Key Points from Lecture on Puerto Rico and Hurricane Maria

Overview

• Puerto Rico, a territory of the United States, was hit by a powerful hurricane, similar in strength to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.
• The media coverage for Puerto Rico's hurricane was significantly less than that for Texas and Florida.

Puerto Rico's Status

• Puerto Ricans have been American citizens for over 100 years.
• People born in Puerto Rico are natural-born American citizens, eligible for the same rights and services as citizens born in the 50 states.
• However, Puerto Rico is not a state but an unincorporated territory.

Historical Context

• Puerto Rico was a Spanish colony for over 400 years.
• Following the Spanish-American War in 1898, the U.S. acquired Puerto Rico.
• In 1917, the U.S. Congress granted citizenship to those born in Puerto Rico.
• Puerto Rico has no voting rights in presidential elections and lacks full representation in Congress.

Economic Issues

• Puerto Rico faces significant economic challenges, with a debt of over $123 billion.
• The local government cannot file for bankruptcy like municipalities in the mainland U.S.
• Unemployment is at 12%, and 46% of residents live below the poverty line.

Migration

• Due to economic instability, over 400,000 Puerto Ricans have migrated to the mainland in search of jobs.

Impact of Hurricane Maria

• On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria caused widespread devastation in Puerto Rico.
• The island's power grid was destroyed, and many residents had to evacuate.
• Media coverage and response to aid Puerto Rico were lacking compared to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.

Conclusion

• The discourse should focus on why American citizens aren't providing more support to Puerto Rico, rather than questioning their citizenship status.