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Esta página no está disponible en español. The Empire Rolls Back…US `Acquisitions' …Learn The Language… Manifest Imperialism The Empire Rolls Back May 9, 2003 Volume 39, Issue 27; ISSN: 0027-8939 As Corrado [del Rio] declared at the 1999 funeral of David Sanes, a Vieques resident and civilian employee of the Navy killed by a misdirected U.S. bomb: "We all know that the national security of Puerto Rico and the United States requires our participation, but too much can be asked on The road to freedom. Vieques has borne more than its share."
US 'Acquisitions' SUNDAY FORUM - Letters Edited by BOB HAWKINS May 25, 2003 John Harris (Your Say, 18/5) asks "Can you name one country that the US has held as a colony after crushing it militarily?" I can name several. From the Mexican-American Wars, America "acquired" Arizona, Nevada, California, Utah, New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming. The US also incited the Mexican province of Texas to rebel, then subsequently annexed the newly created Republic of Texas. The effect of the two Mexican-American Wars was that Mexico lost more than half its territory. From the Spanish-American wars, America "acquired" Puerto Rico and Guam, "leased" Guantanamo Bay, invaded the Philippines and, following the Philippine-American War, it held that country as a colony for more than 40 years, until evicted by the Japanese in 1940. And what of the annexation of Hawaii in 1893 by US armed forces? None of this of course, takes into account the military invasions and subsequent annexation and colonisation of native American lands since 1779, culminating in the Indian Wars. MICHAEL KENNEDY
Learn The Language Letters to the Editor May 29, 2003 I completely agree with the commentary by Ernest W. Lefever in Monday's Sentinel. Before Puerto Rico makes Spanish its official language, we need to make English the official language in the United States. If the current way of doing things continues, this country will soon become the United Hispanic States of America. Let's quit romancing the illegals in this country and have all who want to live and work here learn to read, write and speak English. As the son of immigrant parents, who came from Europe, I know they learned English and became citizens. It should not be any different now. Illegals and legals should all become citizens and learn the language of this country. Ronald Christiansen
Manifest Imperialism Letters June 2, 2003 Michael Elliott's commentary "Why Empires Strike Out" [GLOBAL AGENDA, May 12] stated, "Imperialism may be chic, but it's not the American way." I wonder if Native Americans, Puerto Ricans, Hawaiians, Alaskans and Mexicans would agree. The U.S. has, since its inception, been an imperial power. Just like the British, French, Belgians and Italians, Americans conquered and coerced dark- skinned people into acquiescing to foreign rule. Though most of the conquered and purchased territory has been contiguous geographically and was eventually incorporated politically, our imperial history cannot be denied, and our continued imperial relationship with Puerto Rico and American Samoa cannot be ignored. SEAN HOLIDAY
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