Resolution - TO SUPPORT THE VOTING RIGHTS OF U.S. CITIZENS IN PUERTO RICO.

WHEREAS, LULAC is our nation’s oldest and largest Hispanic civil rights organization addressing education, employment and civil rights issues in the United States of America since 1929; and

WHEREAS, Puerto Rico continues to be a territory of the United States 110 years after being ceded by Spain at the conclusion of the Spanish American War; and

WHEREAS, Puerto Ricans have been U.S. Citizens since 1917; and

WHEREAS, U.S. Citizens who reside in Puerto Rico are still denied several of the most fundamentals of civil rights; such as the right to vote for the President of the United States and for the corresponding members of Congress; and

WHEREAS, the United States Supreme Court continues to validate the legal doctrine that allows Congress to determine which rights and benefits are afforded to the U.S. citizens who reside in Puerto Rico; therefore establishing a class of citizens who are “separate and unequal” as opposed to those who live within the 50 states; and

WHEREAS, the denial of the right to vote for those men and women who make decisions that affect the daily lives of the U.S. Citizens who reside in Puerto Rico strikes at the very essence of our nation’s democracy; and

WHEREAS, this untenable situation is made even worse by the lackadaisical attitude of the United States Congress in addressing the need for true self-determination of U.S. citizens who reside in Puerto Rico; and

WHEREAS, These student groups are like any other school club or fraternity, they bring Students together so they can achieve academic success; and

WHEREAS, a petition had been filed before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on behalf of all the U.S. citizens who reside in Puerto Rico against the U.S. Government for violating “The American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man” and the “inter-American Democratic Charter” in denying their right to vote for the President and Vice President of the United States, as well as for their corresponding voting members of Congress.; and

WHEREAS, the house of Representatives of Puerto Rico has adopted House Resolution 5777, as amended, in full support of this petition filed before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights with regard to the petition filed in the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights against the U.S. Government for denying their right to vote for the President and Vice-President of the United States, as well as for their corresponding voting members of Congress.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the League of United Latin American Citizens will continue to fully and actively support these and any other efforts by their fellow U.S. citizens who reside in Puerto Rico regarding their legitimate right as U.S. citizens to be able to vote for the President and Vice-President of the United States, as well as for their corresponding voting members of Congress.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution constitute a clear and specific mandate for LULAC, so that all appropriate actions can be undertaken to fully and actively support these and any other efforts by their fellow U.S. citizens who reside in Puerto Rico.

 

Approved this 17th day of July 2010.

Margaret Moran
LULAC National President