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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
January 8, 2000
Copyright © 2000 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT and THE LEDGER-STAR,
NORFOLK, VA. All Rights Reserved.
Vieques: The Issue Isn't
"The U.S.A. Vs. 'Them' "
In response to the Dec. 27 letters, "Only Vieques risk
is to our troops" and "Vieques issue is civil disobedience":
This issue, about live-fire training by the U.S. Navy in Puerto
Rico, is not a USA vs. "them" conflict. Puerto Rico
has been a colony of the United States for 100 years. Not only
the Navy and the military, but all federal agencies, particularly
Congress, have acted with impunity and disregard for even the
most basic tenets of human and civil rights of their fellow citizens
here. This has made a mockery of the U.S. citizenship we so proudly
have defended at every armed conflict in this century.
This issue goes well beyond partisan politics or President
Clinton. It is based upon the right of every American to liberty
and peace in their own homes, free from persecution or aggravation
from the military-industrial complex.
Allow me to assure our fellow Americans in Virginia that we
in Puerto Rico are ready to assume our fiscal responsibilities,
as soon as Congress recognizes our full rights as Americans. This
includes our right to vote for president and elect full congressional
representation who could resolve issues of this nature in the
manner guaranteed by our Constitution.
Arturo J. Guzman
San Juan, Puerto Rico
December 27, 1999
Copyright © 1999 THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT and THE LEDGER-STAR,
NORFOLK, VA. All Rights Reserved.
Only Vieques Risk Is
To Our Troops
In a familiar pattern of the "decision-making" of
his administration, our commander-in-chief has again shown the
depth and strength of his convictions: shallow and weak.
To military audiences, he never fails to mention his absolute
dedication to the safety and well-being of our fighting men and
women. However, given the choice between alienating Puerto Rican
voters, and possibly endangering the pilots, sailors and Marines
of the Eisenhower battle group, he reverts to his true self, the
consummate politician, and puts the protection of his wife's and
vice president's campaigns above that of the battle group.
President Clinton grovels to a small group of fishermen, who
are trespassing on government property, and offers them $40 million
to think about letting the military resume maneuvers on land over
which the Puerto Ricans have no claim. It is laughably appropriate
that the Puerto Ricans rejected his proposal and left him with
no way to save face. Unfortunately, it is the battle group that
heads into harm's way with an untested, piecemeal training program.
A Puerto Rican was killed by an errant bomb while working for
the government on government land, miles from the fishing villages
on Vieques. No resident of those villages is ever in danger from
these maneuvers; they are simply annoyed at the sound of bombs
falling miles from their homes. The explosions that I occasionally
hear from the bases in Virginia Beach are closer to my house.
This is not an issue of safety for the Puerto Ricans; it is
for the U.S. armed forces. The maneuvers should be resumed without
limitations and without apology.
Ted Morse
Virginia Beach
Vieques Issue Is Civil
Disobedience
The Clinton administration has stopped all live bombing on
the Atlantic Fleet Weapons Range of Vieques, Puerto Rico. In addition,
we taxpayers were to pony up $14 million for the commonwealth
of Puerto Rico to sweeten the deal.
These dollars were to go to people who do not even pay federal
income taxes. The governor of Puerto Rico turned down the administration's
proposal. Once again, Bill Clinton has put his and/ or his wife's
politics ahead of national security.
In the mid '70s, a San Juan newspaper ran a series of articles
titled, "Do not kick a sleeping giant." The articles
attempted to inform the citizens of Puerto Rico of all the advantages
of being a commonwealth of the United States while not being a
federal taxpayer. At that time, Puerto Rico was receiving more
welfare than 46 of the contiguous states.
Probably little has changed in the past 20 years. One way to
curb civil disobedience is through the pocketbook. I hope Congress
pays attention to the current situation in Vieques.
John J. Kingston
Virginia Beach
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