5 Things You Heard More About This Week Than Puerto Rico
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

5 Things You Heard More About This Week Than Puerto Rico

I'm ashamed to be an American right now.

172
5 Things You Heard More About This Week Than Puerto Rico
YouTube | The Oregonian

In case you haven't heard, Puerto Rico is facing a humanitarian crisis. But you probably didn't hear about it.

As a result of Hurricane Maria, 3.5 million Puerto Ricans are without electricity. To put that into perspective, Los Angeles has 3.9 million residents. If the entire city of Los Angeles lost power, you probably would have heard about it by now and you would probably be hearing updates every hour about what was being done to fix it.

But this isn't Los Angeles, it's Puerto Rico, and they need more than just electricity.

Hospitals that should be saving lives are unable to provide care. Of the hospitals with functional generators (many of which are low on fuel), none have running water and supplies are rapidly dwindling. Without diesel fuel for generators, the hospitals lose electricity and life-saving equipment is forced to run on limited emergency backup power.

What's happening in Puerto Rico is devastating, but I'm not just sad, America, I'm pissed.

I'm angry that almost half of Americans don't realize that Puerto Ricans are also Americans. I'm frustrated that we aren't hearing more about their plight or relief efforts.

Scrolling through my Facebook feed, I can count on one hand the number of posts I saw about Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria. On the other hand, I saw lots of posts about these five things.

1. Unconfirmed Kardashian and Jenner pregnancies

Because somehow the hypothetical future children of Kim, Khloe, and Kylie are more important than the 3.5 million people in Puerto Rico without shelter, electricity, and medical care.

2. Donald Trump and the NFL

Even though Trump claims his diatribe against NFL players who choose to kneel during the national anthem hasn't distracted him from relief efforts, I'm calling bullsh*t. I don't want to take away from the important issues those players are trying to bring awareness to, I just wish Trump thought the people of Puerto Rico warranted an equal amount of attention as he spouted off 20+ tweets about the NFL.

3. US Flag Code

I'll be honest, I had no idea there even was a Flag Code or what kind of stuff it covered. Then again, too many Americans had no idea Puerto Ricans fellow Americans.

4. Fixer Upper was canceled


If a dollar was donated to Hurricane Maria relief efforts every time I saw someone posting about how heartbroken they are that Chip and Joanna Gaines announced that Fixer Upper will be ending with season 5, we might actually make some progress. I love the show, but I am substantially more worried about the people who lost their homes than the couples lusting after shiplap accent walls.

5. Doughnut-delivering clowns

Don't get me wrong, clowns are terrifying. The fact that you can surprise your friends with doughnuts delivered by a clown is terrifying. But what's really terrifying is how many people in Puerto Rico have limited access to food and water.

All things considered, I'm disappointed with Americans' response to the tragedy in Puerto Rico. Social media gives us the power spread information and affect change in a positive way. I think it's time we do so.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

112606
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments