE FREE!!

Puerto Ricans, whether they are called Independents (independentistas), Patriots or Nationalists or Freemen, who desire to be free, must always know that the federal government, here in the States has no “subject matter jurisdiction” over the person, case or location and should be challenged to proof it. These are magic words to learn when in Court for desiring freedom for your/our Country.

You won’t be told this in court but: All jury members, judges, attorneys, and employees working in federal court, must reside in federal territory to legally be a federal juror or touch your case or they can be commercially sued, disbarred and financially ruined for violating your constitutional rights etc.

Your god given right to be free is not wanted by the USA, it will oppose your desire for independence and freedom, because the Federal USA is a profit based Corporation.

The Federal Government is a District of Columbia “Corporation”, as are all the States of the USA. These Corporations were formed for the benefit of the real owners. Since June of 1933, everything since then, is under Contract law or commercial law, aka Admiralty law, to benefit your masters in power.

The Federal Government owns Puerto Rico as an ASSET, because it is a slave colony—whether you like the idea or not. But the Federal Government takes orders from those who own and run this (Corporation) Country, but are not of this country. The International Bankers, who really own the corporations called the USA, will let PR be free, only if enough real men of Boricua blood wish to be free, by reserving their rights under the Constitution. Their books will be adjusted and we will be free.

The answer to your freedom lies in your Constitutional rights --- To win --You must always reserve your constitutional, commercial rights and know what they are and how to do so.

The USA has been the biggest alien invaders the world has ever known. In order to win your freedom, you must oppose them by knowing that their weakness lies in their violations and in their treasons to the Constitution and to the common law and common law remedies.

This abuse must end. No man or woman is a real Man or real woman who is too scared to fight for their souls and be free. If you listen to the Gringito, you will lose your soul.

Thru out eternity Humanity owes its freedom from slavery, ONLY to brave souls who fought for your right to be free.

The fight will NOT succeed if you don't fight the Gringito enemy/traitor/collaborator at home first. He is there next door and claims he is a real man and tries to give you many excuses of why PR can't be a free Country.

To give away your/our/my Country is not a right of alien invaders, visitors or foreigners with NO Puerto Rican Blood.

The right to vote on THIS ISSUE should NOT be given to NON-Puerto Ricans.

The fight for the independence of Puerto Rico is now non-violent and will be won in the hearts of real men around the World.

The Ronbothunter,

A proud freedom loving Puerto Rican.

September 16, 2008 1:41 PM