A New Petition for Puerto Rico

Dennis Freytes has created and shared a Resolution draft. Your comments are welcome.

RESOLUTION FOR EQUAL RIGHTS-US TERRITORY OF Puerto Rico (PR) (DRAFT)

A RESOLUTION supporting “Equal Rights” for fellow US Citizens-American Veterans in the US Territory of Puerto Rico; a call upon Federal Government to end Federal discrimination; resolve concurrently complex-“Economic; Fiscal; Infrastructure; Humanitarian; and Status-Equality Crisis” (where each part affects the other; the undemocratic Territorial Status affects everything).

WHEREAS, our US Declaration of Independence calls for “consent of the governed”, “no taxation without representation”, and

WHEREAS, our US Republic has a US Constitution that has evolved through its 27 Amendments-Bill of Rights, to protect Individual Rights; starts with “We the People…” made up by the sum of Individual US Citizens; and US President Lincoln’s “Government of the People, by the People and for the People”, and

WHEREAS, we have a Representative Democracy system that is a World example; morally calls for just representation in a true Democracy as we guard against a “tyranny of a majority”, and

WHEREAS, since 1898, Puerto Rico has been a US Territory, under original (1789) Article 4 of our US Constitution’s undemocratic “Territorial Clause”, that states the “US Congress shall have the power to dispose of, and make all rules and regulations pertaining to the US Territory or property belonging to the United States”, going on for a 120 years, making Puerto Rico (PR) the oldest Territory in US History, and

WHEREAS, the “Insular Cases”(1901-1925) determined, in racist times, that the US Congress could “discriminate” in applying the US Constitution (1901-Downes vs Bidwell) to the “unincorporated US Territory that is more foreign than domestic, belongs to, but is not part of the United States” (1922-Balzac vs Porto Rico) still in force (not overturned); are discriminatory terms not found in our US Constitution nor applied to other Territories before Puerto Rico which questions, how can millions of US Citizens-American Veterans be foreign (even in the 2017 Federal Tax Reform) under our US Flag, and

WHEREAS, the 1917 Jones Act provided for US Citizenship-without full Rights-no Vote for US President; no just representation in the US Congress that determines their destiny; no Parity in Federal Laws-Programs; no full blood earned benefits and responsibilities; a non-permanent (no matter the residency-includes Florida) Statutory US Citizenship; nor federal “consent of the Governed”; and

WHEREAS, the Federal Government controls, under the Territorial Clause- PR’s Borders, Currency, Economy, Land (can dispose of PR), captive market… without a federal Vote or just representation, while the US Territory of Puerto Rico has more population-US Citizens-American Veterans than 22 States, and

WHEREAS, facts are, millions of fellow US Citizens-American Veterans suffer (since 1898) Federal discrimination that greatly contribute to the US Territory of Puerto Rico’s “Economic-Jobs; Fiscal-Debt; Infrastructure; Humanitarian; Status-Equality CRISIS” (where each part affects the other; the Federal undemocratic Territorial Status affects everything); creating a humanitarian exodus to our States; with most coming to our great State of Florida- taxing State and Local resources, and

WHEREAS, the only US Constitutional Options to resolve this complex situation are: STATEHOOD vs INDEPENDENCE which never gets more than -5% of the Puerto Rican Vote, as “Commonwealth” or ELA-“Free Associated State” are terms not found in the US Constitution, but are political distorted confusing terms for the Territorial Government… not the Constitutional Status of Puerto Rico, and

WHEREAS, loyal Puerto Ricans (about 9 million-PR: 3.4m/States: 5.6m-2d largest Hispanic Group in the US) have made great contributions to our US in all Fields of Endeavor, since PR Natives Taíno; Spanish Ancestors came from PR (Boriken-1513) to the now US-Florida-107 years before the Pilgrims; fought in the US War of Independence, and, since 1898, fought, under our US Flag- in WW-I, WW-II, Korea, Vietnam…until today’s Global War on Islamic Terrorism, that includes nine Medal of Honor and many other Battlefield awards; the brave US 65th Infantry Regiment-the Borinqueneers (many members now residing in Florida)- earning many Battle Field awards, and the Congressional Gold Medal—highest Honor our US Congress, with US President, can bestow, and

WHEREAS, Puerto Ricans-patriotically cherish their US Citizenship, Values-Representative Democratic system; are integrated in the American way of life; patriotically, & bravely support our great US Constitution-US noble Flag-which UNITES all loyal US Citizens as we work for the Good of All, and

WHEREAS, Puerto Ricans-have no federal “consent of the Governed”, they have sacrificed shed sweat, blood and tears for our noble US Flag; voted twice (2012 & 2017) to be admitted into our “Union of States” where each State has US Citizens; its own Identity; Constitution; Flag; and State Sovereignty, and

WHEREAS, Puerto Rico- creates hundreds of thousands American Jobs; contributes to the Macro US Economy; pays some Federal overt and hidden Taxes; but, is not always treated the same in Federal Laws or in about 42 Federal Programs (Social Security, MEDICARE, MEDICAID, Education, Infrastructure, Transportation, Disaster Aid, Veterans and others); is under the trite 1920 Jones (Merchant Marine) Act and suffers from other discrimination-that ties their hands; prevents fair competition; cost Consumers and the Economy as Puerto Rico tries to liberate it’s educated, and hardworking Entrepreneurial spirit, and

WHEREAS, this is not only a group question on the Territorial Status, but, more important- it is a moral one for Equality; to provide a level playing field, thus, enough with ageless excuses, generalizations, and speculations that discriminate against 3.4 million US Citizens-American Veterans, as Dr. ML King said-THE TIME IS NOW, and

THEREFORE,
Be It Resolved by____________________________________________:
We respectfully ask our Federal Government (US President; US Congress; US Federal-Supreme Court), which has done some good, to do Right-promptly, and concurrently provide-
• EQUAL RIGHTS for fellow loyal US Citizens-American Veterans in the US Territory of Puerto Rico;
• END the 120 years federal undemocratic Territorial Status;
• FIX, with elected Territorial Government, the complex “Economic-Job; Fiscal-Debt; Infrastructure; Humanitarian; Status-Equality CRISIS” (where each part affects the other; the Federal undemocratic Territorial Status affects everything).
As we, RECOMMEND-Statehood for the US Territory of Puerto Rico (per their Vote in two Plebiscites) or alternatively–educate and conduct a Plebiscite between Constitutional Non-Territorial Options which only are: Statehood vs Independence. Let’s work together for Justice; Equality; the Good of All, under our noble USA Flag!
XXX
*NOTE: Send TO: US Congress-House and Senate; US President; CC: PR-Congressman; Governor; House; Senate

Drafted: Dennis Freytes-MPA; MHR; BBA; US Army Ret.-former Commander of Infantry, Special Forces, Airborne Units; University Professor/ Director of Military Science UPR; Executive/Manager; Community Servant Leader-Former Trustee Valencia College; Florida Veterans Hall of Fame Medal-by FL Governor