PUERTO RICO and the United States of America

Global Post Nov 7, 2012 Amid all the hoopla, you might have missed it: in a referendum on Tuesday, Puerto Rico voted in favor of US statehood, in a move that might entail some dramatic changes in elementary school geography books. In a two-part referendum, about 53.9 percent voted against the current status quo in the first question on the referendum, according to Puerto Rican paper El Nuevo Dia. In the second question, 65 percent said that they favored full statehood, while 31 percent voted for sovereign free association, and four percent opted for full independence, reported the Associated Press. It's not yet clear if Puerto Rico will actually become a state. The US Congress would have to approve such a decision — although President Obama has said that he would respect a popular vote on the matter, according to the BBC. And it would be a big decision, including new voting additions to the House of Representatives, and a struggle to figure out how to integrate Puerto Rico...

Why I love Portugal “Portugal is full of surprises and I never tire of exploring this small but endlessly fascinating country. I'm enamoured by the scenery, the old-fashioned traditions of village life and Portugal's outstanding, very affordable seafood. I love taking in the stunning views along the coast, going for mountain treks and bumping into shepherds in the Serra da Estrela, and wandering the pretty towns of the...”

Disenfranchisement Allowed in an Unincorporated Territory It is known that the U.S. Supreme Court (Harris v. Rosario, 446 U.S. 651[1980]) has decided that an unincorporated commonwealth relationship is temporary by nature, and disenfranchisement and less-than-equal discriminatory treatment of citizens of the territory is deemed constitutionally permissible. Thus, for the population of any territory, which wishes to remain within the U.S. sovereignty, completion of the process of integration through statehood is the only path to full self-government. And, the only alternative within the framework of the U.S. Constitution is to continue indefinitely in less than fully self-governing status, which is plausible only as long as Congress deems that to be consistent with the national interest and the people concerned do themselves make the choice required to seek a change of status. The Limbo Status of the Island Contrary to the general benefit of the people of Puerto Rico, insular poli...

Absence of national markers A territory without its own national marker, be it a flag, an army, a post office, or a currency, is not a nation or a pais (country). Thus the islanders of Puerto Rico can be called Puerto Ricans by the mere technicality of being born there (and, of course, the lineage of these sons are also technically called Puerto Ricans) or by embracing the island as their own home (as done by such well known personality as Ponce de Leon) . However, the islanders can have claim only to one nationality at this time. And, being that Puerto Rico is not a pais, Puerto Ricans are not Puerto Ricans by nationality. By the action of the United States Congress, the people of Puerto Rico live in an unincorporated territory; and they are American citizens and, as such, they are American nationals albeit at the mercy of Washington’s dictate. As the island is not an estado (state), and is not libre (free), and is not asociado (associated) the populace does not have a sense of ...

Identity confusion does lead to static stagnation The instability of a main segment of the Puerto Rican poor produces a static stagnation within the group. And, this stagnation is significantly an outcome of identity confusion. And, the roots of this stagnation can be traced to the many years of subjugation of the people of the island of Puerto Rico. Since the Amerindians downfall at the hands of the conquistadors in the early 1500’s the islanders have been consecutively under the tutelage of imperial Spain and the United States of America. That is, five hundred years of colonial rule; five centuries of existence without nationhood. Therefore, the people of the island of Borinquen have been but mere wards of two superpowers since its colonization. However, it may be interjected that Puerto Rico was granted insular self-government by Spain when the Carta Autonomica (a form of constitutional autonomy) was approved by the Spanish Cortes on November 25, 1987. And, by the time of ...

Borinquen, The Garden of Eden, The land of the great Gautier Called the Pearl of the Seas, Now that you are Drowning in your sorrows, Allow me to sing to you As well.

