This is a country that was founded on racism. It was built on racism. It still continues to thrive through wealth disparity, and housing disparity is all built on the backs of racism.
W. Kamau BellRead
People born in Puerto Rico are U.S. citizens - except for the teeny, tiny, mind-boggling fact that if you live in Puerto Rico, you are not allowed to cast a vote in the election for president. That tiny fact starts to get bigger when you realize that electing our own leaders is the whole reason that we have a country in the first place.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the paradox of Puerto Rican citizenship and the right to vote in presidential elections.
W. Kamau Bell's quote points out the contradiction faced by Puerto Ricans, who are U.S. citizens yet lack voting rights in presidential elections. This discrepancy raises important questions about democracy, representation, and the political status of Puerto Rico, emphasizing the fundamental importance of voting as a cornerstone of national identity and self-governance.
Themes
Puerto RicoCitizenshipVoting RightsDemocracyRepresentation
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about Puerto Rican rights and citizenship at a community meeting.
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We can't throw the worst part of racism into the dustbin of history.
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When we let cops talk about themselves as a separate community, then we are letting cops wall themselves off from the rest of us. We don't generally do that with any other jobs. We don't talk about the barista community or the Wal-Mart greeter community.
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