Comments on: The 51st State that Wasn’t and Still Isn’t http://cominganarchy.com/2006/12/29/the-51st-state-that-wasnt-and-still-isnt/ Speak Victorian, Think Pagan Thu, 08 Jan 2009 14:40:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: lirelou http://cominganarchy.com/2006/12/29/the-51st-state-that-wasnt-and-still-isnt/comment-page-1/#comment-221037 lirelou Wed, 03 Jan 2007 05:01:30 +0000 http://www.cominganarchy.com/?p=2388#comment-221037 Small correction to the above. The 16 April 1932 riot by the Nationalist Party in the Capitol Bldg, in protest to an act in the P.R. senate which would have made the Puertorrican flag the sole emblem of the Insular government (i.e., the colonial government) may have succeeded in killing the bill. In any event, the legislature did not prohibit the flying of the Puertorrican flag. Rather they prohibited its use as the symbol of a political party. (Apparently too late to stop the printing up of ballots for elections that year which, if memory of "Historia de los partidos politicos puertorriquenos" is correct, displayed the (current) Puertorrican flag as the Nationalist Party emblem. See Luis Angel Ferrao, Albizu op. cit., p. 80. Small correction to the above. The 16 April 1932 riot by the Nationalist Party in the Capitol Bldg, in protest to an act in the P.R. senate which would have made the Puertorrican flag the sole emblem of the Insular government (i.e., the colonial government) may have succeeded in killing the bill. In any event, the legislature did not prohibit the flying of the Puertorrican flag. Rather they prohibited its use as the symbol of a political party. (Apparently too late to stop the printing up of ballots for elections that year which, if memory of “Historia de los partidos politicos puertorriquenos” is correct, displayed the (current) Puertorrican flag as the Nationalist Party emblem. See Luis Angel Ferrao, Albizu op. cit., p. 80.

]]> By: lirelou http://cominganarchy.com/2006/12/29/the-51st-state-that-wasnt-and-still-isnt/comment-page-1/#comment-220966 lirelou Wed, 03 Jan 2007 01:37:40 +0000 http://www.cominganarchy.com/?p=2388#comment-220966 This is a repeat which apparently failed to appear. Raul is incorrect in his alleged fact that it was illegal to fly the Puertorrican flag in Puerto Rico until 1952. I would suggest that he read Luis Ferrao's excellent "Pedro Albizu Campos y el nacionalismo puertorriqueno". What was illegal was to use the Puertorrican flag as a symbol of a political party. The party in question that did so was the Nationalist Party. Indeed, when the Puertorrican flag was adopted by the legislature (sosmetime in the 1930s), that party staged a riot in protest to its being flown over public buildings. Actually, Congress has the power to unilaterally grant Puerto Rico independence. Thay should do so, and save much of the $22 billion a year spent on welfare and matching funds that essentially keep the island looking far more prosperous than it is. Puerto Rico has long lost any strategic value it had for defence purposes, and is presently a drain on the national economy. To grant it independence would not deprive anyone of their U.S. citizenship. Those who wish to retain it will do so. Presumably, they can consider to reside in Puerto Rico just as a million or so U.S. and Canadians reside in Mexico. as foreigners. Thus those who truly believe in Puerto Rico as an independent nation-state, can set about proving that they have what it takes to run it. Or, in the alternative, prove to the world that they cannot, and suffer the verdict of history. This is a repeat which apparently failed to appear. Raul is incorrect in his alleged fact that it was illegal to fly the Puertorrican flag in Puerto Rico until 1952. I would suggest that he read Luis Ferrao’s excellent “Pedro Albizu Campos y el nacionalismo puertorriqueno”. What was illegal was to use the Puertorrican flag as a symbol of a political party. The party in question that did so was the Nationalist Party. Indeed, when the Puertorrican flag was adopted by the legislature (sosmetime in the 1930s), that party staged a riot in protest to its being flown over public buildings.

Actually, Congress has the power to unilaterally grant Puerto Rico independence. Thay should do so, and save much of the $22 billion a year spent on welfare and matching funds that essentially keep the island looking far more prosperous than it is. Puerto Rico has long lost any strategic value it had for defence purposes, and is presently a drain on the national economy. To grant it independence would not deprive anyone of their U.S. citizenship. Those who wish to retain it will do so. Presumably, they can consider to reside in Puerto Rico just as a million or so U.S. and Canadians reside in Mexico. as foreigners. Thus those who truly believe in Puerto Rico as an independent nation-state, can set about proving that they have what it takes to run it. Or, in the alternative, prove to the world that they cannot, and suffer the verdict of history.

]]> By: Raul http://cominganarchy.com/2006/12/29/the-51st-state-that-wasnt-and-still-isnt/comment-page-1/#comment-219878 Raul Tue, 02 Jan 2007 01:59:03 +0000 http://www.cominganarchy.com/?p=2388#comment-219878 Throughout the Caribbean economic growth rates are higher than those of Puerto Rico. The old advantages of being a US colony in terms of the tariffs on articles etc are no longer. Yet we are still stuck with the disadvantages of having to ship our products in US boats. It is time for Puerto Ricans on these islands to view ourselves as what we are part of the Caribbean, part of Latin America and not part of New York City. Throughout the Caribbean economic growth rates are higher than those of Puerto Rico. The old advantages of being a US colony in terms of the tariffs on articles etc are no longer. Yet we are still stuck with the disadvantages of having to ship our products in US boats.

It is time for Puerto Ricans on these islands to view ourselves as what we are part of the Caribbean, part of Latin America and not part of New York City.

