By Rev. Dr. Raymond Rivera
After praying and reflecting about the
issue that is currently before the officials and committee members of the
National Puerto Rican Day Parade, in reference to the awarding of the National
Hero Medal to Oscar Lopez Rivera.
The following are my thoughts on the
issue surrounding the National Puerto Rican Day Parade and Oscar Lopez Rivera:
Mr. Rivera was incarcerated for over 35
years, 12 of those years in solitary confinement, for his beliefs and
determination to fight for the independence of Puerto Rico.
I am Puerto Rican. I gave my heart to my
Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ in a Puerto Rican Pentecostal Church. My
spiritual formation leaders were Puerto Ricans. I attended a bible institute
led by Puerto Rican faith leaders. I am concerned about the Puerto Rican
community and the issues that affect it.
I do not claim to speak for all segments
of the Puerto Rican religious community nor do I have a monopoly on absolute
truth. This is my own subjective understanding after analyzing the issue.
It is my hope that you find insight in
my statement, and that it would lead you to respect the diversity of opinions
and voices within our community.
1. The
Puerto Rican Day Parade is not honoring Oscar Lopez Rivera for his stand on the
political status of Puerto Rico. They are honoring him because of his spirit of
community, and sacrifice to the ideals of independence.
In my opinion, the parade’s officials
and election committee have the right to do so. In the past, they have honored
Grand Marshalls and other leaders that represented the political status of
statehood or commonwealth of the Island.
There are those that have made arguments
that the policies represented by the statehood and commonwealth parties have
hurt Puerto Rico and its people. However, this has not deterred previous
parades from honoring their respective leaders.
2.
Oscar
Lopez Rivera was never convicted of a violent crime.
Anyone stating the above is
misrepresenting the facts. He was convicted of the crime of sedition—a crime
that Nelson Mandela was convicted of in his struggle to end Apartheid in South
Africa.
It is also worth mentioning that the 6th
Prime Minister of Israel— the revered Menachem Begin was once viewed to be a
“terrorist” and a violent revolutionary while he was fighting for the establishment
of the State of Israel. If we would have lost the American Revolutionary War,
even our founding fathers would have been considered and/or viewed as
terrorists by Great Britain.
Once more, I reiterate that Oscar Lopez
Rivera was never convicted of a violent crime.
3.
The
Puerto Rican community is one people with many voices.
We should honor their ability to share
and/or raise their voices. While some may disagree with them, we can reach the
level of respect that allows us to listen to diverse voices. We cannot be
ahistorical, but rather, we must always remember that history is written from
the perspective of the victor.
I share these thoughts because I prayed,
worked, and advocated for the release of Oscar Lopez Rivera on the basis of a
humanitarian principle. His sentence was disproportionate to the crime he was
convicted of. Thirty-five- years in prison, 12 years in solitary confinement
has led many to believe (including myself) that this sentence had more to do
with his political beliefs rather than the crime he was convicted of. Former
President Obama granted our request and commuted his sentence on January 17,
2017 which all political parties in Puerto Rico supported, and are grateful.
The National Puerto Rican Day Parade
represents our maximum cultural expression in the Diaspora here in the United
States of America. Let us continue to support it in all its diversity.
I also call on all the corporations who
have economically withdrawn their support and have decided not to march or
support the parade to reconsider their decision. If they do not reconsider
their decision, they are not respecting our community, “one people with many
voices.”
Rev.
Dr. Raymond Rivera is the Senior Pastor at the Sanctuary Church, Inc. and
President and Founder of the LPAC Latino Pastoral Action Center.
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