Puerto Ricos, USA

[El_Jibaro]

[b][i]PUERTO RICOS, USA


By Frances Negrón-Muntaner

-------------------------------------------------------


January 25, 2002

It was bound to happen and we’re almost there. If trends continue as they are now, within the next two decades, there will be more Puerto Ricans living in the United States than in Puerto Rico itself. Although the architects of the island’s mass migration experiment (and I don’t use this word lightly), expected that those leaving would simply "assimilate" into the American "mainstream," this outcome has — and has not — been the case.

Puerto Ricans are indisputably part of "America," but we are also witnessing mushrooming of a plurality of "Puerto Ricos" with a wide range of ties to the United States and approaches to "becoming Americans." So, what do these trends mean to the island and Nuyorico, just to name a few prime locations?

If the continental United States becomes the country with the largest number of Puerto Ricans, this demographic fact will symbolically transform the U.S. into the largest "boricua" country in the world. This turn of events will then redefine the Puerto Rican "nation" as only partly rooted in the island territory and dispersed across national and cultural boundaries.

The island of "Puerto Rico," queerly becomes one of many copies without an "original." The success of U.S. Puerto Ricans in entertainment also means that Puerto Ricanness will increasingly be defined to the world (including islanders), by globalized culture industries, with a better chance at challenging island state-sponsored constructions of a single Puerto Rican culture. While not without its own pitfalls, this shift will undoubtedly transform the island elite’s perennial identity "question," from "what are Puerto Ricans" to "where is Puerto Rican."

The assertion that the majority of us are Spanish-speaking mono-nationals with rotting roots in the Mother Country will be seriously challenged by the obviousness that the larger Puerto Rican "nation" is bilingual, multiracial, and simultaneously an American ethnic group. In addition, as U.S. Puerto Ricans gain in "value" under the guise of Hollywood divas, athletes, and mainland politicos, the formerly acceptable practice of bashing Puerto Ricans (as such) will become less widespread, easier to challenge, and well, costly. New York’s last election is a monument to this novel development.

The unprecedented Latino vote for Republican mayor-elect Bloomberg was less an endorsement for the candidate and his party, and more of a punitive vote against Mark Green’s last-minute low blows aimed at Puerto Rican challenger Fernando Ferrer during October’s Democratic primary. While poverty and racism will remain major issues for U.S. Puerto Ricans, the valorization of the group as part of a transcultural ethnic aggregate — Latinos — and its ability to swing elections in large states like New York and Florida, will translate into further inclusion in governing structures.

Of course, this will not mean an end to poverty or discrimination, but improved conditions to address it. For islanders, this power reshuffling in the United States will be double-edged. Given the aggressive courting of the "Latino" vote and the cumulative experience of the Puerto Rican community in the United States, their elected officials and advocates will have more influence over legislation affecting islanders themselves, and there is no reason to assume that the coziness that has characterized the relationship lately will continue as Puerto Ricans become more integrated into American society, disperse geographically, and pursue different interests.

Importantly, even without a presidential vote or voting representation in Congress, U.S. electoral politics is already a factor in island life, yet this potential clout is, again, mediated by U.S. Puerto Ricans. Although politicians will continue to woo islanders during electoral crunch time and at times of need, this should not be confused with an interest in Puerto Rico itself, but as part of larger political triangles such as gaining votes in the states, protecting specific corporate interests, or rehearsing alliances on the mainland. In this arrangement, the island acquires greater symbolic value, but also becomes more of a pilgrimage stop on the way to continental political victories, than a significant constituency: a pawn in the chess game of U.S. majority-minority politics.

In other words, the island will be to electoral U.S. politics what Vieques has been to island status negotiations. In fact, the deflating of the Vieques coalition is a clear example of this. The issue may still burn in the hearts of Puerto Rican-American congressmen and activists, but making sure that no further terrorist attacks affect U.S. cities is clearly higher up in people’s minds than Tito Kayak’s Puerto Rican flag-waving on top of the Liberty Bell. Let’s always recall that in politics, unlike aging, long-term memory is the first thing to go.

For good or evil, in sickness and in health, Puerto Ricans are more integrated to the United States than ever before. As the context of this integration continuously morphs into different shapes in a wide range of locations, the island leadership should reconsider some of its outdated financial solutions to the crumbling economy and archaic definitions of U.S.-Puerto Rico relations.

