ROOTED IN COLONIALISM

Regarding the Sentinel's special report on Puerto Rico: The social
ills that plague Puerto Rico are completely rooted in its colonial
status. The drug-related crimes that haunt the residents of Puerto
Rico are birthed from an economic system that does not benefit its citizens.

Puerto Rico's inability as a colony to design an economic system that
can, and would, stimulate growth and prosperity for its citizens
leaves it in the pitiful and disgraceful state it is in now. Only as
a sovereign nation can we design an economic system whose sole
beneficiaries are the Puerto Rican people and not foreign companies
who for decades have raped Puerto Rico for its wealth and resources.

For too long we have allowed an unjustified fear to cripple our
aspirations for independence. Independence is not something that
should be feared. On the contrary, what should be feared is the
continual slow death of our people by the rusted sword of colonialism.

Christian Martir-Cordova