Mickey Z

Cool Observer

Monday, September 26, 2005

Global warming & hurricanes...plus: Filiberto Ojeda Rios, Lolita Lebrón & Puerto Rican independence

Posted by Mickey Z on 09/26 at 04:46 AM

When I first heard about Puerto Rican independence and the violence from some of its supporters—back in the seventies—I thought, what’s the harm in just letting the people and their country go? No one but a lunatic would try to hang on. It eventually sank in that the mainstream political posture was less mature than I, and the prevailing view was that letting them go would signal “weakness”. It’s almost beyond belief that some people view pure pragmatism as a weakness.

Posted by Harry on from 09/26 at 06:11 AM

The article mentions Filiberto’s wife was missing...after the first shots were fired; she exited their house and was arrested and then blindfolded. She was eventually released due to “lack of evidence.”

She was present at her husband’s funeral yesterday and I drove by the building where his body is “laying in rest.”

The press, the governor, all three political parties, the chief of police and the Justice department have all sounded in unison against the FBI.

The single bullet that killed Filiberto entered his body above the clavicle and shot downward into his chest and stomach area. Most likely he was lying down taking cover and was taken out by a sniper. I would guess that he was armed; according to the FBI a pistol was found near his body.

I would think that he was taken out by a sniper. He was shot, and then left for a long period of time and eventually died...more information will (hopefully) come out with the autopsy.

Will the outrage felt by many Puerto Ricans lead to a new drive towards independence? Not likely...I hope to have a chance to write about why and provide more details this week.

Posted by JOS on from Puerto Rico 09/26 at 08:24 AM

Pragmatism is viewed as weakness because that’s part of turning people’s perceptions on their heads. When a country becomes thoroughly survival-based like in Germany in 30s-40s, and it becomes a daily necessity to turn others in for thinking independently, any kind of compassion goes from being a weakness to being a direct threat. Take Cynthia Sheehan, at the moment enough of the public think highly of her for it to be sensible for the media to reflect that view but if there was another attack on US soil the tack taken would be protest hinders or even deliberately obstructs the coughcough war on terror. Look at the articles creeping out in dailies calling for withdrawal from Iraq after two years of bugleblowing so in any crisis they can say “we tried the soft approach and it got people killed,” basically this backwards world gets to call peaceful people terrorists.

“Nothing would be what it is, Because everything would be what it isn’t. And contrary-wise -what it is, it wouldn’t be. And what it wouldn’t be, it would. You see?”
- Alice in Wonderland.

“Just look at us. Everything is backwards; everything is upside down.
Doctors destroy health, lawyers destroy justice, universities destroy
knowledge, governments destroy freedom, the major media destroy information
and religions destroy spirituality”
- Michael Ellner

Posted by Owen on from Barcelona 09/26 at 08:34 AM

This is one upsidedownworld, that is for damn sure.

We were talking about ways to make a difference here at Mickey’s last week, here’s a friend of mine from Boston, Kathy Kim, showing that one person can do a lot:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/09/25/doing_right_by_dudley/

I am going to invite her to pay a visit over here to see how her black belt in Tae Kwan Do matches up against your Kung Fu, Mickey.

Posted by JOS on from Puerto Rico 09/26 at 08:53 AM

great excerpt from 50AR, I can’t wait to finally receive my copy from Amazon. Thanks for pointing out prolibertadweb.com, I did not know about that site.

On a personal note, my wife’s grandfather was arrested back in the fifties (I think that’s the right time period) for firing his pistol in the air while a US federal judge was arriving on the island by boat to dish out some American-style justice. He was a fierce Independista as a young man… the years he spent in federal prison softened him somewhat, however.

Posted by JOS on from Puerto Rico 09/26 at 09:44 AM

I think human stress causes global warming.

Posted by Owen on from Barcelona 09/26 at 10:18 AM

Here’s a great editorial on NO, by James Lee Burke:

http://tinyurl.com/acq9t

Posted by JOS on from Puerto Rico 09/26 at 10:42 AM

Good stuff here today. Along with Owen’s quotes here are two of my favorite quotes....everybody recognize them?

“Reports that say that something hasn’t happened are always interesting to me, because as we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns—the ones we don’t know we don’t know.” ..................
“...It’s a mystery, it’s a mystery wrapped in a riddle inside an enigma! The fuckin’ shooters don’t even know, don’t you get it?! ####, man!!...”

Posted by RMJ on from in the Mobius band 09/26 at 10:47 AM

Great links, JOS. I do hope your friend will stop by and I love this paragraph from the NOLA article:

For the rest of my life, however, I want to remember not only the faces of Katrina’s victims but the images of the Coast Guard rescuers hanging from cables under helicopters; firefighters and cops who threaded boats through the darkness while being shot at; the medical personnel who used hand ventilators to keep their patients alive for six days; the soldiers and ministers and ordinary people who gave up all thought of themselves in service to their fellow human beings. In their anonymity, they glow with the aura of Byzantine saints.