While even the new picture is far from rosy, it offers new opportunities to address seemingly eternal problems. Yet, if people prefer to think that Mayor Bloomberg is here primarily because he is Gov. Calderón’s friend, or Al Sharpton went to jail mostly because he cares about Vieques, we will be living in the Puerto Rico, USA of Lalaland, and the island will remain the most disenfranchised part of the Ame-Rícan archipelago.


THE WRITING ON THE WALL

[yautiawoman2]

[quote]Originally posted by El_Jibaro
[b][b][i]PUERTO RICOS, USA


By Frances Negrón-Muntaner

-------------------------------------------------------


January 25, 2002

It was bound to happen and we’re almost there. If trends continue as they are now, within the next two decades, there will be more Puerto Ricans living in the United States than in Puerto Rico itself. Although the architects of the island’s mass migration experiment (and I don’t use this word lightly), expected that those leaving would simply "assimilate" into the American "mainstream," this outcome has — and has not — been the case.

Puerto Ricans are indisputably part of "America," but we are also witnessing mushrooming of a plurality of "Puerto Ricos" with a wide range of ties to the United States and approaches to "becoming Americans." So, what do these trends mean to the island and Nuyorico, just to name a few prime locations?

If the continental United States becomes the country with the largest number of Puerto Ricans, this demographic fact will symbolically transform the U.S. into the largest "boricua" country in the world. This turn of events will then redefine the Puerto Rican "nation" as only partly rooted in the island territory and dispersed across national and cultural boundaries.

The island of "Puerto Rico," queerly becomes one of many copies without an "original." The success of U.S. Puerto Ricans in entertainment also means that Puerto Ricanness will increasingly be defined to the world (including islanders), by globalized culture industries, with a better chance at challenging island state-sponsored constructions of a single Puerto Rican culture. While not without its own pitfalls, this shift will undoubtedly transform the island elite’s perennial identity "question," from "what are Puerto Ricans" to "where is Puerto Rican."

The assertion that the majority of us are Spanish-speaking mono-nationals with rotting roots in the Mother Country will be seriously challenged by the obviousness that the larger Puerto Rican "nation" is bilingual, multiracial, and simultaneously an American ethnic group. In addition, as U.S. Puerto Ricans gain in "value" under the guise of Hollywood divas, athletes, and mainland politicos, the formerly acceptable practice of bashing Puerto Ricans (as such) will become less widespread, easier to challenge, and well, costly. New York’s last election is a monument to this novel development.

The unprecedented Latino vote for Republican mayor-elect Bloomberg was less an endorsement for the candidate and his party, and more of a punitive vote against Mark Green’s last-minute low blows aimed at Puerto Rican challenger Fernando Ferrer during October’s Democratic primary. While poverty and racism will remain major issues for U.S. Puerto Ricans, the valorization of the group as part of a transcultural ethnic aggregate — Latinos — and its ability to swing elections in large states like New York and Florida, will translate into further inclusion in governing structures.

Of course, this will not mean an end to poverty or discrimination, but improved conditions to address it. For islanders, this power reshuffling in the United States will be double-edged. Given the aggressive courting of the "Latino" vote and the cumulative experience of the Puerto Rican community in the United States, their elected officials and advocates will have more influence over legislation affecting islanders themselves, and there is no reason to assume that the coziness that has characterized the relationship lately will continue as Puerto Ricans become more integrated into American society, disperse geographically, and pursue different interests.

Importantly, even without a presidential vote or voting representation in Congress, U.S. electoral politics is already a factor in island life, yet this potential clout is, again, mediated by U.S. Puerto Ricans. Although politicians will continue to woo islanders during electoral crunch time and at times of need, this should not be confused with an interest in Puerto Rico itself, but as part of larger political triangles such as gaining votes in the states, protecting specific corporate interests, or rehearsing alliances on the mainland. In this arrangement, the island acquires greater symbolic value, but also becomes more of a pilgrimage stop on the way to continental political victories, than a significant constituency: a pawn in the chess game of U.S. majority-minority politics.

In other words, the island will be to electoral U.S. politics what Vieques has been to island status negotiations. In fact, the deflating of the Vieques coalition is a clear example of this. The issue may still burn in the hearts of Puerto Rican-American congressmen and activists, but making sure that no further terrorist attacks affect U.S. cities is clearly higher up in people’s minds than Tito Kayak’s Puerto Rican flag-waving on top of the Liberty Bell. Let’s always recall that in politics, unlike aging, long-term memory is the first thing to go.

For good or evil, in sickness and in health, Puerto Ricans are more integrated to the United States than ever before. As the context of this integration continuously morphs into different shapes in a wide range of locations, the island leadership should reconsider some of its outdated financial solutions to the crumbling economy and archaic definitions of U.S.-Puerto Rico relations.