]]> By: Sonagi http://cominganarchy.com/2006/12/29/the-51st-state-that-wasnt-and-still-isnt/comment-page-1/#comment-219698 Sonagi Mon, 01 Jan 2007 23:12:39 +0000 http://www.cominganarchy.com/?p=2388#comment-219698 Oops, I meant to post that link on one of the Saddam threads. Oops, I meant to post that link on one of the Saddam threads.

]]> By: Sonagi http://cominganarchy.com/2006/12/29/the-51st-state-that-wasnt-and-still-isnt/comment-page-1/#comment-219697 Sonagi Mon, 01 Jan 2007 23:12:08 +0000 http://www.cominganarchy.com/?p=2388#comment-219697 "Interview with Said Aburish":http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/saddam/interviews/aburish.html Interview with Said Aburish

]]> By: Luis http://cominganarchy.com/2006/12/29/the-51st-state-that-wasnt-and-still-isnt/comment-page-1/#comment-219425 Luis Mon, 01 Jan 2007 19:25:33 +0000 http://www.cominganarchy.com/?p=2388#comment-219425 Hola! "The 51st State that Wasn't and Still Isn't" I find "The 51st State that Wasn't and Still Isn't" to be, though too short, an unbiased and well researched look at the history of Puerto Rico. The facts are there, just look at any of the other now independent countries that used to be US territories and Puerto Rico's neighbors, they still depend heavily on agriculture, all their financial/economic fundamentals are lagging that of PR, they lack a broad middle class, and so on.... Yes, we do suffer from high unemployment and criminality, but that's to be blamed on our lazy and corrupt politicians. Puerto Rico will evidently do even better as the 51st State of the Union. Happy New Year! Luis Hola!

“The 51st State that Wasn’t and Still Isn’t”

I find “The 51st State that Wasn’t and Still Isn’t” to be, though too short, an unbiased and well researched look at the history of Puerto Rico.

The facts are there, just look at any of the other now independent countries that used to be US territories and Puerto Rico’s neighbors, they still depend heavily on agriculture, all their financial/economic fundamentals are lagging that of PR, they lack a broad middle class, and so on…. Yes, we do suffer from high unemployment and criminality, but that’s to be blamed on our lazy and corrupt politicians.

Puerto Rico will evidently do even better as the 51st State of the Union.

Happy New Year!

Luis

]]> By: Kenneth http://cominganarchy.com/2006/12/29/the-51st-state-that-wasnt-and-still-isnt/comment-page-1/#comment-217080 Kenneth Sat, 30 Dec 2006 17:50:49 +0000 http://www.cominganarchy.com/?p=2388#comment-217080 Whoohoo! Vacation! I'm in the Carribean too, but unfortunately I've been rather seasick of late.... Whoohoo! Vacation! I’m in the Carribean too, but unfortunately I’ve been rather seasick of late….

]]> By: Raul http://cominganarchy.com/2006/12/29/the-51st-state-that-wasnt-and-still-isnt/comment-page-1/#comment-216093 Raul Sat, 30 Dec 2006 00:44:26 +0000 http://www.cominganarchy.com/?p=2388#comment-216093 Saludos desde Puerto Rico, Although Puerto Ricans have benefited from the US colonial relationship, the US and its companies have been the ones to benefit the most. Until 1952 it was illegal to fly the Puerto Rican flag in Puerto Rico. One of the longest FBI COINTELPRO programs of repression still funtions in Puerto Rico. Pro Independence advocates have been are still harrassed and followed by the US FBI. It took 50 years for the US to "allow" Puerto Ricans to elect their own governor. In a world where colonialism is a thing of the last century, Puerto Rico, Guam and Virgin Islands still hold the title of colonies of the US. Saludos desde Puerto Rico,

Although Puerto Ricans have benefited from the US colonial relationship, the US and its companies have been the ones to benefit the most.

Until 1952 it was illegal to fly the Puerto Rican flag in Puerto Rico. One of the longest FBI COINTELPRO programs of repression still funtions in Puerto Rico. Pro Independence advocates have been are still harrassed and followed by the US FBI.

It took 50 years for the US to “allow” Puerto Ricans to elect their own governor.

In a world where colonialism is a thing of the last century, Puerto Rico, Guam and Virgin Islands still hold the title of colonies of the US.

]]> By: Sonagi http://cominganarchy.com/2006/12/29/the-51st-state-that-wasnt-and-still-isnt/comment-page-1/#comment-215678 Sonagi Fri, 29 Dec 2006 14:22:30 +0000 http://www.cominganarchy.com/?p=2388#comment-215678 Puerto Rican immigrants to the United States are diversifying their destinations. We count several families among our ESL students in our Shenandoah Valley community. The kids seem to have a stronger academic background than their peers from Mexico and Central America. Puerto Rican immigrants to the United States are diversifying their destinations. We count several families among our ESL students in our Shenandoah Valley community. The kids seem to have a stronger academic background than their peers from Mexico and Central America.

]]> By: J.Kende http://cominganarchy.com/2006/12/29/the-51st-state-that-wasnt-and-still-isnt/comment-page-1/#comment-215673 J.Kende Fri, 29 Dec 2006 14:19:42 +0000 http://www.cominganarchy.com/?p=2388#comment-215673 If it weren't for the luck of P.R. remaining part of the U.S., I wouldn't exist today. I wish more of the Caribbean could have been as lucky. If it weren’t for the luck of P.R. remaining part of the U.S., I wouldn’t exist today. I wish more of the Caribbean could have been as lucky.

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