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.
There were quite a few public health measures in 1665 – the time of the plague. However, how many of these measures worked?
In order to understand the current situation of Puerto Ricans one must look at their history and retrace the sequence of events that led to the current formation of the Puerto Rican people. An important component of this history is the time Puerto Rico spent under Spanish rule. Studying this portion of Puerto Rican history forces us to acknowledge the contribution the Spaniards, European immigrants, and African slaves had on Puerto Rican identity as we consider it today. This also addresses contemporary debates on Puerto Rican identity. An example of this is evident in an essay written by Jose Luis Gonzales entitled "Puerto Rico : Th Four Storied Country". In the article Gonzales points out what he feels is a disregard toward the African contribution to the Puerto Rican identity. He argues that the first Puerto Ricans were black , based on his interpretation that Africans were the first group to come to Puerto Rico and reproduce who did not have ties to a "motherland" because they were slaves. This is unlike the Spaniard elites and Criolles that demonstrated their commitment and loyalty to Spain. Since they had no other place to go, Puerto Rico was their motherland. Gonzalez also points out that the culture of a region is always the culture of the elite, not the popular culture.
The debate on Puerto Rican Identity is a hot bed of controversy, especially in today’s society where American colonialism dominates most of the island’s governmental and economic policies. The country wrestles with the strong influence of its present day colonizers, while it adamantly tries to retain aspects of the legacy of Spanish colonialism. Despite America’s presence, Puerto Ricans maintain what is arguably their own cultural identity which seems largely based on the influence of Spain mixed with customs that might have developed locally.
The Different Experiences of Puerto Ricans' Migration to the United States. Some people are inclined to view the Puerto Rican experience as a historical repetition of earlier migrations to the United States. However, the migration experience of Puerto Ricans to the United States is more complex, as well as one of a kind. Similarities do exist between the migration of Puerto Ricans and that of other groups, however, no other ethnic group has shared the tribulations of the Puerto Rican population.
and European society scrambled to find a cure to this mysterious disease. This study ponders the effects of medieval methods of treatment on this once ravaging disease.
Puerto is a mixing pot of cultures that include a history of Native American roots, Spanish conquest and oppression. Puerto Rico has been the property of another nation for most of modern times creating a vast amount of unique cultural elements. All these facets contribute to its brief history.
According to census research at Lehman College (1), during 1945 to the 1950’s more than half a million Puerto Rican natives migrated to several parts of the USA, originally from their own homeland, Puerto Rico. Several of the locations that Puerto Ricans migrated to include Chicago, New Jersey, Boston, Philadelphia, and New York City. One of the cities that experienced a large boom of Puerto Rican population was New York. This period was known as the “Great Migration” and had several factors that led to the mass migration. Some of these major events include the 1917 signing of the Jones-Shafroth Act by Woodrow Wilson, and the Great Depression. Afterwards, Puerto Ricans were permanent citizens of the US From these events. This still poses the questions as to why did a large portion of Puerto Ricans decide to migrate to the US, how did Puerto Ricans develop their identities in New York after the migration and what effect it had towards New York.
"Plague." Renaissance: An Encyclopedia for Students. Ed. Paul F. Grendler. Vol. 3. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2004. 172-174. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 25 Feb. 2014.
Alchin, Linda. "Medicine in the Middle Ages." Medicine in the Middle Ages. Web. 08 Dec. 2013.
Mass incarceration has caused the prison’s populations to increase dramatically. The reason for this increase in population is because of the sentencing policies that put a lot of men and women in prison for an unjust amount of time. The prison population has be caused by periods of high crime rates, by the medias assembly line approach to the production of news stories that bend the truth of the crimes, and by political figures preying on citizens fear. For example, this fear can be seen in “Richard Nixon’s famous campaign call for “law and order” spoke to those fears, hostilities, and racist underpinnings” (Mauer pg. 52). This causes law enforcement to focus on crimes that involve violent crimes/offenders. Such as, gang members, drive by shootings, drug dealers, and serial killers. Instead of our law agencies focusing their attention on the fundamental causes of crime. Such as, why these crimes are committed, the family, and preventive services. These agencies choose to fight crime by establishing a “War On Drugs” and with “Get Tough” sentencing policies. These policies include “three strikes laws, mandatory minimum sentences, and juvenile waives laws which allows kids to be trialed as adults.
... the past several decades as a tough on crime approach has been adopted in the United States. According to Barkan and Bryjak, this approach has not served as a deterrent to crime. What has occurred are over-populated prisons and prisoners that are released back into society with little or no rehabilitation, causing a vicious cycle of re-offenders. The focus of the criminal justice system needs to shift from punishment to prevention. Prevention can be manifested in many programs: focusing on urban at-risk populations, targeting younger children to provide mentors to help them avoid falling into criminal behavior patterns, creation of jobs to help low-income families, and better rehabilitation programs for those that do end up in the prison system. Shift the billions of dollars spent on incarceration to a structure that will succeed: prevention.
The colonization of Puerto Rico by the Americans resulted to a decline in the economy; the presence of the American took every opportunity that the people of Puerto Rico had. In addition, colonization made Puerto Rico a foreign country; this made the import tax to increase rapidly. The Americans took the economy of that country from their hands and into their own; they controlled everything for the time that they colonized the country. In addition, all the farmers were forced to work for the Americans under severe conditions and less wages, thus declining the economy of Puerto Rico. Below is a picture of the people of Puerto Rico on the streets demonstrating on the declining economy under
The United States played an important role in the evolution of Puerto Rican culture, more specifically music. While Puerto Rican culture remains distinct from that of American culture, its historical progression is forever tied with that of the United States. This is evident in the evolution of Puerto Rican music. It is also evident in the experience of Puerto Rican musicians both on the island and in the Diaspora. U.S rule was in part responsible for Puerto Rican migration both within the island and off the island. This is so due to the political and economic relationship between Puerto Rico and the United States. As a result new genres, or styles of Puerto Rican music were created. The U.S also controlled how the music of the island would be communicated to the rest of the world. This effected the way Puerto Ricans expressed their identity through music.
There weren’t many trained doctors in Europe in the Middle Ages . In Paris in 1274 there were only 8 doctors and about 40 people practising medicine without any official training and they didn’t really understand how the body worked and why people got sick. When making a diagnosis doctors might consult medical books, astrological charts and urine samples. Some doctors believed disease was caused by bad smells or small worms, or the position of the planets or stars. They also charged very high fees, so only the rich could afford them.
Lapaire, Pierre J. "The Plague: Overview." Reference Guide to World Literature. Ed. Lesley Henderson. 2nd ed. New York: St. James Press, 1995. Literature Resource Center. Web. 24 Mar. 2011.