I was at the Plaza del Norte this weekend, shopping for Mother's Day, when I picked up a gift for myself. I bought two hats, both can only be found in Puerto Rico. I bought a Red, Partido Popular Democratico (pro-commonwealth) and a blue, Partido Nuevo Progresista hat (pro-statehood). These are two unique hats, they look sharp, and they will always remind me of my time in Puerto Rico. However, I will never put either of them on until I get to Minnesota.
That's because I would really push buttons, I would make the Puerto Rican's political blood boil more than it already is. I know that if I went out with that hat some fanatics would flip because there is a gringo in their country making a political statement (even if I was just wearing it because the red hat matched a red shirt).
I already walked into my a friends house with the PPD red on, because I just wanted to get a rise out of him, and he looked at me and said "Ah take that shit off, thats colonialism!"
Subtle things such as this represent so much to me. From this I still see how far the United States is from Puerto Rico. I really could cause problems if I put that hat on. Some people don't want to see a gringo making statements, because thats not what I'm supposed to do, because its not my country. But then you stop and think for a moment, 2 of the 3 political parties advocate some form of United States participation. Shouldn't I be able to have an opinion? Wouldn't it be better if more gringos came down here and instead of get drunk and hang on the beach, actually show some interest in the country? Couldn't we resolve this issue if more Americans knew more about the actual situation on the island? Ask someone if they need a passport to go to Puerto Rico? I wouldn't have known the answer prior to April 2006.
It just sparked me as peculiar how my hats could cause an uproar. I believe that the Puerto Ricans should respect me for whatever hat I put on my head. I've lived here modestly, on volunteer living wage which is similar to what many Puerto Ricans earn. I've experienced many of the same frustrations Puerto Ricans deal with everyday (I'm single, but I know people that support their families on their Americorps wage! IMAGINE THAT!). I give back to my foreign community in a self-less job and live on foodstamps. I speak Their language, give back to Their community, participate Their society and damnit I feel I've earned the right.
Again, thanks for reading.
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4 comments:
And you have earned the right. Not only because of the time you have been here, but because you hold the same citizenship we all have: US citizenship. To state otherwise is simply blatant proof of ignorance or the denial of reality.
Thanks for being so sincere in your insights about our situation. You have the right to make an opinion. Moreover, many foreigners (cubans [specially], dominicans, argentines, mexicans, etc) here on the island are always making statements about our situation, they go even further: they take sides. There is no need to alienate yourself in that matter or to impose an onerous self-censorship.
On a different note, what you say about passports is quite true. I'm going to Missouri to participate in an undergraduate summer research program and they emailed me to remind me of my passport. I was amused :-).
Muy interesante tus puntos pero te falto algo verde jajaja :p. El fanatismo es algo que consume al puertorriqueño dia a dia.
I would hesistate on the statement that living in puerto rico for a year on an americorps salary has earned you the right to make open and notorious statements that you know would cause trouble. It seems you clearly hesistated yourself by only wearing that hat to a friend's house. As a white american, you have to make these concious decisions out of respect for your surroundings. Abroad white americans are viewed as the oppressors/colonizers/money makers/those with political power. A country like puerto rico with their long history of oppression also experiences a racial divide. Everyone should be free to express their political beliefs, but for you to wear a "pro-commonwealth" hat in puerto rico might elicit vastly different feelings than if I were to wear it. Maybe I should send you a barack obama hat so you can cause less trouble??
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