Re-Colonization of Puerto Rico and the PR Parade

The Colonial Mentality

of Puerto Rican Elites

by Howard Jordan (June 2, 2016)

 

It pains me to critique our Puerto Rican leadership during these difficult times where operational unity is important. Lo mas deficil si es hablar contra la patria. But the truth must be told. The U.S. Congress is about to re-colonize the people of Puerto Rico. Not to say they ever stopped but with the imposition of this new control board with, at most, one Puerto Rican representative, it has reached a new low.

 

Here is some food for thought:

 

Hillary's Puerto Rican Loyalists. Bernie Sanders, the candidate we voters are asked to ignore, has rejected the control board as a cave in to the hedge funds and corporations. Hillary Clinton has bought the corporate package. Why have the Puerto Rican elected officials wholeheartedly endorsed Hillary while she endorses this pernicious Congressional effort? Is the Donald Trump "cuco" or "boogeyman" enough of a rationale? They argue this is the best we can do. Remember boricuas in Puerto Rico, California and Florida when you cast your vote.

 

Stand Up Boricuas! Why are most Puerto Rican officials silent on this transparent control board designed to sell our island? Remember your colonial masters, i.e., the U.S. government can't ride on your back unless you're bent over!

 

PR Parade Celebrating Culture? Why has the Puerto Rican day parade not utilized its potential political influence to speak with one voice on the needs of the Puerto Rican people? They all endorse the release of Puerto Rican political prisoner Oscar Lopez Rivera but refuse to challenge the colonial status that has led to his imprisonment and the creation of the debt on the Island. You really cannot celebrate our culture while in your daily operation you offer no cultural resistance to the imposition of American colonialism on the Island. Withdraw your endorsement of Hillary unless she takes a correct stand.

 

Parade Leaders: What of Ramon Jimenez? Why has the Puerto Rican day parade yet to make a statement and honor the recently passed late activist lawyer Ramon Jimenez who was responsible for reconnecting the parade to the PR community. They honor rightfully Rosario Dawson, a Bernie supporter (I guess hoping when Bernie goes with Hillary she will switch over), but reject Jimenez. As the biblical injunction correctly says, "a prophet is without honor in his own household." We can only ask what would Ramon would have said about these developments?  Lorraine-Cortes-Vasquez, Melissa Mark-Viverito, Orlando Plaza y los demas, does your heart beat boricua, donde esta su compasión? ¡Que fallo!

 

Colonial Mentality. ¿Que Pasa Que No Se Rebelan? It seems that our leadership suffers from a colonial mentality or slave trauma syndrome (colonial slaves). If you are Puerto Rican or care about the future of our people please share your views with the Puerto Rican leadership, including the elected officials, parade officials, labor leaders, activists, businessmen. Let them know the Puerto Rican people are not for sale. ¡Ni aqui, ni alla!

 

Howard Jorban is the longtime host of the popular radio program, The Jordan Journal on WBAI-FM New York. He is an attorney and Chair of the Policy and Public Administration Unit of Hostos Community College (CUNY) in the Bronx. He can be reached at howjordan@hotmail.com.