"What Do You Mean We?”

Here is What Puerto Rican American’s Mean

March 9, 2011 | by HS News Staff

As an American and a conservative, I take great offense at the venomous darts fired by Mark Krikorian in his recent National Review Online post titled “What Do You Mean We?” in which he questions the right of Puerto Ricans – beginning with that of our sole representative in the United States Congress – to consider ourselves a part of the United States.

Whether Mark Krikorian likes it or not, Puerto Rico is a United States territory and Puerto Ricans are natural born U.S. citizens, just like citizens born anywhere else under the glorious banner of the Stars and Stripes. I know you would like to, Mr. Krikorian, but sorry – you cannot – turn back the clock. Sending African Americans back to Africa was not a practicable solution to the evil of slavery in the 19th century, and forcing independence on the disenfranchised American citizens of Puerto Rico is not a practicable solution in the 21st.

I will agree with one important, salient point made by Mr. Krikorian. In practice, the island’s current territorial status is essentially colonial in nature, and the perpetuation of that status is indeed unnatural and unworthy of the most basic principles of the American Republic.

Rafael Rodríguez
President - Center for Puerto Rico Equality & Advancement

More: 

http://www.hispanicallyspeakingnews.com/hsn-network/details/what-do-you-mean-we-here-is-what-puerto-rican-americans-mean/5902/