The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States. Unlike most territories, Puerto Rico has a constitution, a legislature, and a governor, same as the 50 states. Like the 50 states, they cannot enter into treaties or create their own foreign policy. Unlike the 50 states, their only representation in Congress is a non-voting member of the House of Representatives.
While Spanish is the dominant language, both Spanish and English are official languages by law. By comparison Hawaii also has two official languages, Alaska has 21 official languages, and 19 states have no official language. The US itself has no official language, this was a deliberate choice made by the founding fathers, as the early colonies spoke a mixture of English, German, Dutch, French, Spanish, and other languages.
There are over 3 million people living in Puerto Rico, that’s more than 20 states. There are nearly 6 million people in the US of Puerto Rican descent.
Despite being a Caribbean island smaller than every states except Rhode Island and Delaware, Puerto Rico has an annual GDP of $118 Billion. That’s larger than the GDP of 12 states. 10% of all pharmacuticals, and 50% of complex biologics, are made in Puerto Rico. Speaking of medication, over 80% of domestic rum, the US’s largest distilled spirit export, is produced in Puerto Rico.
Any way you look at it, demographically, culturally, or economically, Puerto Rico is a significant and important part of the United States.
Why should their culture not be celebrated by a super bowl halftime show? Because it’s Spanish? A language that is both an official and dominant language of a territory of a country that, by design, has no official language? A country where 9 of the 50 states have Spanish names? A country where 4 of the 10 largest cities have Spanish names? In a world where native Spanish speakers worldwide outnumber native English speakers 5 to 4? Do you hear how stupid that sounds?
It’s a big beautiful world out there, full of beauty and wonder and experiences beyond your imagination. Get out there and experience some of it. Or at the very least, shut up while the rest of us watch the pretty halftime show from OUR island of Puerto Rico. It was beautiful. It was joyful. Even if we don’t know what they’re saying, we get what they’re saying.