At 1:00 PM, beginning at the Tremont and Grand Concours intersection, the Bronx Puerto Rican community lined up to cheer on the parade, which was organized by Francisco Gonzalez, District Manager for Bronx Community Board 9. Amongst a lineup of performers were marching bands with baton twirlers, brigades of Schiwnn bikers, and floats full of corporately crowned princesses. All of the contenders were enthusiastic enough.

But, there was something about the abundance of Puerto Rican flags and the people's fists punching in unison -- to demonstrate their disapproval of the US Navy's use of Vieques as a weapons testing ground -- that gave the Bronx parade a broader beat. Marchers carried banners that said, "Fuera la Marina!" and "Vieques, Si¢! La Marina, No!" The crowd shouted these words in sync while waving Puerto Rican flags.

The "Fuera la Marina" chorus echoed though the air as military tanks, honoring former war veterans, rolled at a snail's pace down the black asphalt. Posters popped up and down, each donning a face of a local political candidate who will be up for election this September. Despite the entertainment and dancing, Puerto Rican spectators were focused on the friction happening on their native turf.

In Vieques, on August 4 (just one the day before the South Bronx parade) a group of fisherman and protesters in speedboats invaded restricted waters. The speedboats came within 500 feet of US Navy carriers, which were shuttling marines and equipment to the island. Before the security ships were able to chase out the speedboats, the fishermen and protesters reached Vieques where they successfully dropped off a group of protesters, three of whom US Navy authorities detained.

In Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, a community has assembled a camp on the terrain surrounding the federal prison. Much like the parade's crowd, the campers are ready to rally. They have refused to budge until the prisoners, who were arrested for protesting on Vieques, are released. The independence group has been camping outside the prison since May, shortly after Rube¢n Berri¢os, the leader of the independence party, received a 120-day prison sentence.

Those who support the US Navy reside on one side of the camp. Those who oppose the US Navy have set up base on the adjacent grass area. Some campers, who have recently been released from the federal prison, have rejoined the protest, promising not to leave the camp until the last prisoner is let go. According to Juan Fernandez, Special Commissioner for Vieques, of the 5,900 Vieques residents who voted on July 24, 68 percent of the voters are in favor of the US Navy's immediate withdrawal from the island.

This past May, President Bush announced that the US Navy would stop all operations by 2003. Currently, the US Navy makes a case for its presence on Vieques by claiming that the island is an ideal environment for multiple military drills.

In Washington, liberal Democrats (specifically those representing the Northeastern part of the US with significant Puerto Rican constitutes) have voiced their opinions against the US Navy's bombing exercises. Their disproval has caused severance within the National Democratic Party.

Democratic representatives (who tend to be more conservative than liberal within the party) have expressed voices in favor of the US Navy's presence in Vieques, claiming Vieques is a critical military location. Democrats, who are somewhat sympathetic to the protester's cause, suggest the US Navy should leave, but not until another test site has been discovered.

The moderate Democrats are concerned that the liberal Democrats (who have verbalized resistance around the US Navy's presence in Vieques), have caused the Democratic Party to appear in opposition to the military.

The differences between liberal Democrats and moderate Democrats escalated when Chairman Terry McAuliffe traveled to Puerto Rico. After observing the situation, he said the conflict was a "civil rights issue." The liberal Democrats have been accused of political pandering‹some moderates have accused the liberals of empathizing with the Puerto Rican community only as a means of winning the Hispanic vote.

Despite the different agendas within the party, there are Democrats who are caught in the middle. On August 5, the New York Times reported that Representative Silvestre Reyes, a Texas Democrat, expressed frustration with the US Navy's lack of sympathy for the residents of Vieques. Reyes also said that the US Navy could not immediately withdraw from the island without being properly trained and prepared. -- Very much like the Bronx Puerto Rican Parade's baton twirler, Democrats who are caught in the middle have little choice, but to brace themselves between a military tank and a chanting crowd of protesters while the heat beats down from above.