As with everything else, this isn’t new. It’s just traditional America becoming more obvious.
Puerto Rico has been under brutal and exploitative colonial occupation for a century. It would be nice if Americans did something about that before we have yet another repeat of this:
bombs not food?
Wait, are you saying that gun control in Puerto Rico doesn’t work?
So blameless:
Puerto Rico is not impoverished, dominated and devastated due to the actions of Puerto Ricans, or due to natural forces. American colonialism made it that way.
Puerto Ricans only became “citizens” because the USA wanted to use them as cannon fodder in France.
Oppressors often find it uncomfortable when their victims exercise their right to self defence.
I believe that the U.S. has a legal and moral responsibility to fully aid Puerto Rico in recovering from the storms.
I also believe that Puerto Rico should be fully independent, with all the rights and responsibilities that entails.
If only the Puerto Rican citizenry could figure out what they actually want, perhaps change might actually occur.
Much of the local opposition to independence is based in the knowledge that, were Puerto Rico to regain its freedom, their old overlords would spare no effort in collapsing the Puerto Rican economy, subverting their government and returning the island to American domination.
They have a century’s worth of neighbouring examples to demonstrate that lesson.
Which is not to say that there is no such thing as authentic pro-American sentiment in Puerto Rico. A hundred years of intensive propaganda did have some effect.
That was then, this is now. There is a point where any group has to start taking some responsibility for its actions - even an entire country.
The Puerto Rican citizenry can’t even agree on what it wants at this point. Only a minority want independence. That speaks volumes.
So when you hear a woman has been raped, is your first reaction to ask what she was wearing?
I would be entirely unsurprised if, once the current crisis has stabilised, armed resistance arises once more in Puerto Rico.
And I will also be entirely unsurprised to see the American fascists crush that resistance with overwhelming brutality.
Which is why the non-fascist American majority needs to act before that occurs. As you say, people need to take responsibility for the actions of their country.
I hope you’re right but the dead meat that won’t get off their asses to vote are de facto trumpanies. The folks that get robbed of their vote, that really pisses me off…a sure sign of the right doing it’s usual wrong.
Y’all should read the whole thing, but this part caught my eye:
World’s biggest company town.
Puerto Rico citizens should embrace the avenues open to them. As US Citizens they have freedom to live anywhere in the US they want. A few million new voters in swing states would make sure this insanity can end.
The general response of Puerto Ricans to statements like that justifiably ranges from “horrified” to “homicidal”.
Kind of hard when you have no more money or possessions.
I’m pretty sure they weren’t responsible for the hurricane. The federal government helped Sandy victims out for years. They’ll be helping victims of Irma & Harvey for years.
31 states were formerly territories- including some of the victims of the above hurricanes in the former territories of Florida, Alabama and Louisiana.
You don’t tell someone who’s in the ER after a car accident with serious life threatening injuries that they really need to perform surgery on themselves.
Citizens of Puerto Rico! You have a unique opportunity! You can throw away your lives as you have known them, your community, your families, everything for the unique privilege of being screwed over by this bunch of heartless, neoliberal, corporatist, bastards and not that bunch of heartless, neoliberal, corporatist bastards! Think of the opportunity!
Yeah, it’s not like was their home or anything. The whole U.S. is your home, guys! Cheer up! Sure, such a diaspora may cause disintegration of your cultural identity and societal bonds leading to chronic depression and feelings of isolation and alienation. By the way, vote Democrat!
(Edit: Wow, @LapsedPacifist and I are on exactly the same wavelength. )
o_0 what is the point of having one of the largest armed forces if you have to waste money on mercs for emergency policing? This sounds like a job for the army or National Guard. More specifically MPs.
