Dr. Walter Bosque has been a pillar of the struggle for alternative healthcare for three decades.  His struggle for accreditation was not to validate himself professionally but to allow his skills as a healer to be placed at the service of people in need.

As part of the organized acupuncture collective I had the honor and privilege to be a comrade with Brother Walter in the struggle to advance acupuncture as a method for treating drug addiction.

The role people play is best understood within the context of history.  In the early 1970’s Dr. Bosque was involved in the struggle for the independence of his nation, Puerto Rico.  He also fought to improve the quality of life of the people who were targeted for a drug plague- a plague started by the same government that has been oppressing his nation.

In the south Bronx, the Lincoln Detox Program was started by the people of two nations struggling for their right to self-determination.  The trust gained in order that we might be allowed to research the effect if acupuncture on drug addiction and the related secondary symptoms required honor among our collective- a code made among ourselves that had to be evident to patients and the masses.  Within this context, the Counterintelligence Program (COINTELPRO) made it a high priority to divide the Puerto Rican and New Afrikan people.  Dr. Bosque responded by demonstrating such a high degree of cross-cultural competence and skill that it could only have been due to his love of all people.  Thus, without his work, the efforts of the US government and the various pharmaceutical companies in their war against Lincoln Detox to divide and conquer would ave succeeded.

We honor a man with a wonderful spirit- a man whose contributions have gone unrecognized for too long.  We honor a man who has fought his battles and has survived to struggle another day.

Today I have a chance t express my respect and love to Dr. Walter Bosque, my friend and comrade.  Long live your example.  Congratulations.

Dr. Mutulu Shakur