Out of many, One

[prstate]

And, just to clarify. By saying "the majority of the Puerto Rican student population won't be able to study in the U.S.", I imply that the majority of those students that want to study in the U.S. will simply not be able to. (Below are some of the reasons why.)

[Betokid]

I can't deny that there's some truth to that. The ability to become state residents does offer an economic advantage (one that I didn't enjoy, myself), but I believe that financial aid would, at least somewhat, be able to compensate for the increased cost of having to pay out-of-state tuition. Many universities offer very generous merit-based or need-based financial aid packages which, for the most part, ensure that deserving students who could not otherwise afford to attend a school can do so.

[Betokid]

As for visa issues, I think you exaggerate the problem. 10% of my university's undergraduate population was internatinal students -- many of them from Latin America. Yes, some people have trouble getting a visa, but that is largely a problem for people from countries with whom the U.S. has less than amiable political relations. That would not be the case with an independent Puerto Rico that would nevertheless maintain strong ties with the U.S.

[Betokid]

Also, it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if a few less Puerto Rican students could go to college in the U.S. Many times, students would be better served getting an education at the UPR rather than spending tens of thousands for an education of similar quality at some American university. They do it because they (likemany Puerto Ricans) have been raised to believe that anything American, including a diploma, is inherently superior to something Puerto Rican. It's not true.

[Betokid]

Finally, a slight drop in the % of people who can go to college in the US seems like a small price to pay for INDEPENDENCE. I will never understand how Americans (and PRican statehooders), who revere the document, the holiday and the heroes associated with that word could have such little respect or desire for it when it comes to Puerto Rico. They will praise freedom as the greatest of values when they're standing in New York and deride it as a stupid dream when they're standing in San Juan.

[prstate]

Again, in summary, the majority of the Puerto Rican student population won't be able to educate themselves in the U.S.

This is a paradox. You studied in the U.S. but do not want others to have the same privilege.

[prstate]

More importantly, the biggest reason why your fellow Puerto Ricans won't be able to study at a college/university in the US if Puerto Rico becomes independent will be its HIGH cost. As U.S. Citizens we DO have the privilege of becoming residents of the state in which our college/university is located and pay resident tuition (which most of the time is less than half of the out-of-state tuition).

[prstate]

So, if you spent four years of your life studying at a college/university in the United States I must suspect that you liked it. Do you know that if Puerto Rico is independent most Puerto Ricans will lose the privilege of educating themselves in the US? Do you know the struggles that our Latin American neighbors must go trough to get a student visa/permit to study in the US?

[prstate]

Betokid, may I ask you something. I am taking the liberty to infer that you have lived your whole life in the United States because of your perfect English accent. Is this true?

[Betokid]

You're wrong. I have lived most of my life in Puerto Rico. I did attended college in the United States and, therefore, "lived" there for the better part of four years. But I was born, raised, and, since I finished school, currently reside in Puerto Rico

[Betokid]

The first sentence should read "I did attend", not "I did attended".

Though I should correct that little mistake.

[Betokid]

While, obviously, with time, the transition into English would occur one way or the other, it would be a very painful transition for several generations. More importantly, however -- and you don't speak to this issue in your answer to my comments -- is the fact that Congress would be extremely reluctant to add basically a hispanic state when many of its citizens and politicians are against many of those elements associated with hispanics (including the language) already inside their country.

[pinacolada135]

If the process of annexation is approved by Congress, then the once territorial predominant language will slowly ease away and the process of transitioning to the English language will commence.

It seems you are a little unaware of the procedures of annexation and the implications that come along with it.

I understand that what you write, so eloquently as it may be, is mere opinion based your perception of inaccurate details that you really ought to review. You are entitled to your ideals.

[Betokid]

First, my statistics are not wrong. The 2.5 million figure is simply 70% of those 3.7 million Puerto Ricans -- if you saw my video (attached) you know that I use 70% because, according to a recent census, that is the percentage of Puerto Ricans who speak poor or no English.

[pinacolada135]

Way to go on your geographical discrimination. Your statistics are wrong, there are 3.7 million Puerto Ricans residing in the island alone. Whether you see that as a more negative fact is up to your discretion. However, the process of annexation does not take into account the aspect of language predominancy of a specific territory. It is solely based on the opinion of the territory's residents and the annexation approval of Congress.

[Kaiser262]

Puerto Rico vive un momento crítico en su historia y hay que brindar esperanza y liderato para salir del atolladero en que nos han mantenido los colonialistas. La estadidad es la respuesta a nuestro problema de status colonial y la alternativa que le ha de brindar a los ciudadanos americanos en Puerto Rico el disfrute pleno de sus derechos constitucionales, la igualdad política a la que aspiramos y el progreso que tanto necesitamos.

[Kaiser262]

Arriba muchachos, que la juventud estadista en Puerto Rico tiene que movilizarse y ser la vanguardia del movimiento estadista.  Como dijo Barbosa, hay que combatir y educar sobre el ideal.

[FerrariReal]

Excellente video! Ya es tiempo que nosotros

los jovenes puertoriqueños estemos preocupandonos por el futuro de nuestro pais. Felicito a todos los directivos del PRSSA por echar para alante este movimiento y sigan luchando por el status de Puerto Rico!

Excellent video! It is about time that we young Puertoricans are worried about the future of our country. I want to congratulate all the directives of the PRSSA for this movement and keep fighting for the status of Puerto Rico!

[pcruz1357]

My question to you (Betokid) is simply, how well did the Hawaiians speak English when the United States - arrogant nation with disgraceful imperial ambitions which you so proudly described - colonized them? Should the decision to annex a territory be based on whether the citizens residing in the corresponding territory speak proper English or not?

[Betokid]

While I have no exact statistics concerning the level of English proficiency in 1959 Hawaii (please provide those statistics if you have them), what little information I was able to gather suggests that from the 1830s to the 1950s, Hawaiian was slowly displaced by English as the dominant language. So, by the time the U.S. conceded statehood to Hawaii (and, perhaps, even by 1898 when it was annexed as a territory, Hawaii would have been largely English-speaking.

[Betokid]

However, let's assume that wasn't the case. Let's assume that in 1960, one year after Hawaii was granted statehood, 70% of its population of 632,772 spoke poor English or none at all. That's about 442,940 people -- still problematic, but not the logistical nightmare that over 2.5 million Spanish-speaking Puerto Ricans would cause. And trust me when I say it would be a nightmare, I've worked as a Spanish/English interpreter. The inability of people to communicate can be staggering and paralyzing.

[Betokid]

f course, the logistical part of it isn't even as problematic as the fact that many ethnocentric Americans would would really dislike the idea of adding a state with a large, Spanish-speaking majority. You may not have noticed, but a lot of Americans don't like Latinos right about now...if they ever have.