Don't Give Puerto Ricans What They Want
Jason Sanchez
Issue date: 2/12/01 Section: Opinion
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None of the above. This is the option chosen by more than 50% of voters in the last Political Status Referendum held in December of 1998 in Puerto Rico. It was a rather vexing conclusion after nine months of heated public debate, which began when the United States Senate failed to act on a bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives to sponsor a federally-mandated referendum in Puerto Rico. This forced the island's political leadership (headed by Gov. Pedro Rossello, former head of the statehood bent New Progressive Party and a new Institute of Politics fellow at KSG) to concoct its own, locally brewed, non-binding version of the same referendum.
To outsiders, the other four options seem clear enough: Statehood, which garnered 46.5 % of the vote, sought to back an effort by which the small island in the Caribbean and its 3.8 million inhabitants (who are all U.S. Citizens) would join the Union as the 51st state. Independence, which received 2.5 % of the vote, desired the island to join the international realm as a newly independent country, with representation in the United Nations and all of the rights and privileges conferred on it by international law. Free Association, an option defined by backers of Puerto Rico's independence who do not want to loose all of their ties to the United States, won 0.3% of the vote. Commonwealth, as defined by Congress, illustrating Puerto Rico in its present political and constitutional reality as an unincorporated territory subject to the plenary powers of Congress under the Territorial Clause of the U.S. Constitution, achieved only 0.1%. So where exactly does "None of the Above" fit in?
For Puerto Ricans, who have never been an independent nation, "None of the Above" means little more than an unwillingness to choose from among the choices presented to them in that last referendum. As comments by Anibal Acevedo Vila (Ex-president of the Popular Democratic Party which backs the status quo on the island) illustrate, Puerto Ricans live in a colonial world which drives them to seek aid and direction from the "motherland", while maintaining their own culture and identity locally. "We are not Americans", he said. "We are U.S. citizens and we're proud of that. But we are Puerto Ricans, and if we become a state we will lose our identity, our culture, our language."
From the result of the vote, it appears that a majority of Puerto Ricans feel the same way. It is common for islanders to display closer ties to their brethren in New York or Orlando, than to their neighbors in the Dominican Republic or Colombia. At the same time, they spurn the United States by denying their political situation and demanding an enhanced version of this colonial relationship.
Today, as in any state of the Union, all persons born in Puerto Rico are U.S. Citizens with a right to most federal U.S. endowments, corporate and private welfare, and the use of U.S. currency. Like any state, they have their own flag, their own legislature and hierarchy of judicial and law enforcement officials. That is where the similarities end.
Puerto Ricans have no obligation to pay U.S. federal taxes, they speak Spanish, they retain their own Olympic team and even a Miss Universe contestant spot. Puerto Ricans cannot vote for president, are only allowed one representative in the House of Representatives of the U.S. Congress who does not have the right to vote and no representatives in the Senate. They have their own constitution, but had to have it ratified by the U.S. Congress. They can be drafted to serve in war for the United States, but have no right to be part of the decision making process in Congress or through the Executive Branch which decides on it. Ultimately, the United States retains sovereignty over all aspects of the islands political will.
In its role as Puerto Rico's "motherland" the United States has provided much aid towards improving the quality of life of the nearly 60% of Puerto Rican's who live beneath U.S. accepted level of poverty. It has been generous in tax breaks for industry wishing to establish itself on the island and it has even facilitated the great waves of immigration to the mainland that eased population growth in the last four decades. What it has not done, however, is provide direction.
As we have seen over and over throughout the last three decades, Puerto Ricans have not been able to overcome their colonial heritage. They do not wish to accept the responsibility that comes with being independent. At the same time, they have not wanted to begin a definitive drive towards statehood. They have never been clear, determined or unified on the matter of their political future. The answer to why this is the case is simple. It is because Puerto Ricans have never could and never had to choose. Puerto Ricans have never stood up for themselves politically. In addition, the vagueness with which the United States handles questions of Puerto Rico's political future only adds to the confusion and lack of initiative on the island. The truth behind the political dilemma in Puerto Rico was revealed in their vote for "None of the Above" in the last referendum.
"None of the Above" won a majority of votes in Puerto Rico the last time around. To outsiders this result might appear confusing. But it shouldn't. This is the only choice that Puerto Ricans made as a majority: that they would not choose at all.
