Felipe Colón didn’t believe it at first when he heard about Puerto Rico’s vote to become the 51st state while at the Mississippi State game last week.
Colón, a microbiology junior at the University, is a Puerto Rican whose family remains divided on the statehood issue. He sees America as a place filled with opportunities, many of which could help Puerto Rico’s political and crowding problems.
“Last time, I remember the vote for statehood being something very low, so this time when I heard about it, I was shocked,” he said.
Colón was born in New Orleans, but lived in Puerto Rico for nine years before returning to Baton Rouge halfway through his freshman year of high school.
His extended family remains in Puerto Rico, where his mother’s side represents what Colón called “hardcore islanders,” or those who want independence from the United States, but his father’s side supports statehood.
Like Colón’s family, Puerto Rico is a commonwealth divided, as evidenced by its most recent election.
THE VOTE
Of Puerto Rican citizens, 61 percent voted in favor of moving statehood legislation forward on the same ballot where they ousted current pro-statehood Gov. Luis Fortuño in favor of pro-commonwealth Alejandro García Padilla by a margin of tenths of a percent.
In the past, votes for statehood have not been in the majority. In fact, there was no clear majority in the choice between remaining a commonwealth, becoming a state or declaring independence.
In addition to Puerto Ricans voting out the pro-statehood governor, they voted out those in the same party on more local levels, and some wonder about the legitimacy of the 61 percent vote.
The statehood question on the ballot came in two parts, the first asking whether citizens were happy with the current status as a commonwealth, and the second as a follow-up to those who answered “No.”
The choices for the discontented were statehood, sovereign free associated statehood and independence.
The second question’s results included the 61 percent of voters causing a stir.
If the votes of people who are content with the current system are added in, they have the majority over those wanting statehood.
While this could affect reception of the numbers, the results still exist, and the potential for statehood is still possible.
Bills have been introduced to Congress in 1998, 2007 and 2009 regarding Puerto Rico’s status, but none have been acted upon.
Colón said it’s time for Puerto Rico to become a state, comparing the island to Miami, Fla., with its Spanish-speaking population and metropolitan feel. Living in the U.S. is much easier and more comfortable, he said.
“There’s a plan for everybody here. No matter what, the opportunity is there,” Colón said.
He wants that same accessibility available to Puerto Ricans.
“In Puerto Rico, you have kids who live with their families in the mountains, and if their parents want to keep them home from school all the time, it’s OK,” he said.
Colón said the knowledge of 3 million people crammed in the 100-by-45-mile space is making some realize Puerto Rico needs outside help.
He said he believes this could come from the United States granting statehood.
STRUGGLES FOR YOUNG PUERTO RICANS
Environmental engineering junior Daniel Montenegro is from Puerto Rico as well.
Montenegro came to the United States to go to college, due to the student strikes in protest of rising costs of tuition at the University of Puerto Rico.
Montenegro and Colón agreed the strikes were a motivator for college students to leave the island.
Colón said he still gets calls from friends at home who are missing another week of school or another test because a mass of students walked into their classes, stood at the front of the room and interrupted any time the teacher began to speak.
Montenegro said in a Facebook message he almost lost credit for an entire semester of work.
“This happens, but no one is getting hurt,” Colón said.
If the strikes happened in a legal state, he thinks more people would pay attention, and action would be taken.
Montenegro acknowledged the strikes are a problem, but he does not believe Puerto Rico joining the Union is the proper way to help.
He said it is sad to see his “nation depending on the same entity that has led to its current state.”
POTENTIAL FOR A 51st STATE
Political science professor James Garand said he doesn’t see the popular vote for Puerto Rican statehood going anywhere in the near future.
“Now, if Obama came out in support of it in his State of the Union Address, then the public would have to start thinking about it,” he said.
He pointed out the induction of Puerto Rico as a difficult issue for Republicans to take a side on.
On one hand, Puerto Rico would most likely be another Democratic-voting state in Congress, and on the other, Republicans are trying to woo the Latino vote.
Most people find 50 to be a nice, round number, Garand said, and for anything to move forward, Americans would have to start seeing a fifty-first state as a possibility.
Colón said if Puerto Rico did move forward with its statehood desire, there would be some short-lived backlash from both the island and mainland sides.
But Garand believes both sides could benefit from the increased bond.
Mechanical engineering junior Stephen Schmidt said if Puerto Rico wants to be a state, he is in support.
“They get a lot of things from us, but they don’t have to pay all of our taxes,” Schmidt said.
Nursing sophomore Katherine Gonzalez disagreed, wondering why there is even discussion.
“Why now, and not back when they chose to be a commonwealth?” she asked.
Still more students had no idea the possibility was on the table.
Colón emphasized that students and other citizens need to know Puerto Rico is not a third-world nation.
“The island is a little like New Orleans. There are good neighborhoods right next to bad ones; there’s history, there’s culture.”
