We are a little over a week out from the Super Bowl and the never-ending complaints about Bad Bunny and his family friendly half-time show continue. It is clear that, while he definitely has songs that have inappropriate language (he didn’t do any of them), he focused on part of what makes us great as a nation – diversity. It is also clear that the argument used to protest his participation – that he isn’t an American citizen – is a lie. Puerto Ricans have been US citizens since March 2, 1917, when the Jones-Shafroth Act was signed into law. This was a collective grant of citizenship for people who were already citizens of Puerto Rico at that time. While this citizenship was granted automatically to most residents, the law did include a provision that allowed individuals to decline it. So why all the fear and trembling?
Immigration, for most of American history, was based on the Naturalization Act of 1790, which allowed free white people of good character who lived within our borders for two years before becoming citizens (Early American Immigration Law & Policy, 1790-1802 – American Reformer). By 1798, however, laws were enacted that became stricter, extending the time of residency. The 1917 Act also created the Asiatic Barred Zone, which excluded people from a wide geographic area in Asia, though exceptions existed for certain groups such as Japanese and Filipino immigrants. (Immigration in the 1900s: A History of US Policy – LegalClarity). In other words, immigration history in the US has never been a set process, and it is clear, historically, that the darker your skin, the less likely it was that you could become a citizen.
Which once again is a reminder that America’s original sin – enslavement based on racism – is alive and doing fine. And sure, every immigrant group, including Germans and the Irish, were mistreated by those already here. I guess people are naturally, or practically, tribal. It was far easier for white Europeans to assimilate and hide their beginnings than it was for someone who wasn’t white. The bigotry continues, with cries that we are a “white, Christian nation” being bandied about. Bad Bunny was demonized for being brown and for speaking Spanish, not for his lyrics (have you ever heard some of Kid Rock’s songs?). People, lacking facts, made stuff up. We continue to look in the mirror and not like what we see, so we take it out on people we think are easy targets. That makes us weak and fearful. That makes us bullies and bigots. We should be better than this, by now.
Prayer – Holy God, cure us of our racism, and show us better ways to be human. Amen.
Ever notice that Captain America’s costume is actually the Puerto Rican flag? Just sayin’.