The people of Puerto Rico vote, time and time again, to maintain their territorial commonwealth status rather than opt for independence or statehood, do they not?
Harlan was also the lone dissenter in Plessy v. Ferguson.
Truly one of the greatest Supreme Court justices.
Even among Puerto Ricans, there is much dispute over the island's status. One acquaintance of mine shook her head at the very idea of making her native island either a state or a country: "Oh, no, it would all go wrong very quickly because the corruption would get even worse and there would be a civil war." My friend was alarmist perhaps in the certainty of her fears, but she is no fool.
Even by generous definitions, genuine, fully functioning democracy and rule of law are rare in Latin American history and culture. My preference is to give Puerto Rico independence and then let them petition for statehood after a minimum of ten years. I do not relish the idea of a civil war in an American state, with resonant strife among Puerto Ricans in the US.
Here we go again... Buen suerte, amigo :)
I like Puerto Rico, but this is another case of trying to get a judge to deliver what the voters will not deliver.
They could have statehood tomorrow if they voted to have it. Their preference is to remain a territory, and merely renegotiate the terms of their territorial status. I don't think a judge should over-rule that desire.
Full statehood, or independence, should be a decision democratically taken after a full debate and internal conversation among the Puerto Ricans themselves. It should not be dictated by a judge.
Isn't anyone going to comment on how overheated, vile and disgusting the headline is? Dred Scott protected slavery, for crying out loud! I don't see any Puerto Ricans being bound in leg irons, picking cotton in the hot sun for 18 hours, while a slavemaster mercilessly lashes their backs with a bull whip.
Give me a frickin' break, people! Talk about hyperbole.
Puerto Ricans are citizens and do, in fact, receive ALL civil rights afforded to citizens. They absolutely can, and do, vote for federal office when they reside in a state. Many Puerto Ricans establish dual residencies, in fact, so they can live tax-free in Puerto Rico, and vote in New York.
While Puerto Ricans can and do vote, the COMMONWEALTH of Puerto Rico does not get represented in the U.S. Congress. That is the will of the people of Puerto Rico, who have voted not to become a state on several occasions.
The Boston globe simply wants 7 more Democratic representatives and two more Democratic senators, and so they are trying to frame the issue in an insulting and degrading way so as to make Puerto Ricans feel victimized. The Insular Cases were overturned by federal action in the 1950s, when they were given full rights.
bump
It's easy to write off Korematsu AFTER the war.