citizenship

[keeptrying]

Why is it that people who support independence for PR have yet to answer the simple question. I know I've asked it at least 2 times, and someone else asked it, but no one will answer.

"If you feel 100% Puerto Rican, and 0% American, why not renounce your American citizenship like so many other supporters of the cause have"?

After all, what good is it to you?

[keeptrying]

Why are you so afraid to answer this question? Am I touching on something? This is going to be used in part of my paper.

[EL_BORICUA]

I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THIS,THIS IS TYPICAL
STATEHOOD PROPAGANDA,IF YOU GIVE UP YOUR
CITIZENSHIP YOU LOOSE YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE
THEREFORE YOU LOOSE YOUR POWER TO EFFECT CHANGE I ASK THESE PEOPLE WHO ASK US TO
GIVE UP OUR CITIZENSHIP TO STOP CALLING THEMSELVES PUERTO RICANS AND MOVE TO THE
STATES THEN EVERYONE WILL BE HAPPY,UNTIL
INDEPENDENCE IS ACHIEVED WE AS A PEOPLE
MUST HAVE THE POWER TO VOTE,ON THE ISLAND
AND IN THE STATES,TO GIVE UP YOUR POWER IS STUPID AND ONLY PLAYS TO THE STATEHOODERS.

[seethelight]

Just because I have US citizenship, does not mean I have to give up my Puerto Rican citizenship. Or vice versa. We were named " Citizens of the Island of Puerto Rico, before we were imposed US citizenship for the purposes of fightying in a war and protecting US interests. This way I can effect changes necessary for my homeland. I was not born a North American, I was born Puerto Rican, I have US citizenship.Shame on Puerto Ricans who renounce the obvious: our history, our culture, our language.

[Poncepr68]

El boricua, you should not even try and get into this on you live in the states you live in The so called North America. Now on to the next one you are completely right about one thing but wrong on another, being an Amercan Citizen brings the obligation of defending our ways of life and that includes Puerto Rico's way of life. The U.S. in now way shape or form imposed nor obligated Puerto Ricans to be U.S. Citizens, it was your very own governor at the time whom we most of the time call a national hero "Luis Munoz Marin" who asked for this right and accepted the right to send Puerto Ricans to defend this nation. Let us not forget our history because let it be a free Puerto Rico or a state, this is what will make us and carry us to where ever we may go.

[seethelight]

Lenny:
I don't know what history you are talking about or who's history it is you are expressing.
The FACT is that citizenship was imposed on the Puerto Rican people by way of the Jones Act in 1917, in which American citizenship was imposed and those who wished not to become American citizens could do so. But those who did not were not allowed to vote and were made to feel outcasts in their own nation for this. Many of these people fled PR to other Caribbean islands like Cuba and the Dominican Republic. Puerto Rico was under the tutelage of the US at the time. Or at least that's what the North American called it.The governor at the time was appointed by the US President, it was not until 1948 that the people chose their first elected governor. Citizen was imposed. It was not a choice given to the people. The PR people were not given the simple right to vote in a plebiscite as to the question of citizenship. You are obviously a product of the imperialistic philosophies of the US. Get the history straight before you make mistakes. Recognize that the US has made mistakes. Is it a great place to live in? You bet! But I recognize it's flaws and strive to make things better. VOTE. VOTE.
VOTE. The only way to get changes.

[keeptrying]

If something was imposed on you why wouldn't you want to give it up? You said you have the power to vote. That is because you live in the USA and not Puerto Rico. You can vote here, but not there. Puerto Ricans can vote there, but not here.
Deep down I don't think you would want to give up your US citizenship. YOu may say you are 100% Puerto Rican, but you still have a bond to the US because you choose to keep your citizenship. You want to keep your citizenship.
Once idependence is achieved there will be no more US citizenship, but in your case, you will still keep it because when Puerto Rico becomes independent you become American. That places your heritage as Puerto Rican, unless you decide to move back.