United States Colony - Puerto Rico's uncertain future....

[Borincano]

What do you believe, Puerto Rico's permanent political status should be?

Independence?

Statehood?

Or continual "Commonwealth?"

[Supermodel]

Well, for sure the voters of PR should make that decision. I think it has a good chance as an independent country. WEPA!!!

[Borincano]

I think it would as well.

Hey, could I ask you why you think it would be better off independent,? for the sake of discussion. lol! :)

[Borincano]

Independence and Cultural Economics in Puerto Rico (http://www.che-lives.com/cgi/community/topic.pl?forum=22&topic=442)

[deimos]

let the puerto ricans decide.Is Puerto rico important to the usa?

[Sasafrás]

Quote: from deimos on 10:20 am on May 30, 2002
let the puerto ricans decide.Is Puerto rico important to the usa?Yes, of course.. La isla encantada (Puerto Rico) belongs to the US. And, of course, the PRs can't decide. You must remember, the US won't allow Puerto Rico to decide if their island will belong to the US or not. It would be nice if they could vote, but the only way that PR can gain independence is to revolt. Simply.

[hobo]

Why does the US still have control over it, is it just national pride that we can control and tiny little country that could never stand up to us. Does it hold any value other than that?

[Borincano]

The USA is making money off of Puerto Rico, more then it is giving it. It gives Puerto Rico $16 billion a year. While its multi-national corporations, who pay taxes and political "specialties" to the USA, makes probably more then $50 billion off of PR, not including the annual $19 billion consumer businesses in PR. Which makes domestic businesses rot. Also, Puerto Rico is not allowed to trade with other nations, so it must receive its goods straight from the US shipping marines. So Puerto Rico is charged many, many times more then what the good are worth or what the USA paid for them from other countries, such as China or Japan. Thus, the USA is making billions and billions off of PR as a colony, allowing the people think it’s helping her. Also, 200,000 jobs are directly intertwined with PR's status in the USA. Also, why let PR become independent and fall towards socialism, which would definately take place.

The last vote to allow PR to have a binding referendum was denied by the USA Congress in 1998. Why? In the fear that if PR's voted for the statehood, the USA, would have to legally comply with that. So PR had a non-binding referendum, where PR's voted 50% none-of-the-above. The USA Congress, and people, simply does not want statehood for PR, if it had, it would allow PR a binding referendum, or just give it independence unanimously. It has the power to. Under the USA Constitution, it has complete power over all USA territories. That includes Puerto Rico, of course.

[Borincano]

Puerto Rican Colonialism (http://www.che-lives.com/cgi/community/topic.pl?forum=11&topic=1412)

[Reuben]

Shit, I didnt know all this. It sdounds like an absolutely awful situation.

How does america stop pr buuying goods from other countries

[Borincano]

Reuben,

Many people, especially Puerto Ricans, don't know all this.

This world works in strange ways. Look at money for example. It is just paper with pictures of national heroes, which true value sometimes doesn't even match the value a country places it upon. Although, as long as a people think that money is worth something, and could be able to buy and pay for whatever they want, they are going to treat it with care. A decorated piece of paper!

Such are the minds of Puerto Ricans towards the USA. Of course, the USA is worth something and is a force to be reckoned with, but that invisible line of control is only there because we treat it as such.

There is a long history of pro-independence advocates under the wing of the pro-commonwealth party, but in a way have to be traitors to their original cause to fulfill their duties in the party. Many PR Governors, even up to the current, Sila María Calderón, have asked the USA to be able to join international organizations and trade directly with nations they want to. The USA always replied no, and sometimes we humbly go back into our shells, in fear they might slap us in the face. It's a simple NO in gov't memos that provides the future of PR.

The USA Navy and Vieques island proves that when PR goes against the will of the US, the USA reacts back very tough, with threats and tough strategies of deceit.

[sypher]

if puerto ricans do revolt and the U.$. crushes them wouldn't that work against the U.$. Wouldn't other countries look down at this (along with some american citizens.)

[Borincano]

sypher,

Oh yes!

They have crushed the Nationalist Insurrection...i.e...The Jayuya Revolt on October 30th 1950, and one day later, an assassination attempt took place against President Harry S. Truman by 2 PR Nationalists. The USA made sure very little coverage of it would ever get out.

Haven't you noticed that out of the many assassination attempts made on many Presidents, especially Ronald Reagan, Harry Truman's is the least reported and documented to this day? If someone did research on it, they would have to research the cause, which means PR and what was happening during that time and what the USA was doing. Of course, the USA doesn't want that, thus the research never really happened.

Interesting how the USA plays it's little puppet tricks.

[sypher]

"the USA doesn't want that, thus the research never really happened"

so its a "who controls the past conrtrold the future" type thing?

[Borincano]

sypher,

Well, kind of it is. The USA controlled our past and plans to control our future forever. Still, the future is still 'unwritten' thus, I believe we must take democratic action to take hold of our futures.