Puerto Rican Political History

[IDeJesus]

Anyone interested in PR Political History read Angelina Villafanes thesis at:
http://www-mcnair.berkeley.edu/98journal/avillafane/

IDJ

[jsm]

Thank you for this posting. The information and opinion is interesting. I agree with many the the author's positions.

I wonder why she did not address other options besides independence. Statehood or retaining commonwealth status.

I am a Puerto Rican American. I love PR, but I also love the US.

For a rough idea how PR could have developed after the Spanish American war we can look to Cuba and the Philipines. The 2 countries which acquired independence after the war. They had similar economic and political conditions as PR.

Cuba is self determining but is still one of the poorest countries in the world. With authoritarian control and few individual rights. The Philipines are still one of the poorest countries in the world. They have an ongoing civil war, and are rapidly destroying their ecological treasures.

Please do not think I believe US governship of PR has been heavenly. Yet it seems Puerto Rican "independistas" want to follow the philosopy of the English writer, whose name escapes me, but who wrote:
"I would rather rule in hell, than serve in heaven".

Jorge

[EL_BORICUA]

When will these people understand that we
are neither Cubans nor Filipinos,I am
Puertorican by birth U.S.citizen by
imposition,and its not so much that we
would rather rule in hell,we are against
the servitude and submission statehooders
want us to be,we rather stand than be on
our knees.

[This message has been edited by EL BORICUA (edited 16 September 2000).]

[jsm]

ElB:

Why are you submissive and servile, and why are you on your knees? If you are so, that is your choice.

I have lived in the US over 40 years. I do not recall being submissive and servile, nor on my knees. Quite the contrary those traits are un-American.

The comparision between the Phillipines, and especially Cuba, seems appropriate because they had virtually identical political and socio-economic conditions as Puerto Rico.

Jorge