Crime in PR another reason to Say no to Statehood.

[Leticia_g]

Hi Ponce and Lacoctel,

I agree with you on the issues concerning drugs and crime, however I also think that if I had a choice between the two I would try to work on eliminating crime first. I know that drugs especially hard drugs eventually lead to crime however we must take one step at a time and work together to eliminate the worst. We must work with our children and make them aware of the consequences involved in submitting to drugs. We have to give them the confidence to say no and mean no even if their peer turn against them I always told my daughters that you find out who your friends are when things go wrong because everyone wants to be your friend if you always agree with them.

I guess when it comes down to it I feel pretty fortunate. I have been blessed with great neighbors. Our neighbors are a extension of our family. So you see there are neighborhoods in the USA that have that bonding. Even when I lived in NYC, I knew almost all my neighbors. We had block parties and had local organizations. I feel that someone has to break the ice. We must get involved in our community in order to be more alert of any outsiders that may cause problems. I am surprise that this isn't occuring in more places. I know that sometimes we are confronted with people that are bigots and therefore prejudge us as individuals however we must show them that we aren't the way they assume. That if anything we may be better because we don't feel the way they do.

Leticia

[lacoctel]

Hi Leticia,

Thanks for the good feedback. Yes I am glad you see that the first priority is getting rid of violent crime. There are states and areas for example where drug use like marijuana is a big problem, but much less violent crime than other places. I would prefer to be there than a city or state where drug use is less, but violent crime more. I see Ponce's point, but still, I don't think he or anyone in their right mind especially who has children would say, 'well gee, there is not as much violent crime in parts of Oregon, but too much drugs, so i'd rather take my kids to this or that area where there is much more violent crime, but less drugs!!!'

I am also glad you have a community where people at least recognise each other as neighbors. Doesn't mean you have to sit in each other's houses drinking coffee and gossiping all day, but at least to speak to each other and feel some connection. It is good you have that. My neighbor upstairs is very friendly. I assumed her roommate was the same. Bad assumption. I would often chat with her roommate for a few minutes when she would come back from work or shopping, even loaned her my computer once. But found out she was una mujer particular! I noticed how she would hurrily walk away and then after loaning my computer and sending up food to her on a few occasions, she complained to the manager about the tiny dog I was only dog-sitting just for a few days. That was totally unecessary! And she did not invite any of the neighbors with the exception of her roommate who lives there to her birthday party. Then another neighbor worse then her, when I explained to her outside her window that I was locked out of my apartment and my little son asleep inside, she refused to help. What a p-ta!

I think a big problem in U.S. culture is this preoccupation of 'getting mine.' I think that is why people including at times coworkers and neighbors, etc. are so cold to eachother, they are so absorbed in this selfishness and competitiveness, this thing about 'i'm getting mine, so don't mess with me...'

And sure other times there are just people who are afraid of crime. But in the case of the p-ta neighbor who wouldn't help me out that day, she knows I live here and doubt if she thought her slim 5 foot 5 single mom neighbor who is a teacher was going to knock her over the head and rob her!
And incase she is bigoted, darn I am even light-complected!
Ha Ha!

I think the culture has to change on a wide scale. But break the ice is good thing you said. Somebody has to do it. In our case here where I live I think La Filipina who has the yearly Haloween party is one of those icebreakers. We all at times need to remind ourselves to just talk to our neighbors, be positive, if they planted some nice flowers, let them know!

hasta pronto

[Poncepr68]

Lacoctel, Leticia.g;

Well ladies I must say that I would never try to exchange MJ users for violant crimes, but when it comes to mind boggling drugs, it is only a matter of time when the violant crimes start to arise. That is why I said that educating our kids, neighbors, and community in a whole is what will lead us to a better and safer country. When I say education I do not mean just schools I am talk mainly at homes.

I remember when I was growing up in Ponce, Puerto Rico, how there would be these meetings for the community, like PTA's in schools. See back then and until recently we had this woman, and when I say woman I mean it in all the sense of the word, we had Sister Isolina Ferre "QUE EN PAZ DESCANSE". She built this place that all people where helped no matte who they were, kids always had a place to go and play, drug addicts were helped and often refferred to a rehabilitation center free of charge.

