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Resolution
Self-Determination for Puerto
Rico
WHEREAS, during most of the
second half of the Twentieth Century the world
lived in dear of a collision between
Free-Enterprise and Democracy on one hand and a
Tyrannical Communist Regime on the other;
WHEREAS, the
political freedom and constitutional guarantees
of democracy, together with the economic
opportunities and the success enjoyed by
Americans and other democratic nations, when
compared to the lack of freedom and the
assassinations, incarceration, abuses and
restrictions of citizens in communist regimes,
convinced the world of the superiority of
democratic systems when compared to communist
regimes;
WHEREAS,
throughout this process, the United States of
America became the symbol and inspiration to
freedom loving peoples throughout the world;
inspiring Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia,
Hungary, East Germany, Russia and many other
nations to seek freedom and democracy; as a
result of which Communist dictatorships were
overthrown by peaceful revolt;
WHEREAS, even in
Tiananmen, the Chinese built a paper Statue of
Liberty in the square where they gathered to
demonstrate against communism and in favor of
Democracy;
WHEREAS, our
nation has at times assumed responsibility to
help free other people from tyranny as in the
case of Iraq;
WHEREAS,
Democracy is based on a form of government where
sovereignty resides on the people, who exercise
their sovereign power through representatives
elected every so often by the vote of all adult
citizens;
WHEREAS, the
United States of America preaches freedom, equal
participation in the decision making process and
equal participation in economic opportunities to
all nations throughout the world, yet after 105
years, it still maintains, 4,000,000 Latin
American U.S. Citizens disenfranchised, and
denied of equal benefits and equal economic
opportunities;
WHEREAS, our
nation represents itself as a non-imperialistic
nation and as a leader of Democracy throughout
the world, yet has failed to resolve the
colonial relationship which it maintains with
the Territory of Puerto Rico, which meets all
possible requirements to be either a state of
the union, or a free nation;
WHEREAS, the
present relationship which denies the 4,000,000
American citizens who reside in Puerto Rico, the
right to vote, the right to representation and
the right to equal opportunity in economic,
education, and social programs sponsored by U.S.
Congress, should be declared unacceptable in the
United States of America;
WHEREAS, we
cannot continue to preach Democracy throughout
the world while we allow 4,000,000 of our
citizens to be denied the right to vote, the
right to representation and the right to
equality;
WHEREAS, such a
situation is one of discrimination against
4,000,000 Latin American citizens;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT
RESOLVED, that LULAC demands from the
U.S. Congress and our President to provide our
fellow citizens in Puerto Rico, the opportunity
to exercise their right to self-determination in
a referendum in which the U.S. citizens in
Puerto Rico will be entitled to vote whether or
not they want to have the same rights and
obligation as all citizens in the fifty (50)
states and share the sovereignty as equals in
the nation, with the understanding that Congress
will support the realization of the choice
supported by the majority.
Submitted by
Carlos Romero Barceló, Council #14753
Approved this 21st day of June, 2003
Hector M. Flores
LULAC National President |
