Posted on 12/30/2005 2:19:28 PM PST by Ebenezer
In its December 27, 2005 online edition, "El Vocero" newspaper from Puerto Rico reports that the governor of that U. S. Commonwealth has signed a bill assigning an annual $75,000 grant to help finance the Kings' Day (Epiphany) Festival which has been held every year since 1884 in the southern coastal town of Juana Díaz. The monies will be specifically allocated to the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture which, in turn, will provide them to a local private organization responsible for holding the Festival.
To those fellow FReepers who are a little rusty on their Biblical history, the Epiphany is a Christian feast commemorating the arrival of "wise men from the East" (or "Magi") to worship the newborn Jesus as King of the Jews. Since then, tradition has held that there were three of these wise men, and further popular belief considers them kings themselves. Devotion to Los Tres Santos Reyes ("The Three Holy Kings") as giftbearers is widespread throughout the Spanish-speaking world at Christmastime, Puerto Rico included. The traditional date of the Epiphany is January 6, which falls 12 days after Christmas and is regarded for all intents and purposes as the end of the holiday season.
This gesture by the government of Puerto Rico is significant in that it involves a much-beloved celebration that is religious in character first and foremost. The annual festivities in Juana Díaz go beyond the usual Christmas revelry and gift-giving; in fact, they begin with a solemn open-air Mass in which the Magi's encounter with the Christ Child is re-enacted.
Whatever opinions you may have about the "Puerto Rican question", you have to give credit to Puerto Ricans for having a healthier understanding of "separation of church and state" than we mainlanders have. Día de Reyes ("Kings' Day") is an extremely important component of Puerto Rican cultural and religious history, and the island's residents would not have any second thoughts about their government's providing financial aid for its proper and successful observance.
The original Spanish-language article is found in http://www.vocero.com/noticia.asp?n=63494&d=12/27/2005, and the website with information on the Festival (also in Spanish) is http://www.reyesdejuanadiaz.com.
Fantastic! "Good News" bump.
Good for another bump.
Oh, how could I forget, the government of Puerto Rico thinks the U.S. Taxpayers have to bail out their bankrupt Socialized medicine boondoggle.
Why would any U.S. Taxpayers be against an island full of fiscal Liberals becoming the 51st Welfare state?
We U.S. Taxpayers have been supporting the ingrates on Puerto Rico for the last 100 years.
Why would we want to stop now?
I have fond memories of visiting PR, gambling in the casinos, swimming on the beaches, dining at the El San Juan hotel, driving around the island. Driving in San Juan will raise your blood pressure!
If one tenth of those billions were spent on improving the levies protecting New Orleans, hurricane Katrina would have been a nonevent.
Go figure.
I don't give a rat's patootie if Puerto Rico gets some federal money. Better to send it there than to (fill in the blanks, every other country in world with their hands out).
Buenas Noticias para El Nuevo Año!
Then you're not a fiscal Conservative. Neither are any of the residents of Puerto Rico.
I'm not for Puerto Rico receiving any more U.S. Taxpayer's dollars, either.
Why should we be supporting them?
So they can use our money to pay for parties???
No, it's a cultural celebration that's part of their regional heritage. Every state has a certain amount of funds to dispense to promote cultural activities. You are surely receiving benefits from your own state's fund for this purpose. Don't begrudge the puertoriquenos their share of funds.
That leaves only 15% of the money that they collect to pay for necessities i.e. schools, SOCIALIZED MEDICINE, etc..
Puerto Rico doesn't have any extra money of their own to spend on parties. THEY'RE FLAT BROKE! AS IN THEIR CREDIT RATING IS ON ITS WAY DOWN!
So who gets the bill for the 10's of billion$ of dollars of Socialist entitlement programs these leeches demand, every year, but can't pay for themselves?
The U.S. Taxpayers do, that's who!
Somebody down there needs to start exercising some adult-like restraint and fiscal responsibility.
They can't keep demanding the U.S. Taxpayers bail them out.
" ...your own state's fund..."
It's not the state's money, it's the state Taxpayer's money.
If we run short, we sure as hell can't go crying to Puerto Rico the way they come crying to us.
"Don't begrudge the puertoriquenos their share of funds."
What a bunch of nonsense.
As long as we have to support them, we, U.S. Taxpayers, should begrudge them all such frivolous expenditures!
Especially throwing our money away on parties!
Que empiece la fiesta -- let the party begin, ole!
Until the U.S. Taxpayers say enough is enough.
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