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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