We And Our Government Have Failed Puerto Rico

(The cartoon image above is by Randall Enos at cagle.com.)

The government of the United States has failed the American citizens of Puerto Rico, and so have we by not demanding more be done to help Puerto Rico. That is not an opinion. It is a fact.

The following is part of an article by Denise Oliver Velez at Daily Kos:

Now that Puerto Rico has gone more than six months without full power being restored to the island after Hurricane Maria (some residents have gone without longer than that, having lost power after Hurricane Irma), there has been a spate of media coverage during the past week. All of a sudden—at least for a brief moment—Puerto Rico is again “newsworthy” here on the mainland.

Just google “six months Puerto Rico” and you will find stories on the sad state of affairs for Puerto Ricans, and not only on the island. Those who fled to the mainland are facing challenges, as well.

For those on the island living sin luz (without light) the days and weeks and months are simply passing by, to be struggled and coped with, one day at a time, and benchmarks observed by mainland media make no difference to the sorry state of affairs that is our fault. 

Yes, our fault.

We have the ability to vote. Frankly, had we elected Hillary Clinton and booted Republicans out of power in the House, this wouldn’t be happening. Now we have to face the consequences, and Puerto Ricans are taking the full brunt.

We have the capacity to march and demonstrate. Our Democrats who are elected officials in Washington could all just get up and walk out of the House and the Senate in protest. That hasn’t happened.

Make no mistake: the racist Republicans co-signed by the racist-in-chief in the White House are the cause. However, we aren’t doing very much to be part of the solution. . . .

Eliminating racism isn’t simply about solving income inequality. Proposing bills that don’t see a snowflake’s chance in hell of getting out of committee—no matter how well-intentioned—didn’t turn the lights on. Don’t get me wrong: I support a Marshall Plan for Puerto Rico. However, unless we face the fact that far too many mainlanders could care less about Puerto Rico, nothing is going to happen anytime soon. I applaud Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who have actually provided meaningful aid for both island and mainland Puerto Ricans. You can dismiss their efforts as simply politics  or pandering to a large Puerto Rican constituency. However, folks don’t give a damn about pandering if it provides light and water and shelter.     

I am angry, and I get angry every damned day—not just in commemoration of six months. Six weeks without power and potable water was far too long. Hell, six daysanywhere without power and drinkable water is excruciating.

And yet, here we are. Heading into the next hurricane season (which starts June 1), knowing that some people on the island have been told they won’t have power till 2019, and we go about our business as if this isn’t happening.

Why?

Because it isn’t happening to us. 

Out of sight, out of mind, and only a handful of people who are not Puerto Rican or who don’t have ties of family and friendship to the island give a damn. 

It makes no difference that Puerto Ricans are American citizens. They are—but they aren’t the right color or ethnicity. 

I read through this rant so far and realized I’ve use the word “racist” several times already. Let me pile it on:

Racist Racist Racist Racist Racist Racist … racist racist racist racist … RACIST.

That word, and the meaning and intent behind it, has allowed Flint, Michigan, to go without clean water since 2014. It allowed Hurricane Katrina to kill a lot of people in New Orleans, many of whom were smeared as ravaging looters. And now, it allows us to forget and ignore the longest and largest blackout in U.S. history.