Historically, human beings have been highly migratory until they are able to settle in a suitable place where they can become comfortable in the given environment. And, the stronger the need to leave a particular place the better the chances that a given individual would not contemplate in making a return trip to the same forsaken location. Eventually, individuals with similar dispositions interact to become part of a larger group with which most likely would have defined rules and standards. Thus individuals who have given up the most at their places of origin tend to aggregate strongly upon arrival at their selected destination. They tend to become highly prejudiced and resent the entry of dissimilar individuals to their defined niche. However, the individual who leaves a particular place and does not have a desire to abandon it for ever, would have significant problems becoming adjusted to a new place and, most likely, comes under the severe scrutiny of the established groups. As ...

Instability and a sense of permanence are significant factors in limiting the economical progress for some Puerto Ricans Somehow, the Puerto Rican poor suffers from much instability. And, this translate to a disconnect from a sense of permanence in a given community. He suffers because he is deprived of the skills that are essential in becoming successful in our society. He suffers still more from an identity disaster. And, it is quite likely that the identity confusion is the main dynamic behind his migratory pattern and, as a consequence, his inability to stay put in a given community. Thus there is an identity confusion which most likely is the driving force in the migratory pattern of a significant number of poor Puerto Ricans. And, Why is the migratory pattern a tremendous influence in keeping a group of native Americans in the fringes of society?

Historically, whites (European stock) have been, culturally and scientifically, behind other racial groups albeit during the past few centuries they have gained a significant advantage, but some subgroups are still struggling It is precisely the migratory pattern affecting a substantial number of Puerto Ricans (mainly poor) that needs to be studied very closely in order to make a reasonable consensus as to why a subgroup of Puerto Ricans are not assimilating readily into the mainstream of the American society. For sure, most Puerto Ricans are whitep808 The New Webster’s Comprehensive Dictionary,1987 but a statistically significant subgroup appears to fall behind other ethnic groups. Surely, you could be white and still be considered vastly inferior than other ethnic groups and have obstacles thrown your way. This was something experienced by Italians arriving to this continent during the latter half of the 19th and over a quarter of the 20th Centuries. John Higman (Strangers in th...

Of course, not having a nationality to give up as a swap to become an American surely has had its disadvantages to many islanders; that is, they have had to contend with a society made of individuals fully content and uncaring about giving up their nationalities to become Americans. Simply put, foreigners have had no significant problems turning their backs on their countries of birth in order to accept the citizenship of the United States. And, once foreigners disdain their countries they basically have no choice but to commit themselves entirely to the American way of life. Obviously, there is a significant difference between a foreigner that renounces his birthright to become an American and an American who does not want to abandon his culture just to merely become a mainland American. And, moreover, it is highly suggestible that some Puerto Ricans are afraid to commit themselves fully to the Americanism of the mainland, because of the likely probability that they could be labeled...

Foreigners Turned Their Back to Their Birthright to Become Americans: The Same Cannot be Said of Puerto Ricans It is apparent that the people from Puerto Rico have evolved politically quite differently than other Americans in the mainland. And, it would be reasonable to state that the islanders were not as a whole enthusiastic in becoming a colony of the United States. And, that eventually Congress provided full American citizenship to the residents of Puerto Rico in 1917, did not mitigate the yearning for a padre patria (father’s land) among a significant number of Puerto Ricans. Thus, it would be correct to say that the islanders did not voluntarily seek United States citizenship. And, there is much historical background behind the granting of citizenship, but its is fair to say that back in 1917 most of the residents of Puerto Rico were coerced into accepting it. Considering this last statement, it would be sensible to state that one of the main reasons which might shed some l...

Similarity attracts: Individuals in the same territorial niche or echelon of society tend to aggregate Every species whether a low amoeba, chimpanzee or human being is by nature territorial. Each individual member of each species strives to enter and possess a niche in a defined territory. There is a strong instinct to integrate the self into a similar larger organization. Thus there is a strong attraction to be with similar organism/member/group. And, there is ample and obvious evidence that even the lowest organisms are always in the move centrally toward pulling together and forming a defined organization. That is, there is a common bond among the various species of the lower echelon to search themselves out. And as such, there are armies of ants, flocks of birds, herds of horses, etc. And, even if an individual temporarily leaves the flock or the herd, the tendency is to return to the same place and to the same group or affiliation. And, this same attraction also affects huma...

