A Public Inquiry? Puerto Rico.

As I close my eyes and drift away to a land where there is love, health, peace, and blessings. I wanted to take the time to think and reflect.

     On October 10th, 2018 Hurricane Micheal made landfall in the Florida panhandle. While the striking of the hurricane appeared with reports of destruction to the environment and also death tolls, there were also news stories about the damage and destruction left by hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. The timing of these stories brought anger to many. Somehow it didn't seem right talk about a hurricane that had struck, amidst the striking of another. While I think that the damages of Micheal and Maria are significant, I do understand why Puerto Rico was brought up at this time. It was to bring awareness of the American response in Puerto Rico, and potentially compare the response for hurricane Micheal. To this day many families and individuals continue to seek help and assistance for recovery.  

Historical Perspectives
The American response can further be understood when we contextualize Puerto Rico's relationship with the U.S. Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States. It is a territory that belongs to the United States where there is limited Government intervention. "However, the U.S. Government retains jurisdiction in most state affairs, including immigration, citizenship, customs, defence, currency, transportation, communication, and foreign trade" (Duany, 2017, p. 425). Many Puerto Rican's support remaining a U.S. commonwealth state, or the idea of becoming the 51st state of the America, while a few support the becoming of an independent state (2017). The island has a unique culture that is defined by food, traditions, music, sports, that are also derived from its history. A colony formally Spanish owned, now belonging as a U.S. island remaining a, "Spanish-speaking Afro-Hispanic Caribbean nation" (2017, p. 425). Today Puerto Rico's inhabitants include immigrants from Cuba and the Dominican Republic. While the Island is U.S. owned, it does not receive the same support as other American states, although it should as "Puerto Rican's and U.S. Virgin Islanders are U.S. citizens and expect the same federal aid and support during national disasters as the rest of the United States" (Zorilla, 2017). 

The Recovery Road
The islands economy, infrastructure were already in dire condition, the hurricane of September 20, 2017 caused damage, and destruction, leading to a slow road for recovery. Lack of aid or support from the U.S. Government is once again an indication of colonials, who choose to assist populations willingly or unwillingly. Puerto Rico's racialized subjects of the colonial world who face the task of rebuilding through this humanitarian crisis. While the U.S. chooses to limit interventions, I believe that the U.S. is at a loss, where they could be assisting this island more, invest in agriculture, growth, for travel and tourism.

     When all is said and done the island is presently a US possession. Why choose to use responses, or lack of response to natural disaster, especially in areas where there are majority racialized U.S. populations to dispose of them without accepting responsibility for them?

"During the Marıa disaster, when federal state actors repeatedly invoked old stereotypes of Puerto Ricans as undeserving and unable to govern themselves while allowing thousands to die"
(Ficek, 2018) 
  

News Article - The Washington Post

~Recommendations~

*A public inquiry as to the amount of federal aid, assistance, and public service workers that were deployed to Puerto Rico to assist with the after-math of Hurricane Maria.

*Calculate exactly how many individuals died.

Questions:

*Were Puerto Rican's left to die in the wake of Hurricane Maria purposely through lack of aid?

*Was this lack of assistance because Puerto Rico is a majority racialized U.S. colony?

Further Reading: Puerto Rico Voted to Become the 51st State. So What Happens Now?

My thoughts to share with love & kindness! :)

​Notes: These thoughts were originally hand written on October 20th, 2018.
​Image 1 - Web Link
Image 2 - Web Link 

​References: 

Cortés, J. (2018). Puerto Rico: Hurricane Maria and the Promise of Disposability. Capitalism Nature Socialism. 29 (3), 1-8.

Duany, J. (2003). NATION, MIGRATION, IDENTITY: THE CASE OF PUERTO RICANS. Latino Studies. 1, 424-444.

Ficek, R. E. (2018). INFRASTRUCTURE AND COLONIAL DIFFERENCE IN PUERTO RICO AFTER HURRICANE MARIA. Transforming Anthropology, 26 (2), 102-117.

Hernandez, R. A., McGinley, L. (2018, May 29). Harvard study estimates thousands died in Puerto Rico because of Hurricane Maria. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/harvard-study-estimates-thousands-died-in-puerto-rico-due-to-hurricane-maria/2018/05/29/1a82503a-6070-11e8-a4a4-c070ef53f315_story.html?noredirect=on%26utm_term=.b9b867edc2d0&utm_term=.1c48e60fc19a  

Zorilla, D. C. (2017). The View from Puerto Rico — Hurricane Maria and Its Aftermath. The NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL of MEDICINE, 377 (19), 1801-1803.