… and this is the bottom line … ‘That is what solidarity without erasure would look like: not the affirmation that Puerto Ricans are Americans or Puerto Rico is part of the United States, but debt cancellation and end to the rule of the Federal Control Board, federal support for economic reconstruction, a process of self-determination for Puerto Rico and the struggle and achievement of these objectives through the joint struggle for social justice in Puerto Rico and the United States.’
An op-ed piece by Rafael Bernabé and Manuel Rodríguez-Banchs for Counterpunch.
The debate about Puerto Rico, between President Donald Trump and American liberals and progressives has an ironic twist, from which we cannot derive much merriment.
In the process of attacking Puerto Rico and of denying us sorely needed support to recover from Hurricane María, Trump implies that Puerto Ricans are not Americans and that Puerto Rico is not the United States or is not in the United States.
Many American liberals and progressives, justly appalled by Trump’s behavior toward Puerto Rico, respond that Puerto Ricans are Americans and that Puerto Rico is in the United States.
Trying to hurt us, Trump recognizes our identity. Liberals and progressives, in solidarity with us, inadvertently, erase it.
Of the evil nature of Trump’s agenda there can be no doubt. Nor do we doubt the generous intention of the liberal and progressive…
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