Somehow, the Puerto Rican poor suffers from much instability. And, this translate to a disconnect from a sense of permanence in a given community. He suffers because he is deprived of the skills that are essential in becoming successful in our society. He suffers still more from an identity disaster. And, it is quite likely that the identity confusion is the main dynamic behind his migratory pattern and, as a consequence, his inability to stay put in a given community. Thus there is an identity confusion which most likely is the driving force in the migratory pattern of a significant number of poor Puerto Ricans. And, Why is the migratory pattern a tremendous influence in keeping a group of native Americans in the fringes of society?

However, the findings of the Census show 64.3% of mainland Puerto Ricans do finish high school; and 29.6% of them, working full-time earn $35,000 or more. And, where compared with other Latinos, the Puerto Ricans in the higher income group surpasses all Hispanics except Cubans ( 34.4% earn $35,000 or more if working full-time). And, in conflict with other Census numbers, the Puerto Ricans are listed with the highest poverty level of any Hispanic group; they are listed as having a 25.8% poverty rate, while the central and South Americans are posted with the lowest poverty rate at 16.7% (even though both, the Puerto Rican and Central American, have the same rate of high school completion at 64.3%). What the numbers are saying is simply that many Puerto Ricans are doing quite well but a significant number is still in adjacent poverty. The poor Puerto Rican being a native American goes anywhere he wants to go in the United States. And, like no other ethnic American, he most likely lacks t...

Historically, whites (European stock) have been, culturally and scientifically, behind other racial groups albeit during the past few centuries they have gained a significant advantage, but some subgroups are still struggling It is precisely the migratory pattern affecting a substantial number of Puerto Ricans (mainly poor) that needs to be studied very closely in order to make a reasonable consensus as to why a subgroup of Puerto Ricans are not assimilating readily into the mainstream of the American society. For sure, most Puerto Ricans are whitep808 The New Webster’s Comprehensive Dictionary,1987 but a statistically significant subgroup appears to fall behind other ethnic groups. Surely, you could be white and still be considered vastly inferior than other ethnic groups and have obstacles thrown your way. This was something experienced by Italians arriving to this continent during the latter half of the 19th and over a quarter of the 20th Centuries. John Higman (Strangers in th...

The Census shows that 32.8 million Latinos resided in the 50 states, representing over 12 percent of the total U.S. population. Of these, 21,681,000 were Mexicans; 1,360,000 were Cubans; and 4,756,000 were from Central and South America; and, there were 2,099,200 other Hispanics; also, there were 3,000,000 Puerto Ricans supposedly living in the mainland. And, 39.1 percent or 12.8 million of the Hispanic population in the United States was foreign born. And, there were 10.8 million Asians and Pacific Islanders living in the United Sates, or 4% of the total population. Thus, quite obviously, there is a significant migratory movement affecting the country. As such, the United States has sustained significant waves of immigrants and migrants from other countries and its territories. The people from other countries have a primary goal set in their minds, which is to become totally American. And, becoming a total American usually entails giving up the individual’s attachment to his count...

The most economically advantaged of the Asians abandon their countries and they are portrayed as highly successful in the United States: But they were the “cream” of the top in their own countries Most people migrate from places where the effect of the economy or political situation makes a significant negative impact in their lives. And, their tendency is to go to places where the environment is suitable to their immediate and future needs. This suitability factor can be maximally appreciated when the Asians are studied. India has 1 billion inhabitants, and 400 million or almost half of them, live below the international poverty line of US $1 per day per capita at 1993 prices (IndiaOneStop.Com,2000). And, in 1998, 800 million people or 67% of the world’s poor were living in the Asian region (The Business Line.Internet Edition, Sep 4, 2001). However, within the masses of the poor there are significant pockets of individuals who have prospered and managed to obtain a decent educati...

