How is this smart?

Question

I've seen photos and videos of PR people that want to be the 51st state marching with t-shirts on saying "Stop US Colonialism" or something like that. Do they think this will make Americans and Congress more likely to support statehood?!?! Maybe I'm not looking at it correctly, but it just seems bizarre for someone to march against American "colonialism" and at the same time demand statehood. Is it an anti-american or pro-american protest? When I see these people with their anti-colonialism s***s, Yankees hats, and waving american flags...it just makes me laugh...and it confuses me too.

Answer 1

I'm sorry but to all those that favor statehood- YOU ARE SELLOUTS! You will sell your pride, culture & land for a little financial aid. People dont understand that any money you will recieve from the US, You WILL PAY to the US in taxes. We can pay more taxes to our own govt & reap the same benefits. The US doesn't treat us equally now, so why do u want to become a state?? We are a COLONY currently & it is injust. & I am so sorry to say this but the majority of people that are pro-statehood are those on welfare. They know that they will get more welfare money if PR is a state & can also recieve SSI, medicaid, etc which right now is capped. & you guys couldn't be more wrong when you say Hawaii has kept their culture. Hawaii did loose their culture. I'm sorry but putting on  Luau's for white american tourists is NOT CULTURE. The main langiuage is english. Hawaii is so expensive to live, majority of people who do live good their are the gringos not the Hawaiians, many of them live in poverty. Wake up PR you dont want to be the next Hawaii! Just look & you decide:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=lPHYW8Jbqws

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ElgoUqMZ35g&f...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ps0CsOSxwmA&f...

Answer 2

It may seen confusing, but the current political situation is one of colonialism, those that you saw protesting want to be treated as equals in the U.S. government, and not just as colonial subjects. It is an anti-colonialism protest, not an anti american protest.

Answer 3

it is con-fussing and funny isn't it

Answer 4

the reason PR cant become a state its because when it was invaded by the US, PR had an established spaniard government and a strong culture. Maybe if PR becomes a state a lot of negative things would change for the better. PR has an economical crisis and every year its getting worse.

a very disorganized and corrupt governmental system that its killing society.

Answer 5

Do you know how a protest works, how do polithicians and desicion makers see them? For every one present at a protest there are like 400 additional people who thinks that way but were unable to assist, even among the police officers sent to the protest line for crowd control. Polithicians know that, and react accordingly.

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On numbers:

45% wants statehood.

45% want the status quo, to remain as we are right know or with a little more benefits, rights and/or liberty to take some desicions that right now are taken by the US.

5% or less wants independence

The rest does not know what they want and shift their support to one side or another in one election to another.  Most of the time voting against the party who happens to be in power due to insatisfaction with goverment actions or lack of action.

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Protests are one of the many forms to spread the message a group favors and to attract more numbers to the cause.

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PR and USA made a contract but not as two partners in the same terms.  More like USA stating all the conditions and clauses and PR agreeing.  What all PR wants is to change the terms of the deal but we have not agreed yet which way to go.

* The Populares (supporters of the status quo) want to renegotiate the conditions but having PR in a better position but still maintaining the association with the USA.  Is that being antiamerican?  No.

* Independentistas wants to break the contract and be able to deal with USA in the same way every other nation in the world deals with another.

* Statehood supporters want to upgrade the status from what the Congress and US Supreme Court calls an "organized and unincorpored territory" to a state (same as New York, florida, California, etc.).  For all practical means an "organized and unincorpored territory" is a colony, although many people at PR and probably some also in the USA reject that idea. We (statehood supporters) want the same numbers of Senators that Maine, Hawaii, or New Jersey has; plus we want the amount of Representatives to the House that we are entitled to according to our population as all the other states do have.  Is antiamerican to want to be like Arkansas, Texas, California ?  No, it isnt.

Answer 6

that is very confusing. well i guess . . . ughh this is hard to explain its so confusing. ok i think they love america and they wanna be a part of it but the only thing they can do is like protest against it becuase they wanna be offical i guess

Answer 7

Paulette, I really liked your answer, you are good!

And a little update, last week a Hawaiian faction entered what they call "their governmental palace" , and demanded be returned to them because the U.S. appropriated the building and turned part of it into a museum. "We are Hawaiians, this is Hawaii, this is part of our culture, this is our meeting place, not America's".

There are three major factions in P.R.:

1. The "Independentistas", they want P.R. to be autonomous, free from the binds and restrictions of the U.S., they want free trade, and their culture restored.

2. Those for the status quo, a Commonwealth of the U.S. There are restrictions, they cannot vote for the president of the U.S, the U.S. tells P.R. what countries they can do business with, the U.S has great control over P.R.

3. Statehood- those who want P.R. to become a state in order to reap the benefits all the other states receive.

So...the majority of people in P.R. want to be associated with the U.S., what you observe is not a contradiction, is NOT anti-American, but rather, a difference on the level of association  Puerto Ricans want or require from the U.S.

Others here have said what I just said, but the more angles you have to study a question, the clearer you mind becomes. So...are you feeling smarter?

Answer 8

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA what you saw was part of our stupid daily fake and colonial politics hahahaha

Answer 9

Because we like to partay and protest in style. and the american patriotic style has been in vogue now since 9/11.

Answer 10

Puerto Rico is a Commonwealth of the US.  Half the people on the island want to become a state because of all the poverty.  Half the people don't want to become a state because PR has its own culture.  Puerto Ricans have a strong culture and are proud of it.  They hang their flags everywhere.  The US has a reputation in the world of being bullies. Look at what is going on in Iraq.  If Iraq had no oil the US wouldn't be going there.  I'm getting off topic.....  PR is a small island with a big heart.  When you see protest it is because the half the people of PR don't want to lose what they have.  The other half are waving the US flag.

Answer 11

Mikey say Paulette A pretty d**n smart and honest. Mikey like that.

Give her 10 points !!!

Answer 12

Nena you make such a good point I wish more people would think like you. Paulette & Granny had horrible answers!

But anyway to answer the question. Yes it is confusing its confusing for puertoricans too. Some people are protesting anti-colonialism & not agains the SU, but some are also against the US too.

Answer 13

YOU'RE confused???

The whole island is confused! PR has existed in a state of "are we/aren't we" for many years. We're U.S. citizens but we can't vote in a Presidential election unless we live on the mainland. Our troops get sent to war, but we have a non-voting representative in Congress. We want to be Americans and have all the benefits that it implies, but keep our own identity.  

As far as I'm concerned Puertorricans should actually consider themselves to be very lucky we did not end up like Cuba after the Spanish-American War. Lately they've been biting the hand that feeds them... and things could get ugly eventually. As for the anti-colonialist sentiment.. I can't believe the people behind that movement would even bring that up... if they're so anti-colonialist then why are they seeking to solifidy PR's relationship with the very country that kept it as a colony for 400 years... Spain. It makes no sense!

BTW Hawaiians are very proud of their culture too... and they managed to become the 50th state, without losing their identity.So I don't buy the whole pride in our culture thing as a reason not to become a state either. I don't see what the problem is other than the fact that everything in PR would have to be in English. And how is that a bad thing?

Maybe it's because neither one of my parents, nor anyone else in my family is from PR, but I am not the least bit confused. I have always been first and foremost and American citizen, even though I was born in PR. Very much the same way I would consider myself American if I was born in NY, or Maine, or Montana. Do I like Puertorrican culture? Absolutely! But it doesn't stop me from pledging alligiance to the flag of the United States of America.

By the way, did you know that in Puerto Rico FELONS are allowed to vote in gubernatorial elections? (shaking head)