Politics and Puerto Rican Identity

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Recommended: the structuring of the puerto rican identity in the u.s.

Introduction

The issue I have chosen to elaborate on is the influence of politics on identity. Politics plays a role in everyone’s life to some degree. In my own personal experience, I have never been an adamant follower of American politics. It has never been a strong topic of conversation within my family or neighborhood. I voted for the first time my freshmen year in college. My upbringing in a working class neighborhood has bestowed upon me a very simple view on politics : vote for the democrats because it is in the best interest of the poor people; all republicans care about is money and they can never understand nor do they care about the plight of being poor. This is the reality of my experience with politics. I am judging it as neither right nor wrong. As I continue to become more educated my knowledge on politics increases and takes on more depth, but I have never considered politics a major part of my identity. When I think about myself and my experiences, the word democrat does not come to mind. I have encountered people from many different walks of life, yet I have never witnessed firsthand or participated in a political conversation where the individuals involved have passionately taken a strong stance on behalf of an American political party. I’m sure people like this exist, I just have never encountered them. I believe this is why the following quote from Rosario Ferrè’s House on the Lagoon caught my attention and interest: "Politics is like religion; you are either for Statehood or for Independence, you can’t go for both. Someone has to be saved, someone must burn in hell , and if you’re for Commonwealth you’re floating in Limbo."(Ferrè pg 183)

Politics can be defined as :

"The science of government; that part of ethics which has to do with the regulation and government of a nation or state, the preservation of its safety, peace, and prosperity, the defense of its existence and rights against foreign control or conquest, the augmentation of its strength and resources, and the protection of its citizens in their rights, with the preservation and improvement of their morals".

(http://work.ucsd.edu:5141/cgi-bin/http_webster?isindex=politics&method=exact)

To, me this definition is very touching, yet is little more than words on a paper.

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