Dose West Side Story better or Worst with the Sharks being Puerto Ricans ?

...I think it's trying to communicate...

Perhaps you should listen to the lyrics?

"Nobody knows in America

Puerto Rico's IN America!" 

It's clearly about racism dude. Nothing to do with citizenship. Thank you for the wonderful laugh though. 

Because the song underscores the fact that Puerto Rico is not a state in the Union and thus has been forever treated as inferior to the rest of the United States of America.  Which, as AEA AGMA SM points out, is still a relevant issue today.  

And, let's not forget, the original WSS was written in the 1950s about the reality of the situation in the 1950s and not as things are today although, now that I think of it, maybe things are not all that different now.

And, of course, the original was written by three well-heeled, gay white men....who better to tell the story of Puerto Rican life, underprivileged youth and gang violence in America?!

Updated On: 7/10/19 at 03:33 PM

haterobics said: "If you look at the US reaction to the hurricane that affected Puerto Rico compared to similar incidents in Texas and Florida, I'm not sure Puerto Rico is given equal treatment today, nor would their citizenry feel they are the same."

Exactly. (Ditto to Dramamama's post.)

The issue of Puerto Rican nationality is complex and always has been. 
And I don't agree it is somehow more settled today than it was in 1957.

Yes, Puerto Ricans are US citizens, but they are isolated. (To paraphrase our President: "I don't know if you know this, but Puerto Rico is surrounded by water." And they have a different heritage in terms of culture, language and religion from most American mainlanders.

There have been many referenda in my lifetime where citizens were given a choice between gaining independence, statehood or maintaining the current commonwealth (i.e., colony) status. No clear consensus has ever been reached. (There are tax and other consequences to independence, too; I don't mean to suggest this is merely a question of sentimentality.)

The question now is whether the federal neglect and the thousands of unnecessary deaths after Hurricane Maria will tip the balance toward separation from the US or toward a closer relationship.

Since PR as a state would probably tend to vote Democratic, I doubt the GOP will ever allow statehood. IIRC, PR has to request statehood (or independence), but Congress has to approve any request.

(BTW, I spent two weeks in PR with a church group in my teens. Lovely people, beautiful island. Quite a mess at the moment, thanks to the current administration. Tragic.)

***

ETA in terms of WEST SIDE STORY characters, those who romanticize the home island are ignoring the fact that there are far fewer jobs there. PR retains a primarily agricultural economy even as its population has exploded thanks to modern medicine, etc. That's what the song "America" is about: not to take pot shots at the home island, but to point out that few Puerto Ricans are in New York because they like concrete. Most are there because they couldn't support themselves in the Puerto Rican economy.

Updated On: 7/11/19 at 12:21 AM