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Home Front
Six Activists Plead to Vieques Charges
2003-09-05
Six activists pleaded guilty Thursday to destroying federal property on Vieques island on the night of the Navy’s departure from its bombing range about four months ago. Prosecutors recommended between four and 21 months of jail time for the six. They each faced up to 10 years in prison for destroying a Humvee, a patrol boat and a concrete structure at the former bombing range after midnight April 30th. Damages were estimated at $250,000. Sentencing was set for Dec. 4.
Not only is the island now a wildlife refuge, but six mopes go to jail. Sweet!

I hope they're going to make them pay for the Humvee. Those suckers ain't cheap...
Posted by:Steve White

#13  Vaya con dios, muchachos! At least now, they mail you your unemployment checks. Saves you from waiting in line.
Posted by: tu3031   2003-9-6 12:02:59 AM  

#12  Puerto Rico has its plusses and minuses. They've been offered three choices: continue as a commonwealth, independence, or statehood. They've consistently chosen to remain a commonwealth.
There are some good points to Puerto Rico - one specifically is Arecibo. There used to be several military installations on Puerto Rico: Ramey AFB, which is all but closed; Rosey Roads, which is being closed; a Coast Guard base in San Juan. There may be more, I don't know. The people (more specifically, the politicians) have pushed to get the US Military out of Puerto Rico, hoping to build the island into another Hawaii. Unfortunately, there just isn't the draw. More people visit the US Virgin Islands next door than go to Puerto Rico.

Old saying: Be careful what you ask for, you might get it. Probably should become Puerto Rico's new motto.
Posted by: Old Patriot   2003-9-5 9:57:52 PM  

#11  Frank,

The Navy is pissed about losing the gun range, but I think closing Rosey Roads is a mistake for US interests. With what is happening in Venesuala, backing away from engagement with South America would be a bad mistake. We have already backed out of Panama and would be happy to have nothing to do with Haiti (I agree there.)

Let's not leave SA as Castro's playground. The upheaval in Venesuala is a much bigger danger to national security than the American public understands.
Posted by: Super Hose   2003-9-5 8:02:51 PM  

#10  Gitmo (AKA the death camp) has benefits PR doesn't, namely inaccessible to hired mouthpieces for the whiners and defenders of turban-clad asswipes terrorists and unlawful combatants
Posted by: Frank G   2003-9-5 2:02:09 PM  

#9  PR has a sweet deal that we gave them. It is a sweet one, but that doesn't mean that we can or should back-out on our part.

Being a protectorate means having no real representation in our government. John Adams, Patrick Henry and others decided that we didn't like the same kind of arrangement we had with Britain over two hundred years ago.

I know there are plans to close Roosevelt Roads which will hurt San Juan in the short term but probably help its economy in the long term. From the U.S. standpoint PR makes a good base for the War On Drugs. GITMO is rather small and has its drawbacks.
Posted by: Super Hose   2003-9-5 12:15:39 PM  

#8  Enjoy getting to know them Marine guards, assholes...
Posted by: mojo   2003-9-5 12:01:17 PM  

#7  Puerto Rico's not stupid. They've got a sweet deal, know it, and will keep it that way.
Posted by: Anonymous   2003-9-5 9:43:29 AM  

#6  Puerto Rico has voted at least twice on statehood and turned it down each time.

The advatages and disadvantages of statehood are about equal. At present, the current status is slightly more beneficial to business. The loss of Roosevelt Roads, however, may tip the balance towards statehood.

Puerto Ricans are, and have been, American citizens for decades. They have served in our armed forces, and in our government, just as have people from Alabama or Wyoming. As citizens of the United States, they have as much right to move to New York as Not Mike Moore. And, as a group, they probably work just as hard, if not harder.
Posted by: Chuck Simmins   2003-9-5 8:20:41 AM  

#5  The way I remember it the Citezens of PR were ask to put statehood to a vote.They said no.
Posted by: raptor   2003-9-5 7:35:09 AM  

#4  Hey MORON Charles--we don't need them as a state--they bring nothing to the table--
Posted by: Not Mike Moore   2003-9-5 3:42:59 AM  

#3  Puerto Rico is trying to become a state, idiot. However, several things have delayed that. This was on the news before 9/11 happened.

It has something to do with Government regulations.
Posted by: Charles   2003-9-5 2:45:01 AM  

#2  Why don't we cut Puerto Rico loose once and for all? What the F are we getting outta that deal? Ask any NY'er how much they like having their free-loading asses in the city? Because of their "special" Commonwealth status--they can come to NYC and get on the dole from day one--at least the Mexicans in CA work
Posted by: Not Mike Moore   2003-9-5 2:42:05 AM  

#1  The activists screw up again. Maybe we should send them to France, where destroying the Eiffel tower will be considered ' making the skies safer for mother nature's planes.'

That's when we all point and laugh at them.
Posted by: Charles   2003-9-5 2:16:04 AM  

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