Thread: Puerto-rico another lone star state?

http://www.coha.org/2008/09/puerto-rico ... tar-state/



In April 1991, Governor Rafael Hernández Colón made Spanish the sole official language of Puerto Rico. Despite the U.S. status of being a country with no official language, the Act of 1902 made English an official language on the island. This act had the formal effect of eradicating any trace of a Spanish colonial legacy and initiated the dominance of Anglo-Saxon culture. Yet, a century later, the main lingua franca on the island was still incontestably Spanish, and the vibrancy of its usage is for many Puerto Ricans proof of the unquenchable nature of their unique identity. Accordingly, Hernández Colón declared on April 5, 1991, “With this [his signature to the bill], we reaffirm the country´s will to exist. We declare our mother tongue to be our most precious sign of identity. We project our potential, discovering ourselves inside ourselves, wanting to be ourselves, fighting against being someone else. With the strength which comes down to us from the most intimate part of our ego, we are preparing to act in history. Through this great exercise of our will, we are protecting the rich heritage of the generations which preceded us, the generations which blended Indian, African and Spanish in that special way which makes a Puerto-Rican.â€

sorry put it in wrong section.

Puerto Rico is doing just fine as they are, just as good as the District of Columbia.
See url about DC's problems with their status, and they are located on US soil:
http://about.dc.gov/statehood.asp

the danger i understand with this is that is Puerto Ricans deicde for statehood, Spanish will be impsoed on all of us!

Puerto Ricans are able to vote on the issue of going independent or remaining a commonwealth state at certain intervals. I am not sure of the interval, but I know that on each occasion the vote has been very close, with commonwealth status winning each time.

Puerto Rico is a poor territory with many of it's population on welfare. The crime rate is high and the many people on the island do not think of themselves as American. I know this because I have been there and seen with my own eyes the areas outside of San Juan and the tourist spots, and talked to people that live there.

I do not see a benefit for this territory remaining part of the U.S. It gains far more from being part of the U.S. than vice-versa. If, Puerto Ricans are so proud of their spanish heritage then maybe the U.S. should let them go. I am sure they would fare well as part of the economic giant called Latin America.

Give them the option of being a Spanish or Mexican territory.

As a small island they would have a tough time surviving on their own. The American pharmaceutical industry has almost singlehandedly given the island some economic vitality. And that is only because of the HUGE tax breaks they receive by putting a factory there.
I've traveled there for work since the mid 80's and have talked to many locals. I think they know very well how they have it best and that's the status quo. They're somewhat independent and have their hands deep in Uncle Sam's pockets.

Anyone know if I can take my house and small lot and secede from the union? The more I hear and read about the way this country is going I sometimes want to throw in the towel and declare my own country, though I refuse to contribute to the UN.