While even the new picture is far from rosy, it offers new opportunities to address seemingly eternal problems. Yet, if people prefer to think that Mayor Bloomberg is here primarily because he is Gov. Calderón’s friend, or Al Sharpton went to jail mostly because he cares about Vieques, we will be living in the Puerto Rico, USA of Lalaland, and the island will remain the most disenfranchised part of the Ame-Rícan archipelago.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE WRITING ON THE WALL is THE USA CANNOT DEFEND HUMAN RIGHTS WITH VIEQUES HANGING OVER ITS HEAD!


Vieques es una lucha de generaciones:

La Familia Zenon Encarnacion son un gran ejemplo de esa lucha. Representan la lucha de Puerto Rico contra la violacion de derechos civiles y derechos humanos
que se lleva a cabo de dia a dia en Vieques. La Marina de Guerra de los EEUU, junto con el tribual federal en Puerto Rico, cometen violaciones de derechos civiles
y derechos humanos a diario. Y tienen la desverguenza de disfrazar la injusticia y la maldad con el vestido de la legalidad y diz la justicia en los tribunales de nuestra
triste nacion. Son una verguenza ante los ojos del mundo. Ellos son un gran ejemplo de la valentia de todos los viequenses y de todos los puertorriquenos. Tienen
la fuerza del pueblo que esta con ellos. "Familia Zenon, tranquilos, el pueblo esta con ustedes!"

El arresto de Yabureibo y de Carlos Zenon fue un montaje ridiculo de amenaza de violencia contra una familia que son heroes de nuestro pueblo!
Detestamos tales abusos y no lo vamos a tolerar. Ellos no son de esos que se venden por cualquier limosna. Ellos no son de esos pobres y marginados de Puerto
Rico que le tienen miedo al imperio porque temen no poder ganarse la vida. Se ganan la vida cada dia y viven del mar, y porque son pescadores, no le temen a
ninguna raza de hombres, y solo respetan el mar, porque conocen la vida del mar, el ritmo de su palpitar y por eso creen la libertad y son libres en el mar y en la
tierra. Y esa fuerza, esa libertad se la comunican a todo nuestro pueblo, y que no quede duda que esa chispa, esa fuerza vital, sirve como combustible para darle a
nuestro pueblo entero la fuerza de cualquier patriota, que somos todos, patriotas y que sabemos sacrificarnos por estos, nuestros hermanos valientes de Vieques. Y
quizas de la manera menos esperada. Repartiendo volantes, mandando cartas, usando el Fax y el correo electronico. Escribiendo en pr.com; Buscando dinero para
los pescadores, regalandole tarjetas de telefono. Asistiendo a reuniones interminables, vendiendo frituras y camisetas. Y no crean que nos han llevado al punto en
que tenemos que escoger entre doblegarnos ante su imperio como un pobre pueblo colonizado o morir en las playas de Vieques por la libertad de nuestros
hermanos que estan encarcelados. Y no crean que no somos capaces de morir por nuestros hermanos de Vieques, por su libertad, por que tengan el derecho de
vivir en paz! Y que no quede duda que Vieques ya encendio esa llama patriotica. Seguimos en de batalla por la dignidad de nuestro pueblo. Basta ya del
colonialismo que destruye nuestra cultura, nuestra lengua, nuestra dignidad como seres humanos. Basta ya del abuso, del deterioro de nuestro patrimonio, nuestra
vision cosmologica, de la degradacion social, del abuso domiestico, el alcoholsimo, el calor humanos, poder compartir y consolarnos los unos a los otros en nuestras
penas y compartir nuestra alegria. Lacharemos por nuestrra libertad porque nos comportamos como pueblo libre cuando lichamos por la libertad de Vieques. No
andamos tras una quimera de un sueno imposible, sino tras lo que nos corresponde como seres humanos amantes de la libertad. Nos hemos definidos, y estamos
claros, somos boricuas, no somos piti yankees. Desde aca y desde alla, luchamos juntos en un consenso todos los boricuas. Es la lucha por nuestra identidad
como nacion, y por la unidad, como dice Pedro Zeonon Encarnacion de "todos los pueblos cariben~os. Eso es lo que queremos decir cuando gritamos "Patria o
Muerte, Venceremos!" Que Viva Puerto Rico Libre y Socialista. Que Viva Vieques, Que Viva la Familia Zenon Encarnacion!