The Migratory Process Appalachia has a large pool of poor white folks: They are usually stationary and not constantly migrating like a large segment of poor Puerto Ricans Thus, there is no significant debate that there is a substantial number of poor people among the Puerto Rican populace. By contrast, there are large pockets of poverty in the Appalachia region and Mississippi delta (comprised mainly of white folks), and the poverty rate for children is above 20 percent amarillonet.com/070999, but the people in these areas are relatively stationary. However, there is significant evidence that the Puerto Rican poor have a relatively high migratory rate, which displaces them from any given permanence, whether residential, job market or school district. At this point, the question is not why this is happening so frequently but only to interject that this happens and, as a result, this migratory drive tends to provide the means to exhaust and waste essential resources; which, in turn,...

Of course, not having a nationality to give up as a swap to become an American surely has had its disadvantages to many islanders; that is, they have had to contend with a society made of individuals fully content and uncaring about giving up their nationalities to become Americans. Simply put, foreigners have had no significant problems turning their backs on their countries of birth in order to accept the citizenship of the United States. And, once foreigners disdain their countries they basically have no choice but to commit themselves entirely to the American way of life. Obviously, there is a significant difference between a foreigner that renounces his birthright to become an American and an American who does not want to abandon his culture just to merely become a mainland American. And, moreover, it is highly suggestible that some Puerto Ricans are afraid to commit themselves fully to the Americanism of the mainland, because of the likely probability that they could be labele...

Foreigners Turned Their Back to Their Birthright to Become Americans: The Same Cannot be Said of Puerto Ricans It is apparent that the people from Puerto Rico have evolved politically quite differently than other Americans in the mainland. And, it would be reasonable to state that the islanders were not as a whole enthusiastic in becoming a colony of the United States. And, that eventually Congress provided full American citizenship to the residents of Puerto Rico in 1917, did not mitigate the yearning for a padre patria (father’s land) among a significant number of Puerto Ricans. Thus, it would be correct to say that the islanders did not voluntarily seek United States citizenship. And, there is much historical background behind the granting of citizenship, but its is fair to say that back in 1917 most of the residents of Puerto Rico were coerced into accepting it. Considering this last statement, it would be sensible to state that one of the main reasons which might shed some l...

Present political status of Puerto Rico is only temporary: Under the territorial clause, Congress unilaterally could provide for the independence of Puerto Rico and, with same rigor, it could also provide for its statehood The decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court could be highly perplexing at times. However, there appears to be some clarity to the significant issue of correct status for the island of Puerto Rico. As a matter of fact, there should be no debate but to establish the legitimate procedures for providing the people of Puerto Rico (to include those born in the island but not residing therein) the opportunity to decide once and forever a choice between statehood and independence. It has to be recognized that the people of any Territory which wishes to remain within the U.S. sovereignty, achievement of the process of assimilation through statehood is the only path to full self-government. That means that the permanent institutionalization of the so-called Estado Libre Asociad...

By ignoring the highly complex historical background, it could be said that the people of Puerto Rico gained a significant recognition in 1917. Thus, it is fair to say that the islanders were merely stateless vassals for almost nineteen years before a significant political step was taken on their behalf. And, with the Jones-Shafroth Act, signed by President Woodrow Wilson on March 2, 1917, they gained instant nationhood and citizenship; and the people of Puerto Rico “shall be deemed and held to be citizens of the United States...all native born Puerto Ricans on or after April 11, 1899, are declared American citizens.” And, U.S. Code: Title 8: Section 1402, declares: “All persons born in Puerto Rico on or after January 13, 1941, and subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, are citizens of the United States at birth. All persons born in Puerto Rico on or after April 11, 1899, and prior to January 13, 1941, subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, residing on January 1...

