September 12, 1999

Pardons for Puerto Rican Terrorists is Bewildering

Spokesmen for the 1.3 million Puerto Ricans living in New York say they are bewildered by the Clintons’ latest duet. So is every one else.

The president’s pardon of a dozen convicted terrorists associated with the Armed Forces for National Liberation of Puerto Rico (FALN) -- and Hillary’s flip-flops on the issue – has everyone sucking air.

FALN set off 130 bombings in New York and Chicago in the 1970s and early 1980s to promote independence from the United States. At least six innocent people were killed and scores were wounded.

Apologists for the FALN emphasize they were “only” found guilty of seditious conspiracy and possession of explosives.

The terrorists escaped capital punishment because of the difficulty of prosecuting a gang for murder. Yet, the law holds an accessory to murder equally guilty.

Too often, justice gags on gnats while swallowing camels. In the heinous bombing at Oklahoma City, Terry Nichols was miles away when his car-bomb went off. With Clinton’s precedent, some future president could set Nichols free for “humanitarian” reasons.

One wonders why Bill Clinton felt compelled to grant clemency for the FALM terrorists. Previously he done so in only three instances of 3,042 petitions.

Puerto Rico, one of the poorest islands in the Caribbean, became a U.S. territory in 1898 following the Spanish American War. In 1948, Congress enacted Operation Bootstrap.

This pumped millions of dollars into the Puerto Rico economy, gave corporations tax breaks to locate there, exempted residents from income taxes, built schools and provided liberal welfare assistance. Now, Puerto Rico is the richest island in the Caribbean.

Bootstrap also permitted unrestricted emigration to the U.S. mainland. New York City was the favorite destination because it had no residency requirement for welfare.

A militant minority since Bootstrap agitated for independence from the United States. It attempted to assassinate President Harry Truman in 1950. A White House guard and one of the two gunmen were killed.

When Puerto Ricans rejected a resolution for independence in 1954, riots broke out in San Juan.

A month later, four nationalists shot up the House of Representatives from the visitors’ gallery. Miraculously, just five congressmen were wounded before guards overpowered the shooters.

Other referendums in 1967, 1981 and 1993 gave Puerto Ricans the options of remaining a U.S. commonwealth, moving to statehood, or becoming an independent nation.

Results of the 1993 vote were 48.6 percent for commonwealth, 46.3 percent for statehood and 4.4 percent for independence. The remaining .07 percent wanted variations of commonwealth or statehood with all the goodies but fewer responsibilities.

In view of the tremendous benefits bestowed on Puerto Rico - - and the repeated offers of political choice -- it is strange that the tiny minority of nationalists still tries to force us to do what their countrymen have rejected on three occasions.

It would be logical for terrorists to beat their guns into propaganda tools with which to persuade their countrymen to change their minds. Terrorism is simply revenge by crazies for hopeless causes.

Thus, we cannot understand the 14 Americanized Latino politicians who advocated clemency for the murdering terrorists now walking free.

Hillary Clinton said nothing when her husband announced his pardons and Puerto Rican office holders exulted. The Clinton- Clinton pander seemed to be a coup.

When the offer angered New York Democratic senators Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Charles E. Schumer, Hillary backpedaled. That naughty Bill released the terrorists without consulting her, and he ought to withdraw the offer.

Now that the releases have gone forward without her, Mrs. Clinton says “we should move forward” – an echo of the impeachment mantra “putting it behind us.”

Puerto Rican apologists for terrorism sputter they will withhold support for Hillary’s bid to become senator from New York. This is bluster, of course. New York Democrats are slaves of the party, beholden to it for power and favors. In politics, self-preservation trumps principle.

Hillary’s worries are about political moderates and so- called “independents” appalled by the release.

Worst for her is the pressure from New York Jews who want the president to release Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard. State Assemblyman Dov Hikind of Brooklyn declares, “We are pleading with Hillary to impress her husband with the humanitarian aspect of a pardon for Pollard.”

Next it could be Irish-Americans demanding leniency for Irish Republic Army terrorists. And Italian-Americans seeking pardons for Mafia dons.

Once a politician starts pandering, there is no stopping until the Devil owns his/her soul. Hillary is on a slippery slope. And so is the policy of no deals with terrorists.

Welcome to America, Osama bin Laden.

By Lindsey Williams, columnist for Sun Coast Media Group newspapers