Political Conflict In Rotc

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INTRODUCTION: In the late 1960’s the UPR was the center of protest against US militarization in school campuses, with tensions stemming from the U.S. taking possession of Puerto Rico after the Spanish-American War in 1898. Even though a large portion of the population welcomed US presence, there were others who resented said presence as well as the militarization of the island. Furthermore, this animosity was largely aimed at Puerto Rican eligibility for the Selected Service after the passage of the Jones Act in 1917, which made Puerto Ricans U.S. citizens. Opposition to the militarization of the island has found its cradle in the university of Puerto Rico founded in the 1900’s where many groups in favor of independence spread their message …show more content…

CONFLICT: In the 1960’s and early 70’s, conflict erupted between the ROTC and the pro-independence groups over the military presence on campus. The main source of the conflict was the fight against US colonialism, militarism, and the Vietnam War. The Federacion Universitaria Pro Independencia or FUPI’s main goal was to remove the military presence from the university, as well as to gain a voice in university matters. On the opposite side, stood the ROTC, whose official purpose was to train cadets into well educated, quality officers. Student opposition to military presence on campus increased and turned violent during the 60’s, mirroring the nationwide protests against the Vietnam War and the draft. Many pro-independence groups in Puerto Rico identified with the Vietnamese struggle because of their similar plight for the right to be free from American influence. The conflict was triggered in September 1969 with the arrest of Edwin Feliciano Grafals, who was taken into custody for refusing to join the military after being drafted. As a result, protests escalated, leading to the partial burning of the ROTC …show more content…

citizens and colonial subjects. The protests can be seen as a breaking point, the climax of a decades long struggle against exploitation or, alternatively, it can be seen as the violent rebirth of a decades long struggle that would lead to countless further movements stretching into the present. The UPR protests of the 1970’s, while tragic, brought to light many issues that had been occurring for many years on the island, and brought positive changes to both the University, and the island as well as setting guidelines for future ROTC or militarization action on campus. The resulting legacy of this compromise taught the ROTC to be at a respectable arm's length with the university and also taught the students of today how justice is within their

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