Being Puerto Rican, and having lived there for more than a few years, has given me the opportunity to experience firsthand what colonialism feels like. As the United States celebrates it's declaration of independence from it's colonial master, I look at one of it's modern day colonies in disarray. The sad state of affairs in Puerto Rico is rarely examined by the U.S. media, mainstream or otherwise, and hence the country and it's situations are alien to most people in this country. Having grown up there, I can assure that Puerto Rico and the U.S. have many things in common.
Subject to U.S. laws and benefiting from federal financing, Puerto Rico seems on the surface to be rather similar to other states, with the exception of any significant representation in the federal government. And so, it suffers from the same sort of issues that face state governments throughout the nation: high unemployment, budget deficits, and a lack of comprehensive tools to deal with those problems.
It is with great sadness that I read about the abuse of power taking place inside the Capitol of the Commonwealth. Having closed off the Senate chambers unconstitutionally, and preventing access to citizens and press, the legislature was pressed by a public demanding their constitutional rights of access and assembly. The aggressive use of force by police in removing all non-employees from the grounds on the afternoon of June 29th resulted in pepper gas being deployed inside the Capitol, and members of the press and public being abused indiscriminately.
Overwhelming public condemnation of the events by religious, academic, and labor-union figures was immediate. But the police defend their actions and dismiss allegations of abuse while political figures applaud and support them. The lack of national media attention only adds to the insularity and disassociation of a country that has known nothing else for five hundred years. I see this as a harbinger.
Puerto Ricans are mostly working class and welfare recipients. The country is far from self-sufficient. And the suffering imposed by austerity has magnified the problems, unleashing even greater social violence than the country has regularly experienced. In the face of democratic opposition to their measures, the government resorts to oppression. Violent oppression and repression against citizens supposed to receive protection by those charged with protecting them.
This calls into question many things. Things that have been taken for granted by many. The role of government, of democracy, of police and security, of finance, and of individuals and groups are all evolving and competing against each other. We should be watchful and weary of abuse and use of force against the public and should shine a light wherever such injustice is found. I truly hope that more media catch on to the idea that the real story is about people, not just power and wealth, or else I fear that even greater atrocities and a trampling of rights will result from our current course.