Owen: I haven’t heard Michael Ellner’s name mentioned in quite some time. Years ago, my wife and I went to a meeting at Al Shartpton’s National Action Center in Harlem. The topic was vaccinations and Ellner was one of the speakers. He blew everyone away.

RMJ: I must admit, I don’t know those quotes.

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 09/26 at 11:08 AM

I know the first one from RMJ...the “known knowns” quote is courtesy of Don Rumsfeld...that crazy bastard.

Yes, Mickey, I hope Kathy comes by, I think she will like it here.

The NO editorial is by James Lee Burke...a must read detective novelist in my opinion.

Things are getting a little wild here in PR, new graffiti is popping up everywhere against the FBI, “Ojo por Ojo” (an eye for an eye), the FBI = Assasians, etc.

I am against violence from both sides, but it is too bad there wasn’t a more organized and prepared movement present here in PR before this murder occurred, right now we are simply seeing the destruction of some property and protest marches. I strong Independence leader could rally this energy in a powerful way.

Posted by JOS on from Puerto Rico 09/26 at 12:37 PM

Where’s Pedro Albizu Campos when we need him?

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 09/26 at 12:41 PM

JOS....you are right, first quote was Rumsfeld...Any takers out there for the second quote?.........BREAKING NEWS....CINDY SHEEHAN JUST ARRESTED...I think she was standing in the wrong place. Man, I know a lot about that!!!....I agree that ALL violence is wrong but maybe Malcolm X was right when he said that it is criminal to teach a man not to fight, when he is under constant attack. If you saw a child being attacked, what should you do? We all just saw 500,000+ thousand children killed.

Posted by RMJ on from in the Mobius band 09/26 at 12:59 PM

I cheated...Joe Pesci’s David Ferrie in JFK (oliverstone).

Yes, Rosemarie...It’s hard to hold back a violent reaction to 500,000 children (add tens of thousands of children killed since the secon invasion). My first reaction is always thoughts of violent retaliation, but then I would rather be more imaginitive and effective.

Of course, you were able to get some attention for responding non-violently to this illegal war.

Posted by JOS on from Puerto Rico 09/26 at 01:21 PM

“Where’s Pedro Albizu Campos when we need him?”

Unfortunately, as you know Mickey, when people start talking to the people and telling the truth like this:

They end up like this:

La Princesa Penitentiary.

Pulled from this site which talks about him being radiated by authorities:

http://albizu.8m.com/

Posted by JOS on from Puerto Rico 09/26 at 01:38 PM

JOS...You are right again....the second quote is from JFK. I love that quote, It really says a lot about a lot of situations......Yes, I responded in a non-violent way to the war but what I did, did not save one life. The only real successful part of that mission was that my photos of the bombed Iraqi children were shown on the Albany, NY CBS affiliate that night. I am not sure that even looking at “inflammatory” photos such as those has much of an effect on the average US citizen. You can’t imagine how often I am asked why I care about them, “After all they’re only Iraqis”. I hear that comment all the time. On Saturday a man almost got violent, when I answered that ALL lives are to be valued.

Posted by RMJ on from in the Mobius band 09/26 at 01:44 PM

“On Saturday a man almost got violent, when I answered that ALL lives are to be valued.”

What happened?

I agree, that what your protest did not save one life...YET. As you said your action got the fact that we are murdering children (and woman and men) in Iraq (and Afghanistan). Each act of that nature changes minds...it angers some and gets them violent, but it also changes minds...and eventually a majority of the country wants some or all troops withdrawn from Iraq. Eventually, that will lead to troops actually being removed (I believe this will happen, I don’t know when, but it will happen) and on that day you will have helped to save many, many lives, because if people didn’t speak out we would be there even longer, killing all the way.

That’s my way of looking at it, anyway.

Posted by JOS on from Puerto Rico 09/26 at 01:57 PM

Hello Owen, JOS, RMJ, and other Expendables…

“I think human stress causes global warming.”

Line of the day?

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 09/26 at 03:52 PM

Mickey....and computer problems cause hair loss.(Sorry, I couldn’t resist that opening.)....JOS, I am usually pretty good at dealing with those who have a different global view. A couple of weeks ago a Marine who had just returned from Iraq came up to me and challenged my views on the troops, the war etc. In a little while he was agreeing with me. With this most recent incident, the man was on the verge of violence when I said that ALL life should be valued so I just walked away. On the rare occasion that someone shouts an obscenity at me, I always smile and wave. That really confuses them.

Posted by RMJ on from in the Mobius band 09/26 at 04:40 PM

“Yes, I responded in a non-violent way to the war but what I did, did not save one life.”

