So I was going around reading some articles from back home (Puerto Rico), and I came across an interesting one in the Newspaper Claridad. I found a similar one in English so y'all can read:
Article
If you wanna know more about Filiberto, then you can go to Wikipedia and they'll point you to all the correct sources. His assasination happened while I was on the island and it was pretty interesting to see how everything unfolded. The reason I posted this is not to discuss Filiberto; it is because of what his widow says. She says that puertoricans identify more with Latin America, than the United States. On the other hand, many people don't consider Puerto Rico as part of Latin America at all, and this includes the Tulane LAS dept from what I've been told :) But even many puertoricans don't consider themselves latin americans. I guess I'm wondering how you guys view Puerto Rico or puertoricans, do you think they would fall under Latin Americans, Americans or do we have a special class all by ourselves? I'd like to hear your opinion on this too Jimmy if you have a chance.
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8 comments:
We've followed up on your post on VivirLatino: http://vivirlatino.com/2006/02/09/is-puerto-rico-latin-america.php
To say that Puerto Ricans are not latin americans is like saying that French are not europeans. A complete ignorance of history. Puerto Ricans are latin americans, that has nothing to do with the imposed US citizenship upon them in 1917(there was a lot of opposition in PR at that time for that imposition) and the current status achieved since 1952 (Puerto Ricans are as americans as French were germans during the nazi invasion, 99% of the surnames in PR are spanish like the rest of latin america not different also a national identity was already formed when the US invaded)
First of all, to Ventanita: You're displaying the wrong flag. That is Cuba's. Are Cubans Latin Americans?
Anonymous'comment is well deserved: ignorant.
We have to realize that Puerto Rico has been the subject of an intense/full time colonial regime. For years, economic exploitation and unjust wealth distribution forced migration from Puerto Rico to continenteal U.S.A.; only to help in the creation and developedment of new geration if not close, totally dependent on what else but US consumerism. Said "aspiration" so common to a nation of many nations, a melting pot, is the same that has completely distorted the natural aspirations of the democratic people of Puerto Rico.
The United States has denyed to Puertorricans the opportunity (natural right) to advance together with the people of other worlds and nations. They have distorted the true meaning of liberty by manipulating the will of the people of Puerto Rico. They have fostered fear and dependency. They have contributed to the destruction of a culture of work and sacrifice. They have lied to the People of Puerto Rico and to the nations of the world, brought together under the UN.
They have disposed of the life and blood of thousands of Puertorricans both foreign wars, and the national one which has taken place in ghettos of Americas. As a matter of fact, a war which also victimizes the poor of the United States.
The People of Puerto Rico have been the victims of a false sense of personal security. At the same time, we have been led to beleive that there is no other world but the United States of America.
The time seems to have arrived when all democratic forces have pointed their fingers at the United States. Let there be known in all parts of the world, that Puerto Rica and Puertorricans have some pending grieveness and claim against the United States of America. That justice will be served only at that time that the United States recognizes that it has lied to the World and the Puerto Rican people by making all beleive that Puerto Rico had attained an acceptable degree of self government pursuant to international law.
Most of the commentors on this blog have said it: Puerto Ricans are culturally and historically Latin Americans and Caribbean, no matter if some Puerto Ricans don't want to be considered that or some Latin American would like to deny that fact. Someone here mentioned Mercosur...um México is considered Latin America but is not a part of Mercosur....
As for the current supression of independentistas by the FBI, I have posted some article clips from El Nuevo Día on my blog.
Interesting comments. I'd just like to add that I think, as a gringo estadounidense, that it is up to los puertoriqueños to fashion their identity and their cultural/national/regional alliances. However, I do want to note that buying into anonymous the second's arguments doesn't leave much hope that Puerto Ricans can ever truly arrive at the creation of their own identity or even make a claim that one currently exists, whatever it may be. The sad conundrum offered is that Puerto Rico has been so damaged by the United States it can never truly be the "real" Puerto Rico - whatever that means. Even if Puerto Rico rises up in revolution, severs all political ties to the US, and declares its independence (an option Puerto Ricans often consider at the ballot box), its purity as a nation will forever and always be compromised by its years under the thumb of an oppressive colonial regime. To be defined always and forever in that way is not only a sad commentary, it is also defeatist. Anonymous the second underscores this with his closing sentence: "That justice will be served only at that time that the United States recognizes that it has lied to the World and the Puerto Rican people by making all beleive that Puerto Rico had attained an acceptable degree of self government pursuant to international law."
Notice that, in this concluding salvo and rallying protest (viva!), Puerto Rico can only come into its own if and when the United States "recognizes" its deceptive and oppressive ways -- not if and when Puerto Rico decides and acts on its own behalf. Ironic, indeed.
Mientras la politica liderada de un pueblo sea por aquellos que pactan con lo que rigen ese pueblo , entonces dicho pueblo ,nacion o pais sera visto y tratado en la misma forma tan igual o peor de los que controlan , domina o rigen ese pueblo , pais, nacion o isla.,No olvidemos que Puerto Rico era el gran banco de los colonisadores espanoles , que robaban y matanban y destruian a todos los pueblos colonisados esclavisandolos por el oro y la plata y mas , entonces bajo esta cpncepcion se a crecido historicamente culturalmente, ese mismo tipo de visualisar el mundo existe en Puerto Rico , como asi existe en toda america latina , en los que decienden de ellos ...................................
Boricua, Caribeña, que se identifica y hace comun causa con la lucha de latinoamerica, nuestros hermanos que han sufrido la misma opresion que nosotros por parte de los EU... es triste que muchos puertorriquenos no se preocupan por aprender la historia y no valoran nuestra herencia...
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