he must let the public know of this massacre. He gave a friend all the papers and tells him to print the story if he is not heard from in a couple of weeks. The story is published behind the editor’s back, because the editor wants more proof. Needless to say, the story breaks and everyone is in an uproar. I felt the same anger that Puerto Ricans in 1980 did when this story broke. They wrote letters in protest to the U.S. government, flowers were put at the naval station’s fences in remembrance of the massacre victims, and Puerto Ricans finally had proof that they had what it takes to stand up to the United States. It turns out that the whole thing was a hoax. (Figueroa, Oct. 22.) I ask myself why I have allowed my emotions to get the best of me? What was it about this story that had so many Puerto Rican people in an uproar, and why was I caught up in the same emotional sweep that they were caught up in 18 years ago? Questions I have pertaining to the actual person whom did this and why are: did they honestly believe they could deceive the entire world about something that never happened? Did they really think they were going to get away with such a thing? What drives a person to do these things? All of these questions are related and go as far back as 1898, the year Puerto Rico past as a colony under the control of Spain to the control of the United States. On July 25, 1898, the United States invaded the Spanish colony of Puerto Rico. They landed on the southern side of the island in Guanica. Within three days, they had captured the city of Ponce. Some people fought and resisted the Americans, but most of the people actually helped the Americans move in. On August 9, 1898, the last battle was fought between the Spanish/Puerto Ricans and the invading Americans. The way the island was mostly taken over was without a fight. Spanish soldiers would retreat to the next town closest to San Juan, and later in the afternoon th...
