The first Puerto Rican Day parade took place in New York City in 1958. Since then, it has grown to what many believe is the largest parade in the nation. Last year, over 100,000 people marched as 3 million watched the parade. Many people became aware of it for the first time when Seinfeld and his writers thought it would be funny if the characters accidentally burned a Puerto Rican flag during the parade. Every year has been a celebration of simply being Boricua, a people obsessed with their culture and everything that goes with it. In the past, the parade has honored men who have support statehood and men who have support Puerto Rican independence. This year, they celebrate the most prolific Puerto Rican independista, Pedro Albizu Campos. It will also be in support of the Viequenses who want the Navy to cease the bombing.
Many are having a problem with celebrating either of these two in the public eye. Vieques has been a political thorn for the past 60 years, and consists of a battle against the United States military. Pedro Albizu Campos is known as one of the most educated, vocal, and longsuffering figures of Puerto Rican history who supported independence for Puerto Rico. He was also a Harvard educated WWI veteran who is credited with ordering or inspiring most of the violent attacks against the United States. A few days after his death, he would be awarded the title of Doctor in Political Sciences Honoris Causa by The University of Havana. The violent attacks included the assassination of a U.S. appointed American police chief, an attack of gunfire in the halls of U.S. Congress, and an attempt on the life of Harry S. Truman. He would become one of the first Puerto Ricans charged with seditious conspiracy in the 1900s. This charge of violently attempting to overthrow the U.S. government would be an offense reserved for Puerto Ricans since they became citizens in 1917. Neither Timothy McVeigh nor the World Trade Center bombers have been charged with this offense that carries almost a century long sentence.
Many in Puerto Rico vehemently oppose honoring Don Pedro. Some called for a boycott of the parade. All of these complaints have been ignored. Celebrating Don Pedro, celebrates an unchangeable part of Puerto Rican and American history. Because the government in power has always been in support of statehood, it must remain apologetic towards the mainland while Puerto Rico's future waits to be decided. If Puerto Rico becomes a state, Pedro will have the same place in history as the governors of confederate states, as people who also fought against the United States. However, it is likely that the U.S. sanctioned demonizing of anyone in support of independence will slowly deteriorate the honor many people have in their hearts for Pedro Albizu Campos. If Puerto Rico becomes an independent nation, he will join the ranks of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. These men, the Sons of Liberty, and others who started the first attacks against the British crown were probably considered colonial terrorists by their British sovereigns. However, they were successful, so they are revolutionary heroes.
There's no need to inject the politics of statehood into a celebration of simply being Puerto Rican. But, Puerto Rico is said to be a place where every word is dissected to find out if you support statehood or independence. For a 500-year-old colony, that's not hard to believe. In the same way we study our former presidents in the context of their times, we must study Puerto Rico's heroes as history is still being made. Our founding fathers weren't men with low morals just because they owned slaves, we're taught they were a product of their times.
Don Pedro was a product of an era when an appointed military government controlled Puerto Rico until elections were permitted, Puerto Rico was openly referred to as a colony instead of a commonwealth, and at least one of his attacks were in direct response to the death of Puerto Ricans exercising their rights. Even when the transition to a Commonwealth was made, several U.S. congressmen made it very clear that Puerto Rico's status was effectively unchanged. Campos also accused the government of performing radiation experiments on him while in prison. There are photos of Campos with the same scarring and welts that occur with exposure to radiation.
The parade to honor Pedro Albizu Campos was made three years ago. This year, it will also support the will of Viequenses in their 60-year-old battle. While Tito Puente was supposed to be an integral part of the parade, there will be several musical tributes in memory of him. Since the New York parade has started, other areas have also started holding parades. It has become a national celebration, spanning states like Pennsylvania, Florida and California.
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