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opinion:
our view
Navy exploits
another target
The U.S. Navy has
bombed the Puerto Rican island of Vieques for nearly 60 years,
causing irreparable damage to the island's environment and countless
health problems for Vieques' citizens.
The Navy's presence
on the island is overwhelming, and with only a small space
for civilians, the Navy's -- and its bombs -- proximity
to the Vieques population has literally pushed the island's
inhabitants into the middle of the Navy' activities.
Like most U.S.
military endeavors, people always come second. Are the people
of this small Puerto Rico island chain unimportant? Perhaps
the U.S. military thinks so, but we don't.
Is it money? Is
it the dislike of Puerto Rico's government? More than likely,
it's none of these. The U.S. military likes to exploit people
of nations that are not on American soil, even if it is an
American territory.
We are bombing
an island people live on! How many bombs do you have to test
in order to see what happens? Aren't these the same bombs
that put craters in the ground and reduced buildings to rubble?
The military claims
that this is the only place that they can conduct these crucial
maneuvers. Are you kidding? How many islands are there in
the world? Don't answer that, but you can guess the number
is huge. Probably so many, in fact, that such things as military
maneuvers and bomb testing could be carried out somewhere
else -- with no harm to people.
The U.S. military's
image is being tarnished -- and it doesn't care. The Navy
keeps bombing, and the people of Vieques wake up to the sounds
of explosions. Imagine that, waking up to bombs exploding.
Last time we checked, that meant war.
The protesters
on Vieques have every right to try and end these bombings
the U.S. military sees as "necessary." Actually,
these people have no choice but to protest.
We as Americans
must join the protest and stop the military from this questionable
act. Remember Vietnam? If it weren't for protesting, thousands
more probably would have died.
Vieques isn't the
same caliber, but the military has gone too far in their endeavors,
exploiting innocent people and the land they reside on.
Will the bombing
of this small island end? It's up to the people of Vieques
and the concerned citizens of America to put an end to this
action. As more Americans and public figures unite, 60 years
of bombing could come to an end.
Until then, keep
protesting.
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