PATRIOTISM???

[El_Jibaro]

It seems that some of my compatriots think that to desire to be a State is for cowards. It hurts me to see the way they strut about with high-falooting words, saying that they are the only courageous birds in the world. If that were the case why don't they show the advantages of making Puerto Rico an independent country? They know that the only examples of Latin American republics are all poor [and they have natural resources galore]. You know, one sad truth is that most of us all Puerto Ricans are dishonest one way or the other. It is very common for us to lie [and I am including myself]. It is very easy for us to free-load. We love the "mango bajito", the easy picking; and when it comes to human relations most of us PR men take advantage of Puerto Rican women; and I have seen and experienced PR women go for guys with bucks instead of what is in the heart. We tend to be violent. Look at the statistics on spousal abuse and passional murders in the Island. And drugs and alcohol abuse are rampant in our culture. And you tell me that all of this will change by becoming an independent country? Just by following Logic alone you will conclude that independence will mean the end of Peace in our Island; that if there is Government corruption now, it will only get worse, and the natural outcome of the absence of peace is War among ourselves. Without the threat of going to Federal Jails for crimes such as terrorism, the violent political forces in the Island (who happen to be mostly of the Independence thinking) who be free to bring in a reign of terror. I have observed of how Columbia has fared and everybody who has ten dollars in their pocket is under the threat of murder and kidnapping there. In my wife's country of El Salvador, once the civil war was over both the right wing paramilitary forces as well as the left wing querrila forces turned to looting, kidnapping, bank robbing and general mayhem; they like us had only "life sentence" for murderers and had to change the law to have "capital punishment" just recently.

And the guys who casually drink coffee after getting up at 11AM want us to become an independent country. Man, it boils me, "me hierve". One friend of mine, who is such a patriot in his own mind, didn't have any qualms about leaving his wife by herself to sell the house, while he went back to PR to start a business [which has not, and will never, become a reality]. This friend of mine didn't even sent a penny to his kids. The girls parents had to send her money so that they could eat. And this scoundrel's son is autistic, so the woman had her hands full. I have observed that people who talk like are just full of words, it is just a front to cover their irresponsible lifestyles; they talk like that because in their irresponsible mind they think that to become an Independent Republic with Peace and Prosperity is as easy as their twisted minds can imagine. And when I say twisted, it is not to downplay their brains, it is that most of them have not grown up to bear responsibility, and as a former teenager without a care in the world I can tell you that there is no limit to what you can desire and dream as long as someone else foots the bill. Even this country, where you and I live, had a civil war because of all the responsibilities of running an Independent country entails. And it will probably have one more in less than a hundred years if the "gringuitos" keep being so grouchy about us Hispanics. Just imagine Puerto Rico, where more than half a million people are of Dominican descent: there will be a blood bath. I wouldn't be surprised that after our PR independence a country like the Dominican Republic went to war with us for mistreating their people, and I tell you that there are more than twice the number of Dominicans in Santo Domingo as Puerto Ricans in Puerto Rico.

[To those of you true Puerto Ricans: who wrote "El Jíbaro" and what town in Puerto Rico was he from?]

[El_Jibaro]

[EL_BORICUA]

TO EL JIBARO,
YOUR PROFILE STATES THAT YOU ARE AN AEROSPACE ENGINEER AND I ASSUME YOU ARE
PUERTORICAN YOU ARE OBVIOUSLY A GIFTED PERSON A ROLE MODEL FOR OTHER PUERTORICANS
TO FOLLOW,SO WHY THEN ARE YOU SELLING US SHORT ARE WE SO STUPID THAT WE CANNOT GOVERN OURSELVES WITHOUT THE U.S.,WE ARE NOT COLOMBIANS,DOMINICANS,CUBANS,MEXICANS..ETC.,
WE ARE PUERTO RICANS I HAVE FAITH THAT WE CAN GOVERN OURSELVES,AND WE WILL I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT CONGRESS WILL EVER GRANT STATEHOOD TO PUERTO RICO THIS KNOW THAT IT WOULD BE A MISTAKE IN PRIOR PLEBICITES
THE E.L.A. WAS A NARROW WINNER OVER STATEHOOD BUT WHEN YOU ADD THE VOTES FOR
INDEPENDENCE AND OTHERS IT IS A CLEAR MAJORITY THAT DOES NOT WANT STATEHOOD,
WELL I HAVE TO LEAVE
HAPPY HOLIDAYS
EL BORICUA

[Carlos_Marrero]

Wow, Jibaro. How do you live with all that self-hate? And what lack of appreciation for history, ours or anyone elses. Go do your homework, please.

The social problems you point to here are endemic to all other nations in the "first" world, including the US. These matters are irrelevant to the question of "sovereignty". Self-determination is a right of the people, and so is self-rule. Permanent, full incorporation into the Union has not solved these problems in any state. What makes you think it will solve them in PR? More importantly, if all these "imperfect" societies all around the globe have a right to govern themselves, dispite their imperfections, why would you deny that right to your own people.

