For immediate release Lillian Landrau


I’m a 55 year old, Puerto Rican mother of a 19 year old college student, Silvestre Tanenbaum, which is now residing in Texas. After a preparatory fasting for two weeks, I’m entering the process of a hunger strike to protest my son’s joining and signing an enlisting contract with the U.S. R.O.T.C.

Although I’ve been residing in Natchitoches, Louisiana for the past 2 ½ years, I decided to do this process of the hunger strike traveling around the northern states, due to the repression and pro-militia attitudes that sweep the south of this country. I’m willing to go to the last consequences, and won’t allow anybody to interfere with my process.

It is my purpose that my son realizes that he was not raised to support war machines, but to promote peace, and renounce from the ROTC. I would like for him to realize that he is also promoting imperialism and expansionism through the US War Machine, the same machine that has subdued our country for 108 years of colonialism; effects of a domination which can be seen day to day in our land and in the US around margined Puerto Ricans. I would like to let my son understand that if he has decided to renounce to his nation, Puerto Rico, and now feels this is the nation he ought to serve, that there are better ways to serve in it without promoting imperialism and domination of other nations and peoples (including ours,) through the illegal wars and political manipulation of the U.S. War Machine.

That by joining the R.O.T.C., and soon, after falling pray of the vane promises of a bright future, enters their militia, my son is advocating those practices. As a talented violinist, he could do more for people, life, and peace, than by becoming a warrior which promotes death, poverty, and loss of mental health; desolation, civil wars and division within the peoples in invaded countries.

I declare that I’m not doing this out of any desperate state of mind, despite what it may be said about it or about me. My son has been brainwashed to make the decision to serve and give his life and peace of mind to the War Machine that has dominated our country, Puerto Rico for 108 years. But I’m willing to give my life for his life and peace of mind. I’m not going to wait to see his life wasted, to then later cry my loss, while I can do something now. NOW IS THE TIME, NOT LATER.

I am declaring the aforementioned statements on this day of June 24, 2006.