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Resolution
Statehood or Free Nation
WHEREAS, during most of the
second half of the twentieth century the world
lived in fear of a collision between
free-enterprise and democracy on one hand and a
tyrannical communist regime on the other; and
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
restriction of citizens in communist regimes,
convinced the world of the superiority of
democratic systems when compared to communist
regimes; and
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 to which Communist dictatorships were
overthrown by peaceful revolt; and
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; and
WHEREAS, our
nation as at times assumed responsibility to
help free other people from tyranny as in the
case of Iraq; and
WHEREAS,
Democracy is based on a form of government where
sovereignty resides on the people, who exercise
their sovereign power thru representatives
elected every so often by the vote of all adult
citizens; and
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; and
WHEREAS, our
nation represents itself as a non-imperialistic
nation and as a leader of Democracy throughout
the world, yet has failed to resolved 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; and
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; and
WHEREAS, we can
not continue to preach Democracy throughout the
world while we 4,000,000 of our citizens to be
denied to right to vote, the right to
representation and the right to equality; and
WHEREAS, such a
situation is one of discrimination against
4,000,000 Latin American citizens.
THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED, that LULAC demand
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 obligations 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.
The President of LULAC is
hereby instructed to publicize this resolution
and to present it to the President of the United
States, the Leadership of the U.S. Senate and
the House of Representatives and insist that
action be taken to implement this resolution.
Adopted this 10th day of July
2004.
Hector M. Flores
LULAC National President |