Ironically, "None of the Above" should carry a clear and resounding message to the members of Congress and to the new president. It is time that the United States, together with Puerto Rico, accept responsibility for the fate of the island and provide the last measure of guidance that is a "motherland's" responsibility. To accept Puerto Rico into the Union or to cast it off. A clear and convincing message to the island, as a choice or as a demand must be made. The most democratic and just way of resolving the issue has been taken to the polls and Puerto Ricans have already chosen: "None of the Above". May the United States prove to themselves and to the world that they are the land of opportunity, of free choice and most important of all self determination: Don't give them what they want.
To outsiders, the other four options seem clear enough: Statehood, which garnered 46.5 % of the vote, sought to back an effort by which the small island in the Caribbean and its 3.8 million inhabitants (who are all U.S. Citizens) would join the Union as the 51st state. Independence, which received 2.5 % of the vote, desired the island to join the international realm as a newly independent country, with representation in the United Nations and all of the rights and privileges conferred on it by international law. Free Association, an option defined by backers of Puerto Rico's independence who do not want to loose all of their ties to the United States, won 0.3% of the vote. Commonwealth, as defined by Congress, illustrating Puerto Rico in its present political and constitutional reality as an unincorporated territory subject to the plenary powers of Congress under the Territorial Clause of the U.S. Constitution, achieved only 0.1%. So where exactly does "None of the Above" fit in?
For Puerto Ricans, who have never been an independent nation, "None of the Above" means little more than an unwillingness to choose from among the choices presented to them in that last referendum. As comments by Anibal Acevedo Vila (Ex-president of the Popular Democratic Party which backs the status quo on the island) illustrate, Puerto Ricans live in a colonial world which drives them to seek aid and direction from the "motherland", while maintaining their own culture and identity locally. "We are not Americans", he said. "We are U.S. citizens and we're proud of that. But we are Puerto Ricans, and if we become a state we will lose our identity, our culture, our language."
From the result of the vote, it appears that a majority of Puerto Ricans feel the same way. It is common for islanders to display closer ties to their brethren in New York or Orlando, than to their neighbors in the Dominican Republic or Colombia. At the same time, they spurn the United States by denying their political situation and demanding an enhanced version of this colonial relationship.
Today, as in any state of the Union, all persons born in Puerto Rico are U.S. Citizens with a right to most federal U.S. endowments, corporate and private welfare, and the use of U.S. currency. Like any state, they have their own flag, their own legislature and hierarchy of judicial and law enforcement officials. That is where the similarities end.
Puerto Ricans have no obligation to pay U.S. federal taxes, they speak Spanish, they retain their own Olympic team and even a Miss Universe contestant spot. Puerto Ricans cannot vote for president, are only allowed one representative in the House of Representatives of the U.S. Congress who does not have the right to vote and no representatives in the Senate. They have their own constitution, but had to have it ratified by the U.S. Congress. They can be drafted to serve in war for the United States, but have no right to be part of the decision making process in Congress or through the Executive Branch which decides on it. Ultimately, the United States retains sovereignty over all aspects of the islands political will.
In its role as Puerto Rico's "motherland" the United States has provided much aid towards improving the quality of life of the nearly 60% of Puerto Rican's who live beneath U.S. accepted level of poverty. It has been generous in tax breaks for industry wishing to establish itself on the island and it has even facilitated the great waves of immigration to the mainland that eased population growth in the last four decades. What it has not done, however, is provide direction.
As we have seen over and over throughout the last three decades, Puerto Ricans have not been able to overcome their colonial heritage. They do not wish to accept the responsibility that comes with being independent. At the same time, they have not wanted to begin a definitive drive towards statehood. They have never been clear, determined or unified on the matter of their political future. The answer to why this is the case is simple. It is because Puerto Ricans have never could and never had to choose. Puerto Ricans have never stood up for themselves politically. In addition, the vagueness with which the United States handles questions of Puerto Rico's political future only adds to the confusion and lack of initiative on the island. The truth behind the political dilemma in Puerto Rico was revealed in their vote for "None of the Above" in the last referendum.
"None of the Above" won a majority of votes in Puerto Rico the last time around. To outsiders this result might appear confusing. But it shouldn't. This is the only choice that Puerto Ricans made as a majority: that they would not choose at all.
Ironically, "None of the Above" should carry a clear and resounding message to the members of Congress and to the new president. It is time that the United States, together with Puerto Rico, accept responsibility for the fate of the island and provide the last measure of guidance that is a "motherland's" responsibility. To accept Puerto Rico into the Union or to cast it off. A clear and convincing message to the island, as a choice or as a demand must be made. The most democratic and just way of resolving the issue has been taken to the polls and Puerto Ricans have already chosen: "None of the Above". May the United States prove to themselves and to the world that they are the land of opportunity, of free choice and most important of all self determination: Don't give them what they want.