Talk:Pedro Albizu Campos
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Most of the articles on the web and published on Albizu Campos gloss over the overtly fascist tendencies in his movement. It is disingenous to say that his movement, for example, was influenced by Mahatma Gandhi, since Albizu ultimately advocated direct violent action. The Nationalist Partly found itself by 1940 relegated to a minority status, without the backing of the majority of the population. For example, the island-wide candidate for assembly, Julio Medina Gonzalez, in 1932, obtained less than 2% of the total vote (1). Faced with an overwhelming rejection by citizens, Albizu and his party chose a non-democratic violent avenue for obtaining power. His speeches are thick with the "volkish" nationalistic tones exalting the difference in blood between Puerto Ricans and Americans, and evoke the ideas fowarded by fascist parties throughout the world prior to the second war. His party members stressed the use of black shirt uniforms, and organized militias of resistance- all qualities of fascist movements. While it is true that non-judicial murders of Nationalists occurred, and that the Ponce massacre was likely a premeditated action by the authorities, I think to ignore the anti-democratic violence espoused by his movement is disingenous.
For example, the article in this encyclopedia on Lolita Lebron states her claim that she and her partners did not come to kill congressman; however, four congressman were wounded, one seriously in the chest, and the front podium in the Republican side of the aisle, still has evidence of a bullet fired. In other contemporaneous attacks, various policemen and citizens were killed (2).
Like many other before him, Albizu has become more popular decades after his death, and is now revered by many who do not understand his preference for violence over voting, and his disdain for the wishes of the majority of his fellow Puerto Ricans.
1) http://www.eleccionespuertorico.com/archivo/1932.html 2) http://americanhistory.about.com/library/prm/blpennsylvania1.htm
The Nationalist Party did have fascists in it, but it also had capitalists, democrats, anarchists, socialists and communists too. It was a party whose main idealogy was focused soley on status and the methods to achieve it. Further more the wearing of black is not completely true, the Nationalists' were black and white. And it should be noted that "black" is politically attibuted to primarily to Anarchists, not Fascists, if there is any connection.
It should also be noted that while Campos did not embrace a doctrine of non-violence, the USA was hardly being passive themselves in this period, for example the Ponce Massacre.--24.152.251.248 06:36, 22 May 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Information for incorporation into article
This information was removed from Military history of Puerto Rico but it is relevant to this article.
"Pedro Albizu Campos, who later became the leader of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party, held the rank of lieutenant in the 375th Infantry Regiment that was stationed in Puerto Rico and never saw combat action." Joelito (talk) 21:49, 10 October 2006 (UTC)
You should include Albizu under notorious criminals instead, do he was convicted and imprisioned for sedition and conspiracy.65.23.229.199 10:34, 11 January 2007 (UTC)
