Puerto Rico is often seen as a paradise and somewhere to go on a retreat. However, when looking behind the door and seeing reality Puerto Rico becomes an area fighting for resource still needed with a lack of hope in the help of anyone in the Oval Office. Photo by Dennis Cortés/Unsplash
Puerto Rico: the territory that not many know is part of the United States. It’s labeled by many as a tropical paradise, known for beautiful beaches, exquisite cuisine and vibrant culture. To the average American, it’s a utopian getaway where they can forget about the tedious, overwhelming problems of the mainland, especially that of deciding who to vote for in the 2024 presidential election. This, however, is not the case for others. Real people live in Puerto Rico, and they face unfair struggles that they cannot fix because they can’t pick who’ll hold the power to fix them. What the average American fails to remember is that the presidential election directly affects Puerto Rico, and the kind of leader that the mainland has directly impacts the island, for better or for worse.
Puerto Rico is a “commonwealth” or unincorporated territory of the United States, or as my generation thinks, a colony. This status is kind of a weird cocktail of things that don’t make sense mixed together: on one hand, we are U.S citizens from the moment we are born. But we can only vote in the primaries, not in the actual presidential election. We receive benefits from Social Security, but are taxed extremely high; meanwhile wealthy mainland citizens can move to Puerto Rico and pay only up to 4% income tax. We are expected to be calm hospitable people to tourists, as well as expected to tolerate when they discriminate against us on the mainland because “in America you should speak English”. To top it all off, we have an agriculture that could have tremendous potential if it were nurtured and financially backed—but instead we must abide by a 1920 law known as the Jones Act. This law states that all shipping to the island must come from U.S. ships sent from U.S. ports and run by U.S. citizens, which directly drives up both the cost of basic goods like food and water, as well as the cost of living. The word “commonwealth” is a simple euphemism for what we really are: property that whoever leads the country can do with as they please.
Many people take for granted the right to vote. However, it is important to remember that there are others who are not given a voice who will be effected heavily by who is in the Oval Office. Photo by Parker Johnson/Unsplash
Obviously, we know that former president Donald Trump often does not have positive things to say about people who don’t fit the checkbox of a “true American”, and we Puerto Ricans are no exception. According to a former Department of Homeland Security official who later backed President Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential run, Trump joked about selling and trading the island for Greenland, calling the island “dirty” and its people “poor.” These comments were made after Hurricane María ravaged the island in September 2017, destroying the power system and leaving behind exactly 4,645 deaths in its wake. Trump had one simple job: distribute the necessary funds to help Puerto Ricans get back on their feet. Instead of using his position to show his sympathy and help the people, he blocked life-saving aid with the excuse that the Puerto Rican government was corrupt and incapable of handling the funds (which is an even more complicated topic to delve into).
Since this, Puerto Ricans have never been too fond of White House representatives visiting the island, a sentiment reflected in current Vice President and Democrat presidential candidate Kamala Harris, who visited in March of this year, stating, “I see we are making a difference. There is still more work to do.” The reality is that there hasn’t been much significant change under the Biden administration. In the White House, in Congress or any space where U.S. politicians speak of Puerto Rico, they only speak of the issue of our status: should we be a state, stay as an unincorporated territory, or become independent? The reality is that especially amongst the youth, the topic of status holds no real significance when there is a slew of other problems that affect the current livelihood of Puerto Ricans. In my experience, I have only ever wanted my family and neighbors to have access to the resources they need and to be treated justly under the government, but I’ve seen that the government has not fulfilled their duties With our power system under private Canadian-American corporation LUMA Energy failing to provide reliable power resources and cutting power on a frequent basis, the rising costs of living, the crippling education system, and the current corruption in the government caused by the PNP (New Progressive Party) and the Popular Democratic Party (PPD), we are tired of hearing about status when lives are at stake. We want the President who is elected to acknowledge that Puerto Rico needs strong leadership that acknowledges the years of oppression and suffering that its people have been subjected to and, while the Democrats may support us verbally more than Republicans, we’re tired of hearing empty promises: we want action.
I want to make something very clear: this issue does not make me any less proud of being Puerto Rican. I’m extremely proud of being “boricua”, of my culture, my mother tongue and everything else about my beautiful island. In fact, this pride is what makes me so passionate about wanting to find solutions to our struggles and advocating for my people. I, along with an entire generation, am tired of living through hurricanes, earthquakes, power outages, discrimination and oppression. This upcoming election’s outcome can either make or break my island’s future, so here’s my request: use your vote wisely, it can change our lives.
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Publish date : 2024-09-15 23:01:00
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