No To Honoring Oscar Lopez Rivera as Hero at the National Puerto Rican Parade.

I can tell you that he was no political prisoner. Rather, López was convicted by two separate juries for leading conspiracies designed to kill, injure, and maim. In the first case, he was convicted of seditious conspiracy and various weapons charges. He was caught with weapons, his fingerprints were found in bomb-making safe houses, and his own FALN recruit testified that López was personally involved in violent activities. In the second case, he was convicted of participating in a multi-goal conspiracy to escape from Leavenworth, to transport explosives with the intent to kill and injure people, and to use explosives to destroy government buildings and property once out of prison. The evidence ranged from audiotapes and videotapes to testimony from two fellow Leavenworth inmates. The conspiracy that López was convicted of participating in was the FALN conspiracy. In his conversations with Leavenworth inmates, López boasted that he was the Chicago leader of the FALN. The FALN was an armed, clandestine terrorist group dedicated to the violent overthrow of alleged U.S. rule over Puerto Rico. The FALN was responsible for over 120 bombings, five murders, and numerous injuries, the FALN murdered bankers having lunch in New York’s Fraunces Tavern, innocent bystanders, and law-enforcement officers. The FALN left victims maimed, deaf, and crippled. The FALN left women widowed and children fatherless. In Leavenworth, López urged his fellow inmates to begin their own campaign of “armed struggle.” The basis for honoring López in the New York National Puerto Rican parade appears to be that he is somehow innocent despite the two convictions and prior imprisonment. The basis for the “innocence” claim is that he was never caught in the act of planting bombs. Unfortunately for López, under established conspiracy law, a willing participant in a conspiracy is responsible for all criminal acts performed in furtherance of the goals of the conspiracy. This is no different from holding Osama bin Laden responsible for 9/11. Bin Laden did not fly the airplanes into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, or the ground in Pennsylvania, but he was the mastermind and recruiter. By his own taped words and actions, López led a conspiracy of “armed struggle” against the U.S. López foolishly believed that he and his co-conspirators could “free” Puerto Rico by planting bombs in New York and Chicago. He is just as responsible as those who planted the bombs. During this week of more terror-related deaths (this time in Manchester, England) we need to recognize that the nonsense has to stop. As the parade sponsors are just now realizing, for over 35 years Oscar López waged his war against the United States. He never fought to improve the lives of his fellow Puerto Ricans. He never sought to bring aid to the ailing island. Yet, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr, still intend to march in the parade honoring López. If the New York Yankees and Coca-Cola can see the truth, why can’t the mayor and other politicians? Like we say, Lopez Rivera has the right to march and he is welcome, but to be honored is a different story and he doesn't deserve to be honored. We have a long list of those great Puerto Ricans that should've been honored, such as Don Ramon Jimenez a true hero and one whom I am happy to report, the NYC Council has approved that a street sign bearing his name will be unveiled on 149th Street near Walton Avenue. Of all of the true heroes and people who are so qualified to march in the Puerto Rican Day Parade, who have never committed crimes against humanity, why does Oscar Lopez Rivera have to be the featured quote unquote "hero" in the Puerto Rican Day Parade?  Please show me something constructive that he has done for us that might deem him worthy of being honored by Puerto Ricans and citizens of New York City? Show me? There are none because he still has not repented of what he has done. That is not a hero. That is terrorism and downright cowardice. We, the real Puerto Rican's, are not the kind of people who embrace or applaud terrorism, let alone accept it..  A handful of renegades is  not telling of the beautiful, peaceful people that Puerto Ricans truly are. Please sign the petition below and and tell the Board of the Puerto Rican Day Parade, that we the people of the United States of America do not and never will accept Oscar Lopez Rivera either as a hero, or role model for our children or the people of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and stop this man from being featured in the Puerto Rican Rican Day Parade as a hero. Oscar Lopez Rivera does not represent the true Spirit of the Puerto Rican people. Silence on this matter, is Not an Option!