Grace

On March 1st, 1954, four Puerto Rican Nationalists opened fire on the U.S. Congress from the visitor's gallery and wounded five congressmen. They expected to martyr themselves, but were taken prisoner with minimal effort. One of the attackers, Lolita Lebr—n, carried a note in her purse that explained their action:

"Before God and the world, my blood claims for the independence of Puerto Rico. My life I give for the freedom of my country. This is a cry for victory in our struggle for independence which for more than half a century has tried to conquer the land that belongs to Puerto Rico.

I state forever that the United States of America are betraying the sacred principles of mankind in their continuous subjugation of my country, violating their rights to be a free nation and a free people, in their barbarous torture of our apostle of independence, Don Pedro Albizu Campos."

These strong words, her fiery personality, and the fact that she was a woman captured the nation's attention in her ensuing trial. Conrad Lynn, a noted civil rights lawyer, represented her. He describes that the courtroom was packed and the atmosphere was charged with the knowledge that this was more a political trial than a trial about attempted murder. Lolita represented Puerto Rico's defiance, the judge represented the United States' power and authority to punish Puerto Rico's insurrection.

On the third day of the trial, the judge was handed a note, which he read aloud to the court; Lolita's 12-year-old son had died the previous day in a swimming accident. He asked Lolita if she would like the court to adjourn so she could mourn and have time to absorb this news.

But in a soft voice, she asked that she please be allowed to talk about her son with the court. The judge, mindful of her grief, agreed and put aside the trappings of his office.

And in her liquid, musical voice, Lolita opened the floodgates of her heart and spoke her life story. She told about the hardships of growing up poor, about her difficulty in getting an education, about the abuses she had suffered, and about her son's life, the joy it had brought her. She wanted him to live free, without poverty, in a nation he could be proud of. Lolita spoke the entire day through; not a person in the court person stirred, and not a person did not cry when they heard her profound grief.

The trial resumed the next day, and Lolita was eventually found guilty and served many years imprisonment. But what stands out in my mind is that one day of perfect grace, when the wheels of justice stopped and bitter foes cried together about the human condition.