Iraq war hits close to home in Puerto Rico

[Brewman_Jax]

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6401868

The height of irony--they serve, yet have no political voice because Puerto Rico is a territory. :(

[Lost-in-FL]

1. Like all brown people

they are considered second class citizens.

[malta blue]

2. That story has been on my mind for days now.

My father was born in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. My grandparents came to NY in 1950. My father protested the war in Vietnam, was arrested and jailed for refusing to go. He finally gave in and went. He returned safely, but lost his right to vote, since as a draft dodger, he was now a felon.

There are so many other who, like him, opposed that war along with this one, and gave their lives for a goverment that they had no power to elect.

The island surely is crying....

[EFerrari]

3. These stories are so sad and so enfuriating.

How can anyone justify the status of Puerto Rico in 2006? That poor family.

[calico1]

4. Unfortunately, about half of the voters in

Puerto Rico justify that status. The Partido Popular is considered the Democratic Party, while the statehood supporting party or Partidon Nuevo Progresista is supported by the Republicans who generally suuport Republican US politicians. When I was living there the pro statehood party was as crooked as they come. So while many people here may support statehood for the island you have to remember that it is considered a Republican idea in Puerto Rico and tied to that party, not the Democratic party. So it's a bit complicated to say the least.

[Lost-in-FL]

5. Right, the PNP

The Partido Nuevo Progresista (New Progressive Party) is pretty much like the Republicunts here in the US; they are pro-corruption and love voter suppression. The PNP, together with some Republicunts were responsible for violently suppressing the PR pro-independence movement. That is why the Republican party is hated in PR even by so called Statehood sympathizers. The PNP is well know for this incident:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerro_Maravilla_Incident

By the way. I don't believe Puertorricans justify that status. The central problem facing "Puertorriquenos" in Puerto Rico is that they have been denied their most basic rights of self-determination by congressional inaction. Congress still has not implemented any political procedure to enable the residents of Puerto Rico to determine their form of self-government under a permanent, non-territorial alternative. Of course, with the "War on Terror" and this "Do-nothing-Congress" it would take another 500 years before something is done. There is this misconception that Puertorricans can just change the political status of the island all by themselves with a REFERENDUM. They have no saying unless a Bill is created in Congress to Change the Status of the Island. They can vote until they turn green but if Congress won't listen it is only a waste of money and Puertorricans know that. Puerto Ricans has no voice or votes in Congress and they know well that if they vote for either Independence or Statehood, Congress will not vote for either alternative. To the eyes of all Americans, everyone in the world would love to become American. Can you imagine the embarrassment if this little island decides to not be a US territory? HORROR!!! Can you imagine a BROWN PEOPLE country becoming a state of the USA?? HORROR!!!

[Cleita]

6. Would it be really difficult for you guys to petition Congress

for sovereignity? It has happened in the past, like the Phillipines became their own nation after being a territory of the US.

[Lost-in-FL]

7. A referendum need to be put forward

before a petition to Congress can be done with over 60% votes for either Independence or Statehood. This is according to their (PR) Constitution. Also, remember that Puerto Rico is a Commonwealth and the pro-ELA (Estado Libre Associado or Commonweath) party refuses to disappear. The PPD (Partido Popular Democratico) or Pro-ELA Party developed what is the current PR Constitution and fought to at least obtain the US Citizenship for Puerto Ricans with the help of the Democrats in Congress (OF COURSE!!! Or do you think the GOP would do such thing??). The PPD will refuse to accept a Referendum in Puerto Rico that does not include the Commonwealth platform and I believe part of the reason why Puerto Rican status is "stalled" is due to this fact. When the platform is not included, the PPD will boicot the election and none of the formulas achieve the necessary votes to take to Congress for ratification. In PR politics, the PNP (pro_Statehood) is equivalent to the Republican Party, the PPD could be (sort off)
like the Democrats and the PIP (Partido Independentista Puertorriqueno) could be considered like lets say the Green Party. The PIP platform of course is pro Independence and their Political/Economical model is Costa Rica in the sense that they do not want to have Military Forces.

IMO, People is afraid of changing the status quo because of all the successful propaganda by the pro-statehood party (the Latin version of the Neoconservatives) where people are been told for years that if PR becomes a free country they would become another Cuba or another Haiti. They use words like COMMUNISM (TERRA!!! TERRA!!!) or Socialism which is enough to create hysteria. Also, because of the history of discrimination that Puertorricans are subject in the US (and every minority in the US of course), Puerto Ricans are very skeptical of becoming the 51th state of the US.

Another thing, US Party politics; Congress talking about changing the status could potentially become a problem. I could compare this to the issue of immigration and Amnesty and THIS my friend, I believe is the reason why Congress would not get involve unless Puerto Ricans are ready to talk Status.

IMO, I do not think changing the status is the priority of the Puertorrican people at this time since over 20 years of Pro-Statehood party rule destroyed Puertorrican economy. Puertorricans are paying right now for this dearly and they are pissed. I have the feeling that once they stand up on their feet and improve their economical situation on their own (the newer generation is waking up to this fact), they will do something about the status. The PNP or pro-statehood party has always done the best possible to drain the PR economy to force Puertorricans to scream for Statehood. KEEP IN MIND PLEASE THAT I AM IN NO WAY AN EXPERT ON PUERTORRICAN ISSUES but lived in the island long enough to know some well known political facts.