Comments on: Not in our name: A Puerto Rican White Supremacist in Charlottesville – By Rosa Clemente

By: Jackie Julty

Jackie Julty — Tue, 03 Oct 2017 14:24:13 +0000

Hi Rosa:
Thanks for this article. Back in the day, I remember hearing a saying in the Puerto Rican community in NYC- ” y tu abuela, Donde esta?”(I’m biracial, Carribean-American and European-Jewish American, but I hung out in the Latino community as a youth) Jackie Julty

By: Eric marrow

Eric marrow — Sun, 20 Aug 2017 14:40:04 +0000

I want to thank you for this eye opening article. I come from s neighborhood where black and Spanish Americans live side by side. I never saw a difference between the two. I was employed by the Department of Corrections and right away saw the separation between the two races, I was totally shocked. One Spanish officer treated me with great kindness, until she found out I was light skinned black, she never spoke to me again! It was sad but also an eye opener that I did not understand. The separation between the inmates was so obvious. Too come from neighborhoods and schools where we coexisted, to being in an environment that was harsh to begin with and seeing the violence amongst ourselves. Thank you for your article, I hope we all realize our connected heritage.

By: Faustino Vázquez

Faustino Vázquez — Sun, 20 Aug 2017 13:01:19 +0000

I agree with most of what your articles says except the part of Latinx. From what I’ve learned and studied, X means without name or identity. I don’t describe myself as latino, not since i studied and learned about my heritage and culture. I was born and raised in NYC and also lived in Puerto Rico for 8 yrs, where people would refer to me as Nuyorican. I ALWAYS corrected them and let them know that no matter where i was born or where i live, I’m Puerto Rican! Nuyorican is just another stereotype as far as I’m concerned. The Young Lords had an office in my neighborhood when i was growing up. I read the book they wrote and agree very much with Felipe Luciano and Pablo Guzman, among others. If you’ve never heard Felipe Luciano recite the poem “Jibaro, my pretty nigger…” you should treat yourself. I will ALWAYS identify myself as Puerto Rican, not latino or latinx or anything else. Even on job applications i cross it out and write Puerto Rican. All Spanish- speaking people decend from different nations and i refuse to be bunched in with everyone else, because that’s how white america sees us all; “those hispanic people.” Also, i don’t know if you have ever lived in Puerto Rico, but unless you have, you can’t really get a feel for what’s going on in the island. I was accepted by my family and friends, but rejected by those who have different political views. Like one of the persons who also replied to your article said, racism exists in Puerto Rico, Boricua contra Boricua. That really breaks my heart. I long to see my country a free nation one day, but until we’re able to remove all those traitors who are selling it off piece by piece and those who bend their knees to yankee imperialism, like this jerk you wrote about, that will never happen. Que Viva Puerto Rico Libre!

By: Ibrahim Pedro Al Boreeqee

Ibrahim Pedro Al Boreeqee — Sun, 20 Aug 2017 09:08:47 +0000

Rosa,
Well said and well written. I am a white skinned Puertorriqueño who like all of us Puertorriqueños come from a very mixed family genetically. My Great Great Grandfather was Black, we have Arab, we have Turkish, we have Spanish, even Japanese blood in my family. I can’t say for sure if we have Taíno but I don’t discount it. In my family we have Catholics, Pentecostals, Mormons, Jews and even Muslims. I also am a Muslim for the las 17 years. My wife us is a Black Kuwaiti, infact I live in Kuwait. We s should be proud of ALL our heritages instead of hiding it. In Puerto Rico we have a “passive” racism where Trigeñas will call themselves white and evn Black women with “good hair” will call themselves white. What we must also remember is that racism is found everywhere. When I lived in the US, whites hated me for Latino, blacks hated me for white, Latinos hated me for Puertorriqueño and Nuyoricans hated me for not being dressing in Puerto Rican flags head to toe. The when I became Muslim everyone hated me. Bigotry must be fought in al its forms.

By: Rosalina Diaz

Rosalina Diaz — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 19:19:52 +0000

Hi Rosa, excellent article. I too am disgusted by this situation. This man obviously us ignorant if his biological and cultursl roots – so sad. I teach at Medgar Evers College, CUNY. Would love to discuss your views regarding the current PR crisis and how it is impacted by ravist ideology. We will be convening a panel on this issue for Latino Heritage Month. Perhaps you might be interestef in being on the panel?

By: Shirley Howard

Shirley Howard — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 16:32:52 +0000

Bravo!!! Rosa Clemente. ..my sister of the sun…..Bravo!!!!!!

By: Rosemari Mealy JD PhD

Rosemari Mealy JD PhD — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 14:51:24 +0000

Hola Rosa,
Your commentary was on point. You had every right to scream, more importantly after the calm you transformed your anger into action by Using the pen as a sword .
Thank you.
Peace.
rosemari mealy

By: Yayah Fari

Yayah Fari — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 12:21:15 +0000

Salufos hermana Boricua, que nuestro pensar se haga eco y retumbe el internet , solo el Amor acaba con este locura , eduquemonos , eduquemos a los niños y elevemos oraciones para fortalecer la meditacion de la libertad.. ” until the philosophy that one race is superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredit and abandoned, in every where will be war”…. Haile Selassie First (United Nations speech)

By: Debbie Gonzalez

Debbie Gonzalez — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 11:11:05 +0000

Rosa,
Thanks for your article, very well you espressed how we felt in this passed days as we realize a Puertorican involve in this horrible events. I just wanted to clarify that Puerto Rico’s Governor is following the Financial recuperation plan Promesa. PR has always been an island that depends on investments from outside the island and it was the previous Governor who created a save haven for investors and relaxed taxes for them to investment including properties. The second part is that Puertorican are not fleeing the island because the governor is “enacting policies through militarized police that are forcing people out of the Island”, people are fleeing because for the past 40 years all the governors of the Island didn’t work financially responsible creating millions of dollars in debt that has created an impose austerity to balance the budget. PROMESA which is the “solution” give to PR by the congress is supposed to be a life line for the Puertorican economy. PR political history and current environment is always complicated and emotional!! I appreciate your expressions of your reality as Black Boricua and I hear your pain but you are also responsible for the accuracy of your facts when illustrating such complicated problems!

By: Anthony M. Rivera

Anthony M. Rivera — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 06:37:33 +0000

I am a puertorican “mulato” and lived in the US most of my life. I have never found myself completely accepted as part of the black community and much less by the white one. My children are experiencing the same thing as they grow in this country.
I don’t know in what planet rosaclemente was born and raised.