The Congress of the United States passed and President McKinley signed the Foraker Act on April 2, 1900. It provided that all native born inhabitants of Puerto Rico were to be “citizens of Puerto Rico” with all the protections of the United States. And, for clarity, it should be stressed that the phrase citizens of Puerto Rico was used in the same sense as found in Section 2, Article 4, of the Constitution: The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States. Furthermore, the Congress was apparently contemplating the eventual concession of United States citizenship to the people of Puerto Rico; that is, Congress drew from the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, Section 1: All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United states and of the State wherein they reside. Thus, what Congress meant to say was that Americans are not just citizens of the United St...

The political status of Puerto Rico germinates confusion, as it does not provide for full self- determination as a Sovereign State or as a nation Sad as it may be, the nation of Thomas Jefferson (the best American exemplar of hostility to every form of tyranny), has denied Puerto Rico equality among the states, or its independence. And, that a substantial number of Puerto Ricans have become confused and find it desperately difficult to logically recognize their self-identity is not altogether hard to understand when it is clearly displayed that they do not have clarity of a nationality. That is, Puerto Rico is not a sovereign nation; and, still more confusing after much judicial interpretation, Puerto Rico is neither a State nor an incorporated Territory. And, that technically and arbitrarily the inhabitants of the island are Americans only serve to reflect the inconsistencies of the situation, considering the fact that Puerto Rico merely appears to be a possession of the United Stat...

When the United States effectively took over the island of Puerto Rico, the governing convention was the Foraker Act, signed by President McKinley on April 2, 1900. The Act provided that the inhabitants of Puerto Rico were to be known as citizens of Puerto Rico. And, it simply meant that the United States was recognizing the evolution of the island as a State; thus, the people of Puerto Rico were to be citizens of Puerto Rico in the same manner that the people from Texas are citizens of Texas. There was no hidden or implicit meaning attached to the phrase citizens of Puerto Rico except that the inhabitants of the island, as citizens of an American territory, were provided a political possibility of becoming citizens of the United States. Surely, the phrase did not hint that Puerto Rico was a nation under the United States of America, as the same Act provided for a Governor of Puerto Rico, who was to be appointed by the President of the United States. And, Webster’s 3dCollege Ed,19...

Two of the strongest super powers ever to exist on earth have maintained a tight grip on Puerto Rico since the late 1400s. Spain at its heights dominated much of the European land, held control of the Atlantic ocean, and its presence was to be felt over much of the North American continent, Central and South America, the Pacific, and the Caribbean region. However, as it happens with every great power, it could not sustain its control over its vast holdings as it began to lack on man-power and money. And, as Spain’s power waned over many lands, it tried to exert an even tighter hold on the affairs of the island of Puerto Rico. Thus, Spain retained effective control over the island and the populace was not able to organize any effective revolt against its mandate. In effect, this European power maintained almost absolute control of the island for four hundred years. The end of this unparalleled rule over this territory, without concession for its independence or for becoming an integr...

Role of Foreign Powers Adversely Affecting Puerto Ricans Puerto Rico became Spain’s most fortified bastion in the Americas. And, not withstanding the granting of Spaniard citizenship to the islanders in 1812, Spain maintained a strong and influential hold on all activities occurring in the island. And, with the passing of the baton, the restraints imposed by the United States became more significant; and, the island became a stronger fortress under the American flag. At least, all free men born in Puerto Rico were citizens of Spain and had full representation in the Spanish Cortes; under territorial rule, the inhabitant of the island became American citizens after a considerable hiatus, but they did not accrue any voting representation in Congress. It would be fair to state that the people of Puerto Rico have been restrained overtly and subtly from developing a sense of national identity. That significant military garrisons were established in Puerto Rico to assert control ov...