Maybe you just want to emigrate. Maybe you should just adopt another nation as your own. Or perhaps, a bout of psychotherapy would help boost your self-esteem.

I truly hope most of us can see through the poverty of your views on this one.

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[F_D_B]

Happy New Year to all!!!

Those of you who are not from New Jersey, you must forgive our friend El_Jibaro. He happens to live in what is most likely the most racist town in the state. One of those few towns in the state that gets away with town sponsored discrimination. You will probably not find one black person living in the town and the only reason they let hispanics live there with no problem is because some of us are very light in color. I think that he has just become a product of his surroundings. El_Jibaro when in Rome does as the Romans do right?

Peace.

[El_Criollo]

What is patriotism?

Webster defines it as: Love and devotion to one’s own country.

El Diccionario de la Academia Real de la Lengua Española define a el patritismo como: 1- Amor a la patria. 2- Sentimiento y conducta propios del patriota.

Now, what is LOVE for country? I could love the geography of Puerto Rico, to the point where I would kill everybody in the Island in order to protect the Geography (this is what an Eco-Terrorist would do). Or I could love my People to the point where it doesn’t matter what they do, everything they do is right. This last kind of love reminds me of a lady who loved her serial killer son to the point that nothing he did was wrong.

No, Love is not only affection and attachment to something, but it is the earnest desire to see the best of the beloved person or thing. That is why I discipline my son when he deliberately disobeys, or when he throws a temper tantrum: I want him to become the best man possible. I love my wife: I admire her, respect her, sustain her and protect her [but in no way I would excuse adultery].

The same type of Love applies to my country.

I Love the Geography. I will do the utmost to protect the Island’s beauty. I will not dump on the roadsides, I will voice my opinion that the beaches should be free from development; I will gladly pay money to keep El Yunque as a pristine rain forest accessible to all law abiding tourists. But I will in no way hinder the construction of roads and schools, and places where people work, like stores, and factories, and home building.

I Love my People, and their good customs. I love my mother tongue (español) and will resist any attempt to remove it from our culture. I cherish our custom of hospitality and compassion. But I cannot support our national passion for alcohol and immorality. Look at the thousands of children born out of wedlock in our Island. Look at the statistics on Child Molestation. Look at the Statistics on Wife Abuse (domestic violence).

I happen to think that our Puerto Rican politicians are not ready for Independence. I happen to think that our Culture is not self reliant enough for the responsibility of Independence. I see that in our culture we either mistreat our children or pamper them to point of spoilage; discipline shines by its mere absence. I happen to think that Law Abiding is not a strong cultural trait of our People. And without internal Law Abiding the only alternative is to have a Police State, or Chaos.

Now, think about this, you who consider yourself a Patriot. If Puerto Rico were to become Independent we cannot seriously think that we will be immensely better off than Cuba or the Dominican Republic. Chile, the shining example of success as far as Latin-American Republics, has been independent for almost 200 years, and had to recently endure a Far-Right dictatorship that ended 15 years ago (or less). And Chileans, my friend, are not Puerto Rican as far as culture is concerned. You have to look to Venezuela and Colombia as far as cultural similarity is concerned. If you allow logic and reason to rule your thoughts you will get the picture.

That is why my Love for Country makes me want to have Puerto Rico become a State of the United States. I want the best for my People. I want the best for my Land (and as far as Ecology is concerned, no Latin-American country has a stricter institution protecting the environment than the EPA). The United States is not a perfect nation, but I am convinced it is the best nation for us to be a part of than any in our hemisphere [Spain doesn’t want us back, unless we found millions of tons of gold-ore in our hills].

Now, tell me what You think about Patriotism.

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desde_el_Jurutungo_de_Bairoa

[IDeJesus]

Carlos.Marrero:

I have enjoyed reading your contributions to the forum. You seem well informed and educated about the effects of colonialism on our people. EL_Jibaro's musings about Puerto Ricans' flaws is one of the clearest examples I can point to, to ilustrate what occurs when a people are told for 500 years that they are too small and can not survive without the help of the colonizer. There are too many of us who have bought the line. We believe that this is true even when there are smaller sovereign countries flourishing as Democratic Nations. Will PR need help becoming an economically viable sovereign democracy? Yes, of course. Show me a democratic sovereign nation, that hasn't had to borrow, barter or beg.

I will surely be acused, as in the past, of engaging in pro-communist rhetoric even though I am not a communist and do not advocate communism for PR. I have yet to hear any legitimate, logical arguments against a Democratic, Sovereign, Puerto Rico.

Take care,

IDJ

[This message has been edited by IDeJesus (edited 04 January 2000).]