Feliz 4 de Julio

Happy 4th to everyone! One of the things which I miss about living in the mainland U.S is the 4th of July celebration. When I lived in the Big Apple, I was able to see the Macy's fireworks from my window. As a kid, and even as an adult, I was always in awe when I saw and heard the huge displays of colors exploding into the air. Although the 4th is officially a holiday here on the island, it's just not celebrated with the same fervor as you'd see on the mainland. This, of course, is no surprise. Just ask any Puerto Rican on the island if they're American and they'll most likely say: "Yo soy Boricua, papa!" (translation: "I'm Puerto Rican."). On a side note, "papa" is an affectionate way to refer to another male.

Anyway, it is a long wikén for many people here and most will be heading to the beaches. There are some festivities planned at the Hiram Bithorn stadium, where some local politicians are scheduled to appear. American flags, which one would usually see in any Federal building or infrastructure constructed with Federal funds, are not normally seen around the island. To most Puerto Ricans, the 4th of July is also observed along party lines. Most from the blue party (aka Partido Nuevo Progresista) who are pro-U.S will most likely attend tonight's festivities. Unfortunately, like most every issue on the island, the celebration of the 4th is a politicized one as well.