There have been and there are many talented Puerto Ricans And, of course, there has been and are in the island many talented and famous people. Some of these great are: Juan Morrell Campos (1857-1896), a great composer of danzas (dances); Pablo Casals, a cellist, composer, and conductor; pianist Jesus Maria Sanroma; Alejandro Tapia, dramatist, novelist, and poet; Eugenio Maria de Hostos y Bonilla, essayist, philosopher, and jurist; Jose Gautier Benitez, poet; Luis Llorens Torres, poet, essayist, and journalist; Luis Pales Matos, poet and essayist; Evaristo Ribera Chevremont, poet; Tomas Blanco Geigel, essayist, historian, and prose stylist; Enrique Laguerre, novelist, critic, essayist, and playwright; and Rafael Hernandez, whose music is known throughout the world. And, Antonia C. Novello, M.D., U.S. Surgeon General; Enrique Mendez, M.D., Deputy Surgeon General, U.S. Army and Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs); Jose Campache, “the most gifted of Latin American rococo art...

Johnny-come-lately However, after more than one hundred years, there are many continental Americans who are not very sure that the islanders are United States residents and citizens at birth. That is, there is a significant dearth of understanding among the mainlanders in regard to to the legal and political status of the citizens of Puerto Rico. As a matter of fact, some johnny-come-lately groups jingoistically attack the islanders as intruders, or uninvited guests, to the United States. And, there are some bigots (who are usually mongrels projecting their inferiority) who derisively express biased opinions about these patriotic Americans. These narrow-minded people constantly try to restrict the upward mobility of the islanders with their provocations and abusive tactics, which are usually expressed as written or verbal charade. These constricted-minded but opiniated individuals regularly provide garbled views about Puerto Ricans and go on repeating themselves with such trite state...

“American” heroes born in Puerto Rico The residents of Puerto Rico have been Americans citizens since 1899, and their sons have served honorably and with distinction in the Armed Forces of the United States. Over 197,000 Puerto Ricans born and drafted or volunteering in Puerto Rico (other countless Puerto Ricans from the mainland who are identified only as white or black, and those with mixed heritage are usually not counted in the given numbers) have served as combatants; 6,200 have been wounded, and over 1,225 have been killed in the service of the United States defending the freedoms enjoyed by most Americans, to include the right to vote for President and members of Congressveteransforpr. And, four Puerto Ricans born in the island have received the Congressional Medal of Honor (PFC Fernado Luis Garcia, USMC; CPT Euripedes Rubio, US Army; PFC Carlos James Lozada, US Army; and SP4 Hector Santiago-Colon, US Army). And, Admiral Horacio Rivero, USN, born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, became t...

Blood Tax The island of Puerto Rico became a colony of the United States on December 10, 1898, under the terms of the Treaty of Paris, which ended the Spanish-American War. Thus, the island has been a possession and part of the United States for more than a hundred years. And, retroactively, the islanders have been American citizens since April 11, 1899, under the Jones Act of 1917. And, coincidentally, with the coming of the Selective Service Act of 1917, all Puerto Rican men 18 to 45 were required to register for the draft, and many served actively during the World War 1 and other armed conflicts since then. Many islanders paid the ultimate price, a “blood tax,” as a consequence of their loyal and valorous service to the nation. And, it should be interjected that the residents of Puerto Rico were not required to speak or read English, other than basic language knowledge, in order to be elegible for the draft. However, language proficiency was not a barrier to the prowess of the P...

A Problem of Identity: A Brief Look at Some Issues Affecting the Existence of a Minority Subgroup By Bienvenido Gonzalez Brief Introduction The Island of Puerto Rico Puerto Rico is the smallest and easternmost of the Greater Antilles, with a total land area of 3,435 square miles (almost half the size of New Jersey’s land area). The island was discovered by Cristobal Colon on November 19, 1493, and he named it, San Juan Bautista. The Indian name for the island was Boriquen or Borinquen. (The old form, Porto Rico, was officially changed to the present spelling in 1932.) And, on August 12, 1508, Conquistador Ponce de Leon landed on the island; he established relations with Indian tribes and built a settlement, Caparra. From San German, Puerto Rico, on March 3, 1512, he led an expedition in search of the fountain of youth. And, on April 11, 1512, he discovered Florida (thus, it can be said that a Puerto Rican actually discovered it, as Ponce de Leon spent so much of his life and energ...