Monday, July 24, 2006

Are They Americans Or Not?

A Puerto Rican gal has been crowned Miss Universe.

If Puerto Rico wants to enjoy the niceties of nationhood such as fielding their own Olympic team or sponsoring their own beauty pageant contestants, shouldn’t they surrender even more alluring benefits such as exemption from U.S. taxation, U.S. citizenship, and welfare payments, which according to columnist Michael Barone now top a billion dollars annually?

Diversity mongers will claim that Puerto Rico constitutes a unique culture deserving of such privileges as it enjoys a unique status keeping it distinct from Americas overall national fabric.

Then why doesn’t the District of Columbia get to field their own Miss Universe contestant since residents there have an ambiguous status in terms of Congressional representation?

For that matter, why can’t the states of Dixie field a Miss Confederacy or Southern belle since they have very little in common with lasses from New York?

After all, did not the Beach Boys elaborate the distinctions of females originating from the different parts of the country?

If so, why should Puerto Rico be allowed to have their cake and welfare too?

By Frederick Meekins

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