If we are going to win the war on crimes and drugs we need to invest and I do not mean only money! We must invest time in to these programs. I can not stress this any more EDUCATION IS PARAMOUNT!

[Leticia_g]

Ponce,
I am total agreement with you that education is importanat since without an education it is very difficult to reach people and have them understand the problems that our society are facing. However I feel that the family unit is very important. Puerto Rico has a very high divorce rate. The majority of household are being run by a female. The family unit is missing. The firm hand and love of a male role model to show our children that yes we can work on problems and not walk away from them. Believe me, I know there are plenty of women that could do the job without a man. That isn't the point, however we as a society are failing on our own personal lives and moral values therefore how can they teach the children not to do something when plenty of the adults are just as lost. We must try to return to old values. We must try to work problems within our homes. Communicate openly with our children in order to make them aware that yes we respect them as young adults but they must win that trust. We have to make our children so confident in themselve that to lose a friend that is pushing drugs on them is not that important because they will always find other friends and always have a family unit that they can depend on.

Leticia

[Poncepr68]

Leticia.g,

Nuevamente mi hermana usted entiende lo que yo trato de decir. Y le digo a todos que todo empieza en el hogar pero todo termina en el hogar. Bueno fue un placer en leer tu contesta hasta la proxima.

[Nacionalista]

Originally posted by Leticia_g
Ponce,
I am total agreement with you that education is importanat since without an education it is very difficult to reach people and have them understand the problems that our society are facing. However I feel that the family unit is very important. Puerto Rico has a very high divorce rate. The majority of household are being run by a female. The family unit is missing. The firm hand and love of a male role model to show our children that yes we can work on problems and not walk away from them. Believe me, I know there are plenty of women that could do the job without a man. That isn't the point, however we as a society are failing on our own personal lives and moral values therefore how can they teach the children not to do something when plenty of the adults are just as lost. We must try to return to old values. We must try to work problems within our homes. Communicate openly with our children in order to make them aware that yes we respect them as young adults but they must win that trust. We have to make our children so confident in themselve that to lose a friend that is pushing drugs on them is not that important because they will always find other friends and always have a family unit that they can depend on.

Leticia

Leticia, you are right about many Puerto Ricans homes in the island are manage by the woman, due to a divorse. Must of that calamity in our island has been created by the economy. Many of these guys, that don't have the proper maturity level to manage a family, venture thenselves to get married and live on a temporary income. And when things get hard, they fleet their home and leave the woman with the childs. Just to mention one insinificant place of job, my brother is a graduated Quimico, and work for a factory in Manati as temporary employee seens 1993. The factory has 503 employees and 365 are temporaries. You can't leave like that in the island. There is an abuse on our Puertorican population by all these american corporations that gradually are destruying our families in the island. When you go to the island, it looks great. But the reality is that our people is strugling to survive. Too much money is made out of our islanders back, and none is given to the government of Puerto Rico to help these families, thus destruying the home. I had many families members in my own, that work for many americans corporations that they said "we are screw". They work long hours to bring less than $6 an hour, for many years. We need to do something about that, soon, if not there will not be any family left in Puerto Rico.

[Leticia_g]

Nationalista,
I see your point. I work in Human Resources which is closely related to the hiring of individuals therefore I am pretty aware of the abuse that is going on in Puerto Rico by American companies especially pharmaceuticals. Many years ago I had been offer a job in Puerto Rico doing the hiring of our people. I couldn't take it for many reasons, however I always felt that maye if they hired managers that would be able to work with the people and maybe help progress it would be a start. This is one reason why Puerto Rico must pick a political party that give them more rights. Statistics shows that the majority of the people of the Island make less money and would fall in the category of Earned Income Credit. That would place the medium income at about 27,000 a year. I'm sure many folks out there ca't even earn that. The point though is that men must learn not to run away from their responsibility. I know it is hard, however if they do something it will help. I remember when I lived in Puerto Rico and my dad couldn't find a job, my mom started sewing dresses and selling them. There are solutions, they might not be the easy way but it will keep the family unite together. Men can do handy work, they can try to sell things, fruits, whatever (not drugs) ) What I'm saying, hermano, is that when the going gets tough the tough should stick to it not run away from it. My mom always told me that "you find out who loves you when things are tough not when everything goes peaches and cream."

Leticia