Not true, not true. You saved perhaps five lives, maybe more. You don’t know. The more people follow your example, in known and yet-to-be-known ways, the more others will take notice, learn something, obtain a glimmer of hope in their ability to have some positive influence on the world. Soldiers might come home sooner thanks to constant pressure, and thus shoot fewer bullets. New soldiers might not be sent, and so not have to return from a war zone all feaked out and violent. Iraqi society might find its way back to its pre-Gulf War I levels of health and childcare (on this I’m not exactly holding my breath, but who knows?).

I think that’s exactly what you did: you saved lives.

Posted by KBN on from The Hague 09/26 at 04:45 PM

Such stimulating commentary - I agree that the demonstrations and such are so easily ignored and co-opted that they have little chance of making an impact, except perhaps to slowly build up the ranks of people willing to speak out. My experience with people from the Latin American solidarity movement back in the 80’s was that most people do what they do simply because they feel they must do something, say something, take a stand in the face of such horrific conditions, else they’d not be able to sleep at night or live with themselves. So we keep on doing these things despite our understanding of their futility.

When we begin to discuss what we can really do to make a difference, it gets hard. The realities are that armed insurrection is suicidal and likely anything we do that looks really effective will spur martial law. But at a minimum, we must keep talking about it and looking for effective avenues of dissent. We never know what forces and factors are working in the world nor when and how they will all come together for change - we must keep doing our part, being the faithful witness to truth and justice, and being willing to take the step that needs to be taken when we see it there, regardless of the consequences.

As Glen Ford (at Black Commentator) has pointed out, we can be pretty sure they’re not even gonna notice us unless we’re willing to get arrested, not go to work, and generally gum up the works, and in large numbers. But there’s no guarantee even that’s going to work at this point. The civil disobedience in DC today will be an interesting marker - we’ll see how much notice it gets, how much response, and whether people are inspired by it to go on to other such acts around the country. I think there’s something planned for Oct. or Nov. along lines of the Seattle example, as a national effort.

I think this is an important conversation - I hope to see more of it!

Posted by John Eden on from Georgia 09/26 at 04:49 PM

Nice to see you back, Keir...and I really like what you said. Reminded me of I.F. Stone: “If you expect to see the final results of your work, you simply have not asked a big enough question.”

RMJ, I experienced hair loss long before I owned a computer.

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 09/26 at 04:49 PM

Sorry, John. I wasn’t ignoring. We must have been typing at almost the exactly same moment.

It’s good to see you here again, too.

As you know, Cindy Sheehan and many others were arrested today. More here: http://tinyurl.com/9qkvx.

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 09/26 at 04:59 PM

Brilliant post Mickey! Made me laugh and then cry - and thanks for drawing your readers’ attention to that phallus-shaped storm cloud. Might really mean that we are all fucked!!

Posted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 09/26 at 05:01 PM

KBN...Thanks for the kind words. Not too long ago I was complaining to Bill Blum that what I had done had not saved any lives....he e-mailed me back that I had definitely saved at least one life......my own, because if I had not done what I did, he would have killed me.............I apologize again Mickey, I was actually talking about a personal experience with some very minor hair loss. My first computer was a broken one given to me by my daughter. I didn’t realize that it was broken because I had so little experience with computers and had to teach myself how to use it. It didn’t do what it was supposed to do but everyone told me it was just my fault. Eventually, I noticed a slight hair loss (which has since corrected itself). Now it is a family joke that we better keep Mom’s computer in good shape or else.....Yesterday I had major printer problems, so that was on my mind. Sorry to bore you all with this tale of woe.

Posted by RMJ on from in the Mobius band 09/26 at 06:09 PM

Anybody following the case of the St. Pat’s 4 ?...they were just acquitted on a Conspiracy Charge but found guilty on lesser charges. Here is a statement from one of them....
“Our actions were lawful, however, we were repeatedly denied the chance to explain why,” stated Teresa Grady, one of the defendants. “We were not allowed to mention Article VI, paragraph four of the Constitution, which says that the treaties of the United States are the supreme law of the land. We were not allowed to explain our actions in the context of the Nuremberg Principles, which declare that citizens can be held responsible for crimes of their government. Nor could we explain how this war was a violation of the UN Charter. The jury made a wise choice with what they had. It’s unfortunate, however, that they were denied the full truth.”

Posted by RMJ on from in the Mobius band 09/26 at 07:36 PM

I just found this, Rosemarie: http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0926-29.htm

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 09/26 at 08:15 PM

This site and the comments board just get better and better… Mickey, after reading your post and gazing at the photos of Lolita Lebron, I think we might have to revise those lists of celebrity crushes. (yes, even in the 2nd photo; you can still see her spirit there at 80).

Compared to what it sounds like RMJ and those nuns had to deal with, my time in the slammer was really a walk in the park. Food was terrible, though.

Posted by James on from Hell's Kitchen 09/26 at 09:16 PM