Puerto Rico is an island which covers 3,515 square miles. Its population is composed of 3.335 million men, women, and children. They are American citizens, and they have virtually been ignored by our government, the American people, and the mainstream media.

Hurricane Maria devastated the island six months ago, and the basics needed to sustain life remain unattainable for many of the island’s residents. Much of the island remains without electrical power. Citizens of Puerto Rico continue to die from causes related to the hurricane. FEMA and your illegitimate president are failing these Americans and the shame belongs to all of us.

Let’s be honest here. If Hillary Clinton had been elected, and Republicans had lost control of one of the houses of congress, this would not be happening. If this situation had occurred in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, or other red states, this would not be happening; Republicans would demand adequate funding and manpower to alleviate the problem. This is more additional proof that not only is Trump a white supremacist, the entire Republican Party is composed of racists and bigots.

Democratic Illinois Congressman Luis V. Gutiérrez, who is Puerto Rican, had this to say.

“I was hoping for some sort of apology on Puerto Rico, but I heard nothing. Puerto Rico is a metaphor for how this President sees all Latinos and people of color: he does not see us as his equals and he does not see us as fellow human beings. If you look at how the President has treated Puerto Rico, you have to conclude that he just doesn’t care and probably thinks of Puerto Rico as just another shithole country.

“I was born in 1953 in the U.S. when separate but equal was the law of the land. I am proud of the progress the United States has made as a nation on issues of race, gender, sexual orientation, disabilities, and many other areas where we have advanced. I was hoping to get through my life without having to witness an outwardly, explicitly racist American President, but my luck ran out.”

These are Americans. Trump has no interest in caring for American citizens. He made one visit to Puerto Rico and threw paper towels at the people. He is playing golf at Mar-a-Lago again this weekend at a cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars to taxpayers while the people; the AMERICAN people of Puerto Rico continue to suffer.

Americans deserve more. Trump is not only an embarrassment to the American people, he is an embarrassment to all mankind.

Op-ed by James Turnage

SOURCE

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