Record numbers of Puerto Ricans fighting for U.S.

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Wed, Jan. 21, 2004

MILITARY
Record numbers of Puerto Ricans fighting for U.S.

Whether out of patriotism or for the decent pay, more Puerto Rican men and women than ever have been mobilized to fight for the United States in Iraq.
BY NANCY SAN MARTIN
[e-mail]

SALINAS, Puerto Rico - As a series of booms sent soldiers in camouflage uniforms into a frenzy, one young reservist yelled out: ``Help me, I'm wounded in the leg.''

Steps away, a captain barked orders into a radio: ''We have three injured,'' he said, before scolding a soldier. ''You got a neck injury because you were standing up.'' Minutes later, a Black Hawk helicopter landed to collect the ``casualties.''

Once again, Puerto Ricans in the National Guard and Army Reserves are training to join Washington's wars, this time in Iraq, as part of a long tradition of service in the U.S. military here, where young men and women join out of patriotism and to take advantage of the decent pay, college subsidies and early retirement benefits.

Currently, some 4,800 Puerto Rican Guardsmen and reservists are on active duty -- 825 of them serving in Iraq -- the largest number ever mobilized in U.S. history. Thousands more Puerto Ricans serve in the regular Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps.

Thirteen soldiers from this U.S. territory, a Spanish-speaking island of about four million people, have been killed in Iraq. The same ratio of casualties for the entire United States would mean 942 dead. But so far, U.S. casualties stand at about 500.
(snip/...)

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/7758886.htm

[donsu]

1. I've always wondered why the Puerto Ricans didn't want to run their own

country? and why they are satisfied being a third cousin to america.

(yes, I know money, money, money plays a part but where is the pride of country to be an american tag-a-long.)

what info am I missing?

[Freddie Stubbs]

3. Citizenship had its advantages

Puerto Ricans are American citizens and and do not have to deal with immigration hassels if they choose to move to the US.

[newyorican]

4. That is true...

but it is a much longer story than that. It has a lot to do with the way PR became a U.S. Territory or colony. The U.S. didn't invade and conquer, PR was ceded to the U.S. by Spain at the end of the Spanish American War. We woke up one day with someone else in charge.

There is a big difference in the governing relationship between PR and the US as compared to Haiti or Cuba (No Poppa/Baby Docs and no Batistas). The reason for that might be the percentage of slave population on those respective islands (Haiti about 90%, Cuba about 50% and PR about 20%).

There have always been those that wanted independence for PR (hell, we shot up the Capital building and tried to kill Truman), the last time heads were counted it was nearly 50/50. Now it gets confusing because the "50/50" split is between independence and status quo. Throw statehood (becoming the 51st state) into the mix and the numbers all change. Statehood has been on and off the table for 20 years now. Nobody seems to be in a big hurry to change as the standard of living is pretty damn good (better than at least 2 states). I am considering moving back there actually.

[Solon]

5. I have a question regarding PR

How are the numbers changed on the question of statehood? I have no experience on the island, however the question intrigues me. It seems to me that PR is inbetween and territory or colony, and state-hood. I am a great believer in the right to self-determination. So why is it difficult to put out a referendum on this?

[newyorican]

6. Statehood has not been formerly offered...

it would take an act of congress to start the process. That is the problem with getting a referendum. Some believe that the path to statehood is the status quo, some don't. Some think the path to statehood is to threaten independence, most don't. Some want independence, some don't. There hasn't been a referendum on statehood vs. independence ever. If there were statehood would win by close to 90%, IMO.

If the status quo were less comfortable, this would change rapidly.

[Voltaire99]

2. Yanked from the colony, deposited on the battlefield

Uncle Sam sure knows how to treat his subjects.