Posted on 07/05/2006 6:38:37 AM PDT by rrstar96
(English-language translation)
The 4th of July celebration by [Puerto Rico] government officials belonging to the [pro-statehood] New Progressive Party (PNP) turned again into a plea to the United States government to make the island that nation's 51st state.
Senator and PNP Chairman Pedro Rosselló said that the United States "ceased to be a republic" in 1898, when it acquired Puerto Rico and other territories as colonial possessions.
"It became a colonial power that imposes second-class citizenships and denies full rights and privileges that its own federal Constitution recognizes. My point of contention is that, as long as the indignity of colony remains in Puerto Rico, the celebration of the 4th of July will remain inconclusive," Rosselló maintained in a brief speech.
The former Governor also took advantage of the speech to once more attack the "big economic and political interests" that supposedly maintain the colony, among these the communications media.
For his part, Carlos Romero Barceló, to whom the commemoration was dedicated, called the Commonwealth anti-democratic, and said that this political relationship with the United States "cannot continue".
"[The political relationship] is not democratic because, over there [in the United States], laws that affect us are approved....we don't vote for the President of the nation of which we are citizens," the former Governor said.
One of the special guests at the festivities, Navy Admiral Kevin Green, also called for the island's annexation to the United States.
"It is ever more urgent and necessary that Puerto Rico take its place as the 51st state of the American nation,", the military leader pointed out.
Another guest was Housing & Urban Development Deputy Assistant Secretary for Grant Programs An[n]a María Farías, who read a letter on behalf of President George W. Bush stressing that "Americans can feel proud of our history and look to the future with confidence because tyranny does not fit into the universal desire to live in freedom."
ping
Seeing as 60% of all residents are on some sort of Federal Subsidy the Statehood issue is moot.
They will always be a Colony if they donot pay their own way.
2 more liberal senators?
I think NOT!
Give them independent status first.
>>>(English-language translation)>>>
And herein lies the problem. We have enough people not willing or caring enough to bother to learn english. Why have a whole 'state' that demands it's own little mini-nation status, but under the umbrella of our constitution?
ping
I agree.
Indeed they do.
Another classic example of a lieing politician, and willing accomplices in the press, to ignore truth in order to malign the US.
Do the other US territories or commonwealth have a vote in becoming a state?
They had better. About 80% of the Pharmaceutical industry has manufacturing plants in PR to escape U.S. taxes. If they became a state there would be no advantage to being there so the plants would say hasta la vista.
No thanks.
Any territory, that wishes to be a state, must initiate the process by petitioning the US. It is taking this first step that the people of Puerto Rico have repeatedly voted against.
As they have representatives in Congress, enjoy the benefits of federal dollars, protection, welfare, etc.....just as if they were already a state, and yet pay no federal income tax; the people of Puerto Rico feel they have the best of both worlds.
If petitioned, the US would most likely welcome them as a state, but; the ball remains in their court. As 'oppressive, imperialistic, and bullying' as we are, we will not force them.
This 'progressive' politician from Puerto Rico, as well as this 'professional journalist' from AP, both certainly know this.
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