Building Bridges: Your Community and Labor Report National Edition
Produced by Ken Nash and Mimi Rosenberg
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The Storms have ripped the clothes off colonialism's devastation
of Puerto Rico” says Luis Rosa Perez!
featuring
Luis Rosa Perez, is a former U..S. held Puerto Rican political prisoner of
war. He served almost 20 years in U.S. prisons for fighting to free Puerto
Rico from the colonial relationship it’s had with the U.S. since 1898. In 1999
he and a group of Puerto Rican prisoners of war were given clemency by
President Clinton. Luis Rosa Perez's commitment to his people is described
as "Sacrifice without hesitation".
and
Rafael Bernabe is a researcher and professor at the University of Puerto
Rico. He is the author, with César Ayala, of Puerto Rico in the American
Century:A History Since 1898 (2007).
Hurricane Irma and Maria's passing and aftermath have once again brought
to light Puerto Rico’s primordial conundrum: colonialism. Together they have
left The Island in shambles. Luis Rosa Perez and Rafael Bernabe, two of the
Island’s most prominent social change agents survey the damage on the
ground wrought by the storms, whose devastating path through the Island
was paved by Puerto Rico’s status as a US colony. Luis and Rafael take
stock of The Island’s needs and urge us to build support for the Puerto
Rican communities Unity March for Puerto Rico, Sunday, November 19,
in D.C., – One People – One Voice – against unjust laws that have been
systematically oppressive and exploited the people and resources of
Puerto Rico and prevented its socio-economic growth and the sustainability
of The Island.
Luis and Rafael discuss the peoples reconstruction efforts on the ground
and their organizing for self-determination, while they encourage us to create
forceful, sustained political pressure on our leaders until they act for Puerto
Rico – for a commitment to sustain rebuilding efforts; for transparency and
accountability in the delivery of aid; and for the elimination of the Jones Act
and the cancellation of Puerto Rico’s debt which is crippling The Island’s
recovery.
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To Download or listen to this 28:08 radio minute program,
Building Bridges is regularly broadcast live over WBAI,
99.5 FM in the N.Y.C Metropolitan area on Mondays from
7-8pm EST and is streamed, and archived cast at
www.wbai.org
We are also syndicated weekly on over 50 broadcast and internet radio
stations in the US, Canada and UK