“On this national holiday, there are cowards hidden in the crowds of patriotic people that have converted joy into sadness and the happiness of Mexican families into mourning..They are abominable attacks that clearly threaten national security, committed by traitors without the least respect for their neighbors or country..All of us Mexicans, no matter our beliefs or ideological positions, have to unite in repudiation of this attack.” President Felipe Calderon.
It was one hundred and ninety eight years ago Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla urged the common Mexican citizen to denounce the invisible chains that held them hostage and fight for the return of what was theirs, Mexico. His famous Cry of Dolores, marked the beginning of a long, bloody fight for Mexico’s independence. Yesterday, our history began to repeat.
In the late hours of September 15, 2008, thousands of happy, innocent, patriotic families gathered in the plaza of Morelia, the natal city of our President, Felipe Calderon, to celebrate Independence Day. It was meant to a beautiful time. After so much recent violence, it was to be a welcomed reprieve as the entire nation united to fill every plaza of every city and town. Morelia’s festivities were in full swing, Governor Leonel Godoy had led his statesmen through the re-enactment of the Cry of Dolores, was ringing the revolutionary bell, and the fireworks had just began. When the joyous cries of “Viva Mexico” calmed and the smoke cleared, tragedy stood in place of festivities, as over one hundred victims lay bleeding and broken among the paved plaza flag stones.
“First one person went down and then it was like domino pieces” told by a witness to the attacks
It is now known threats of an Independence Night attack had been received by government agencies, but Morelia was not considered a target, thus was left unprotected. Witnesses claim seeing a bulky man in black throw something into the crowd before apologizing to bystanders and running away. A second grenade blast followed shortly after, some 300 meters away.
Our nation is in mourning for the innocent eight lives lost and 101 injured in Morelia. They walked blindly into a trap, like lambs to a slaughterhouse, set by a coward, narco-terrorist. A man who has forfeited his rights on this earth; no nation, God, family, or love.
May God allow our fallen innocent to rest in peace and allow their families a small condolence in the knowledge that their deaths were not in vain, but for la patria. May every man, women, and child carry those victims in their hearts and remember them as “The Cry of Morelia“.
One hundred and ninety eight years later, history repeats as we embark once again in our battle for independence; a war against traitors, a revolution against the narco-captors who have paralyzed our nation.
¡ Mexicanos, Viva Mexico !
God Bless Mexico
