Suspend the Jones Act and Save Puerto Rico
Please use the headline link at the end of this post to read today's NY Times Op-Ed piece by Nelson A. Denis. All Americans need to learn about this little-known law dating from 1920 that is hampering the response to Puerto Rico's devastation and has exacerbated the debt crisis taking a humanitarian toll long before Hurricane Maria ever hit Puerto Rico. The Jones Act imposes strict limitations on shipping to and from the Island, raises the prices of food and fuel significantly, and has impaired the colony's economic development. Although the FEMA chief interviewed today did not own up to it, the Jones Act is the legal reason that the response to the hurricane disaster has been so slow and that the full military search and rescue operation that's needed has not been mobilized.
During an interview on the PBS News Hour tonight, New York Congresswoman Nydia Velasquez reported having told 45, "If you don't do something, this will be your Katrina!" And no doubt the racism that led to the too-little too-late response to Katrina is operating in the present crisis as well. If the people of Puerto Rico had lighter skin and all spoke English, the aircraft carriers, medical aid ships, and helicopters that are desperately needed would have been delivering relief from offshore days ago. And of course an additional factor operating is our "president's" irrational hatred of even the most helpless and innocent Latino people, whom he regards without exception as violent criminals.
So I ask everyone reading this to educate yourself by reading "The Law that is Strangling Puerto Rico", reachable by means of clicking on the headline link below. Then contact your MoCs urging them to support the Velazquez proposal to suspend this outdated and unjust law that is helping foment a vast humanitarian crisis.
Rufino Tamayo
Sirenas amid the ocean waves sing a lament for the once-beautiful island 
No comments:
Post a Comment