Statehood — if that’s what voters on the island want
Asa fully incorporated territory, it is a state —asin the United States — in all but name.
Let me be clear: Puerto Ricans on the island should have the final say as to whether Puerto Rico should be a state or have an independent-nation status. That said, however, I will make the case why Puerto Rico should be a state, with full participation in the Union.
Puerto Rico has been a U.S. territory since 1898. In 1917, Congress granted the island’s residents U.S. citizenship. Starting with World War I, Puerto Ricans have shed blood for the Stars and Stripes. They have fought and died in World War II, Korea and Vietnam, and in every U.S. military conflict since. Nine Puerto Ricans have been awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military decoration. Tens of thousands of Puerto Ricans have served in every branch of the U.S. military, and scores have attained the rank of general.
In 1903, the U.S. Supreme court determined in a series known as the Insular Cases that Puerto Rico was an unincorporated territory. As such, even though Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens, the court determined that not all the constitutional rights apply on the island. That has not stopped generations of Puerto Ricans who number in the millions from being proud to call themselves Americans.
American ideals have influenced the territory. For instance, Puerto Ricans have a bicameral legislature, an elected governor and an independent judiciary, closely mimicking the U.S. constitutional scheme.
It can be considered a bit ironic that more Puerto Ricans live one the U.S. mainland — where we’re 5 million strong — than on the island, with a population of 3.5 million. The U.S. and Puerto Rican economies are closely intertwined, so much so that separation of the two would be nearly impossible: The U.S. currency is the currency of the island, and all federal governmental agencies operate there.
Puerto Ricans serve proudly with distinction throughout the United States.
Sonia Sotomayor, a justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, is of Puerto Rican descent. So two are six members of Congress – two Republicans and four Democrats. And there are hundreds of judges, state legislators and heads of governmental agencies throughout the country who were born in Puerto Rico or of Puerto Rican descent.
Although Puerto Rico is a fully incorporated territory, it is a state — as in the United States — in all but name.
Culturally, mainland and the island are intimately joined by history and people. From baseball players in the Hall of Fame to Oscar-, Emmy- and Grammy-winning singers and dancers and actors — not to mention reality TV — Puerto Rico is the USA. And I have to boast of Lin Manuel Miranda, who broke all Broadway records with his musical “Hamilton,” an ode to an American Founding Father.
Puerto Rico is the perfect bridge to markets in South and Central America. For the English-speaking mainland, the island is a bilingual haven with four medical schools, a world renowned engineering school (where NASA does direct recruiting), a talent pool of bilingual teachers, and an active ROTC program that turns out high-caliber bilingual officers for the U.S. Army.
Puerto Rico is strategically placed in the Caribbean for trade — which is one of the original justifications for U.S. to keep Puerto Rico as a spoil of the Spanish-American War while releasing the other possessions.
When American foreign policy is in question in Latin America, it could be the U.S. state of Puerto Rico that could lead the charge for American values and institutions.
Again, I offer a disclaimer: It is not for us to dictate that Puerto Rico should be a state. However, if that is the choice of Puerto Ricans on the island, they have earned that right.
It would be a great injustice to deny such a petition.