Puerto Rico has been influenced by many cultures: Europe when the island was colonized by Spain, Latin America, the Caribbean, West Africa from the slave trade, and for the last one hundred years the United States has woven its way into this already interesting mix.
I was intrigued by how and where these influences showed up and played out to become something uniquely Puerto Rican. You can order café con leche at McDonald's (and it's good!). The interstate looks like ones at home, yet at rush hour any path is fair game including shoulders and grassy medians, and high-speed reverse is the norm when you miss your exit. I found this melding in every aspect of Puerto Rican culture including art, music, politics, and reflected in the sense of identity in individual's lives.
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The U.S. Navy has been holding bombing exercises on Vieques, a small island off Puerto Rico's east coast. Many Puerto Ricans want them to stop for environmental and health reasons, and because it has an adverse affect on quality of life for the community.
One night several members of the press and I followed a few protesters to the perimeter of the restricted U.S Navy area. The protesters chanted for a while, and then departed into the woods away from the Navy fence, leaving me and the rest of the press behind. At that point the soldiers sprayed pepper spray followed by tear gas. As we were leaving my friend, who is a photographer with the Associated Press, was shot in the arm with a rubber bullet. It mangled his arm, and he had to go through weeks of therapy.
I was shocked to hear the Navy gave him a reprimand, rather than an apology: "He shouldn't have been wearing a black T-shirt," the Navy PR woman told him, even though they had turned bright lights on us. It didn't seem to matter that my friend had three cameras around his neck, making it very clear we were journalists, not protesters.
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Puerto Ricans are nuts about politics. Their voter turnout is close to 85 percent. Even in the most remote mountain towns, residents read the newspaper and keep up with current events. People often told me that politics was Puerto Rico's national sport.
I really found out how politically aware Puerto Ricans are when author Andrew Cockburn and I visited a crack house in Old San Juan and met a heroin addict. He started talking to us about whether Puerto Rico should become a state, a country, or remain a commonwealth.
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