On the presentation, students discussed the social, cultural, economic and political point of views and perceptions from the websites. Other groups focused on how tourists criticized the island not because of the sites and places they visited, but because of the puertoricans and their ways. Through some of the reviews, they found that some Americans do not read and get informed before commenting. For example, some comments showed that some people do not know puertorico is located in the Americas, others did not know we are a Commonwealth of the United States or that our currency is the same as theirs. Other comments criticized highly intellectuals citizens like Sonia Sotomayor and accused them of not being United States citizens, when it is the opposite. As a Commonwealth we are citizens of the United States and as such we are not immigrants when we move from the island to the states.
Reading the comments perspective and reviews of Puerto Rico during the presentation made me a bit restless. As a non presenting participant, I got the chance of seeing all the presentations all over again. The first time it managed to make me angry. I wondered "How could there be so much ignorance still?". The second time it was easier but very disappointing. Watching all the presentations from the public was interesting because I could listen to people commenting and expressing their thoughts to their friends and colleagues. A person sitting behind me said "And we want to be part of the US, they don't even know who we are". Another comment from what seem to be a professor, said "so much hatred". I could not agree more. Together with ignorance, there seem to be projections of anger and hatred towards a whole population. This could easily be categorized as racism, the word no one in classroom dared to use.
While I did feel angry and overwhelmed by some of the negative comments presented, I refuse to speak badly of a nation and address them disrespectfully because of a few negative perspectives. I will also reserve the right to judge the people who wrote the comments as racists and I believe the number of negative point of views of Puerto Rico in the internet are as much, if not less than the number of good ones.
It was a shock to see that there is still so much ignorance about who we are and our rights. It is called lack of education.
ResponderBorrarIt must have been great to appreciate the feedback of the audience, because it was probably the same reaction we had when we first encounter the ignorant comments. Watching those comments over and over again still makes me mad.
ResponderBorrarIt's good to hear people recognize that the United States American does not want nor cares what happens to us as a culture or people. I had great fun diclosing this kind of behavior because some people need to hear it. Right now we can't do anything financially because of all the restrictions in Congress and their lack of interest in our well being.
ResponderBorrar