As a Latino, I no longer feel safe in Trump's America. So I'm leaving it. (BARF ALERT)

NBC "News" ^ | 11/2/19 | S. Ramirez de Arellano

[SilvieWaldorfMD]

I am Puerto Rican, born and raised in the Palestine of the Caribbean — an island that has been passed around for centuries by two colonizing powers. I grew up with a father who believed that the United States was the Garden of Earthly Delights. In his telling, America was a magical Oz where everyone was equal and anything possible. He painted it not just as a country, but as an ideal. I never fully believed it, but that was his mantra.

He gave me two choices when I turned 16 and was deciding where to go to university: Either I got on the plane to America under my own steam, or he would physically put me on the plane. I was part of a generation that was trained to go and prosper in El Norte, always with a belittling of what we had left behind. The United States was better, it did things better and it could never, ever resemble one of our Latin American despots. God forbid it was said to be corrupt.

Well, it turns out that America is not Oz. And, now with Donald Trump, America has its own Leonidas Trujillo, the vain, rouge-wearing bloody dictator of the Dominican Republic. And it also turns out that the yellow brick road my father sent me down led me to an Emerald City desperate to build a wall of rejection and steel against people who speak my mother tongue.

I live in New York City now and I love this place for what it is — raw, abrupt, honest and diverse. But I no longer trust that America is another name for opportunity, as Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote.

[Kozak]

[Texas Eagle]

I never fully believed it

"That is why you fail."

[Texas Eagle]

I never fully believed it

"That is why you fail."

[MNJohnnie]

Good. Good luck in hell I mean Mexico

[ssaftler]

Move back to Puerto Rico, then. And take a few million of your fellow disgruntled Latinos with you. I want to see if you really can overweight an island and make it tip over.

[kaehurowing]

Hasta la vista.

[Inkie]

Buh bye, now.

[matt04]

I know people who live or sometimes work out of NYC. They hate it. Sure it has some tourism appeal for Statue of Liberty, Broadway, etc. but living their is a expensive nightmare.

[VanShuyten]

Free Puerto Rico!’!

[eartick]

Bye you salt water wet.

[Howie66]

Hey. Stick your finger into a glass of water. Now take your finger out of that glass of water. That is just about how much you will be missed.

Bye.

[DarthVader]

GTFOOH loser. You are seeing what real America is all about.

[Olog-hai]

… born and raised in the Palestine of the Caribbean …

So nice to know that the author is an antisemite in addition to whatever other character flaws exist.

[tet68]

This is the great thing about America, you can check out
any time you want and you can always leave!

[Rebelbase]

Fake news, BS story. Some NBC hack trying to create a fictional character whose life has been ruined by Trump.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

I am Puerto Rican, born and raised in the Palestine of the Caribbean — an island that has been passed around for centuries by two colonizing powers.

For the past fifty years Puerto Rico has had the option to vote it's self independence. It has not taken it.

When you start your regurgitation with a stupid lie I conclude that what ever else you drool out is not worth my time.

[King Moonracer]

GTFO, and push for Puerto Rican independence. We don’t want your ancestral sh!thole suckling on Uncle Sugar’s teat.

[Right Wing Assault]

Bravo, young lady! Go more and work to make Puerto Rico finally great! Let us know when you have done it. See you in 50 years. Uh, no, I'll probably be dead. Maybe you can work faster?

[central_va]

Life is alright in America:

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

She is not an immigrant but is legally a natural born citizen of the US.

Legally able to run for president.

Now, doesn't that make you feel all warm and cozy inside?