Puerto Rico - Statehood

[Apollo Celestio]

I have nothing but respect and love for the Puerto Rican people. But whether they become part of the US or not, they are not my people.

Dude, you sound so racist right now.

 

[Creech]

I'm really trying to figure out if this is a kind of joke. You know you can use Google to find out that you are wrong, right? Territories are part of the US. They are under the federal government, have representation in Congress, and issue U.S. passports.

Would you like a map?

That is the United States. Puerto Rico is a territory/commonwealth of the United States.

 

[Creech]

Dude, you sound so racist right now.

Many Puerto Ricans are of the same exact race as me. I view them as I would any foreign country like Germany, Mexico, France, Hati, etc. Do I hate them? Nope. Do I acknowledge they're different nations? Yup.

 

[serge546]

America and Puerto Rico are ethnically, culturally, linguistically, very much religiously, and geographically distinct from the rest of the country. We might as well just grant American status to everyone in the entire world.

I have nothing but respect and love for the Puerto Rican people. But whether they become part of the US or not, they are not my people.

I'm ethnically (Hispanic), culturally (Mexican), liguistically (bilingual) and religiously (Atheist) different from you and most of the country. I consider you one of my people. An American, like me.

You really need reevaluate your way of thinking if you are going to be calling yourself a Christian. I've seen more compassionate atheists than Christians in these forums at times. Ridiculous considering you try to wave your "morals" in people's faces.

 

[JustMeSee]

Wow, this thread is unbelievable. It is not even cloaked.

Anyway, if PR wants to be a state, they have that right. This consideration has been batted about for a long time.

 

[iluvatar5150]

I pray that this does not come to pass. They have their own language, culture, customs, etc. What kind of imperialist nonsense is this?? I was hoping they would end up becoming independent, but it seems like that idea has little support.

Puerto Ricans are not and never will be Americans!

You've never been to Puerto Rico, have you?

-Dan.

 

[Redac]

If Puerto Rico wishes to be our 51st state, I for one welcome them.

 

[ImperialPhantom]

America and Puerto Rico are ethnically, culturally, linguistically, very much religiously, and geographically distinct from the rest of the country. We might as well just grant American status to everyone in the entire world.

I have nothing but respect and love for the Puerto Rican people. But whether they become part of the US or not, they are not my people.

So are Californians and Georgians, or Texans and Mainers, or Hawaiians and Alaskans, or Washingtonians and Kentuckians. Yet they are all Americans.

/thread.

 

[Trogool]

Would you like a map?

That is the United States. Puerto Rico is a territory/commonwealth of the United States.

Oh my God, you seriously think because it isn't shown on a map of the states on a website that the territories aren't legally part of the USA?

Well, here's a map from a government website for you then.

Oh look! By your logic, now Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and more are all part of the USA.

 

[CabVet]

I pray that this does not come to pass. They have their own language, culture, customs, etc. What kind of imperialist nonsense is this?? I was hoping they would end up becoming independent, but it seems like that idea has little support.

Puerto Ricans are not and never will be Americans!

Just amazing what we hear in these forums, that is some loaded post there. What next? Are you going to say the same about Hawaii? Alaska? California? Hawaii and Alaska both had their own language, culture, customs, etc, and they were much more different from "America" as today's Puerto Rico's culture, etc is. California was as Hispanic as Puerto Rico is, just happens to be "American" now because it became a state a long time ago.

 

[Icewater]

I, for one, welcome our new Puerto Rican overlords.

 

[FreeSpirit74]

You act as if we dictate with an iron fist over Puerto Rico. They currently have a lot of self government. I think they should govern themselves 100%.

And they ARE their own people. Let Americans be Americans and Puerto Ricans be Puerto Ricans.

You need to do some research into the history between the USA & Puerto Rico; if you do you'll see just how much of an iron fist has been used against PR. Obviously there are a lot of islanders who don't know their own history, if they are going to vote in favor of statehood. Look up the Sterilization Act, for one; the using of Vieques as a military training ground for another. And then there is the US Government's treatment of the great Nationalist, Pedro Albizu Campos. There is a wealth of information out there if you care to do the research.

 

[Eric Hibbert]

I pray that this does not come to pass. They have their own language, culture, customs, etc. What kind of imperialist nonsense is this?? I was hoping they would end up becoming independent, but it seems like that idea has little support.

Puerto Ricans are not and never will be Americans!

Agreed.

 

[Touma]

I really hope that the Island becomes a US state. The racists are just afraid of more Hispanic people having a saying in the American process.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

Oh look! By your logic, now Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and more are all part of the USA.

It would be interesting to see all of those commonwealths become U.S States...but of course, with that would come the reality of identity issues - as you'd probably end up with others raising fuss over it like they did with President Obama when he noted how Hawaii was connected with Asia (via the Asian-Pacific Rim/Asian culture) and others claimed "How dare he say Hawaii's in Asia!!!!!" even though no one in saying the other islands near us/in our sphere of influence are literally a part of the North American continent

 

[morningstar2651]

You act as if we dictate with an iron fist over Puerto Rico. They currently have a lot of self government. I think they should govern themselves 100%.

And they ARE their own people. Let Americans be Americans and Puerto Ricans be Puerto Ricans.

They do have self-government. That self-government voted to become a state. Who are you to deny them?

 

[DaisyDay]

That would give the English-only crowd conniption fits.

 

[kermit]

culturally, linguistically, very much religiously, and geographically distinct from the rest of the country.

You just described Hawaii and Alaska.

 

[Hentenza]

Puerto Rico has been a commonwealth of the United States since the Spanish-American war in 1898. Today, their culture is very similar to ours. I lived there for most of my childhood and left after graduating from high school. The issue of statehood has been part of their politics for the last century. The issue of independence, while some have proposed it, has never been the majority view simply because it would be very difficult for such a small island to support itself. Until now the majority vote had been to maintain the status quo.

Puertoricans pay federal taxes, social security taxes, as well as medicare taxes. They are eligible for social security and medicaid but the medicaid payments are non-statehood payments which are smaller than in the states. In 2009 they contributed almost $3.8 billion into the US Treasury. Their per capita income is less than the US but the cut off for taxes is lower so many more pay taxes then they would under the IRS code.

They should vote to become a state since they practically are now.

 

[Marek]

They should vote to become a state since they practically are now.

Well the referendum passed, so we'll just have to wait and see if the issue gains any traction in Congress.