[RedMonqey]

I didn't and I don't question the patriotism of Puerto Ricans.
No truer patriot than my old baseball coach. He was born there and fought in Vietnam. Had an 101st Airborne tattoo on one arm and the American flag on the other and numerous scars from shrapnel. He NEVER whined and nether did my uncle about his daddy's farm being taken by the same federal government he fought for in the Pacific during WW ll (served on the USS Tennessee and later the USS Idaho) Or my father during Korea.

I questioned your incessant whining about "getting kicked around" implying it's racism because its Puerto Ricans getting kicked. We all get kicked around but we don't use race as an excuse. That's an Dimos tactic.

[cll]

Puerto Rican is not a race. Sorry if it sounded like race baiting. I say we're easy to kick around because as a group, defined by geographical location, not race, we have no political power at the national level and that we are governed without our consent. Since we have no political power and there exists not a political process to settle this issue, what can we do but raise our voices in this and every forum that will listen?

According to the Insular Cases, which is nothing but legislation from the bench, Puerto Rico falls under the territorial clause of the Constitution, which means it is up to Congress to legislate a vote with clear choices. The so-called locally produced plesbiscites we've had over the years mean nothing but a show of force by the several political parties prior to a general election.

I urge all Freepers in the "upper" 48 and the other two to press your Congressmen to settle this issue with the territories once and for all.

It will be good for your tax money and it will be good for the islanders as well.

Again, thank you for your interest on the subject.