“The youth must defend the country with the weapons of knowledge.”
- Pedro Albizu Campos
Every nation on this planet has the right to self-determination. Every foreign government has the right to implement any political and economic ideology with the support from the people. However, no country around the world should be under siege and dictated by any foreign nation, especially by an imperialistic nation like the United States of America.
As a child, I remembered seeing a black and white color poster of what I would describe as an angry man shouting at a crowd of people while standing on a podium. With dark pierce eyes and having a passionate characteristic look, the expressions on the people's faces standing there looked inspired with hope and determination. Throughout my childhood, up to my adolescent years, this same iconic figure still appears in many Puerto Rican bars and restaurants in the Tri-State area of New York City. At that time, I never fully understood why this particular man was so important within the Latin community. The man’s face on every posters, flyers, t-shirts, and mural I came across in many Latin communities was the Revolutionary Pedro Albizu Campos.
Like many Revolutionaries all around the world, they fought against colonialism and the systemic economic caste that oppresses their people. Pedro Albizu Campos who was one of the main leaders and organizers of the Puerto Rican National Party fought for the independence of Puerto Rico.
Revolutionaries from Latin America and the Caribbeans were and still are being mischaracterized and misunderstood in history books. It is also sad to say that many Revolutionaries like Pedro Albizu Campos are no longer being discussed in the community or just simply hidden from LatinX and Caribbean academic studies. Can it be because of the fear of red-baiting from the US propaganda machine? Can it be the fear of actual systemic change in Puerto Rico that keeps many of us in the dark? One thing for sure, a radical and critical way of thinking to study and analyze the situation of Puerto Rico, both past and present is urgently needed.
A book that I highly recommend reading which I believe gives a great overall summary history of the many movements in Puerto Rico against oppressive components and mechanisms like the Gag Law policy, FBI terror raids, and torture programs all supported by J. Edgar Hoover and US Government. That book is called the "War Against All Puerto Ricans: Revolution and Terror in America Colony"
From the Ponce Massacre to the US Bombing Campaign on the small island of Vieques(Puerto Rico's Land), and to the terror tactics unleashed on the poor working community throughout the island, the book sheds light on this dark history era in Puerto Rico.
Author Nelson A. Denis does not hold back on tells it how it is and how it relates to Puerto Rico's Political and Economic today.
I believe this book needs to be studied in Latin America and Caribbean Academic studies in the US. I thank the author for his fantastic work and hope that many readers buy or borrow a copy of Nelson’s compelling book.
by César Omar Sánchez. Community organizer, New York/New Jersey Cuba Si Coalition, Advisory Board Member of ProLibertad: Free All Political Prisoners Campaign.
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