How the States Got Their Shapes Too_ The People Behind the Borderlines - Mark Stein [150]
A separate key factor worked against Ferré: Puerto Ricans feared that statehood would cost them their culture. Ferré learned this in no uncertain terms when he testified before a Senate committee in 1966. “The unity of our federal-state structure requires a common tongue,” Senator Henry “Scoop” Jackson told him. “A condition precedent to statehood must be the recognition and acceptance of English as the official language.”
Ferré disagreed. “To be an American does not mean to speak English,” he stated at a later time. “For Puerto Ricans, to be American … is to be true to the principles of democracy which are set forth in the Constitution, and to feel one with other American citizens in the protection of our freedoms.”7
Congress voted to let Puerto Ricans decide their political status for themselves. In 1967 a plebiscite was held in which they could choose independence, statehood, or commonwealth status. Commonwealth meant, in this instance, having the same autonomy (and constitutional limitations) as a state. Commonwealth residents could not, however, vote in presidential elections or have voting representation in Congress.
Ferré knew that the opportunity for Puerto Ricans to choose their political status would not come again in his lifetime, and he urged his compatriots to take a frightening but important step:
During the last twenty years, there has been a revolution in communications media.… But in spite of this easier communication, we have made precious little progress in comprehension and understanding. That is the new dimension which we must add to progress.… The Puerto Rican, because of his understanding of the two cultures of America, has the ability and also the obligation to serve in achieving the … dream of a united America.… History has proven … that diversity, not assimilation, is the nerve and essence of the new American culture.… This is the moment for diversity within the unity of the great American nation. Let us make our contribution at this precious moment in history!8
More than 65 percent of Puerto Rico’s voters came to the polls. Emerging from the years of confusion, complexity, mismanagement, and violence, they made their wishes clear. Statehood received 273,315 votes, compared to only 4,205 for independence. Commonwealth status, with 425,081 votes, surpassed the other two choices combined.
Clearly the majority of Puerto Ricans did not want statehood. But they did want Luis Ferré. The year after the plebiscite, he was elected governor of Puerto Rico.
GEORGIA, TENNESSEE
DAVID SHAFER
When the Grass Is Greener on the Other Side
In the spring of 1818 the States of Georgia and Tennessee, by their commissioners, ascertained and marked the dividing line.… The 35th parallel of north latitude constitutes that boundary and there was nothing more to do than to trace and mark that parallel on the surface of the earth.… The result of the observations made on that occasion differs from that of those contained in this report.
—JAMES CAMAK, REPORT TO THE GEORGIA SECRETARY OF STATE, 1827
On February 10, 2008, members of the Georgia State Senate sang “This land is your land, this land is my land” as Senator David Shafer stood to propose a bill authorizing the governor “to initiate negotiations with the Governors of Tennessee and North Carolina for the purpose of correcting the flawed 1818 survey erroneously marking the 35th parallel south of its actual location and to officially recognize the State of Georgia’s northern border with the States of Tennessee and North Carolina as the precise 35th parallel as was intended when both states were created.” The Senate passed the resolution unanimously. Georgia’s House of Representatives followed suit, and the governor signed.
“I would offer to settle this dispute over a friendly game of football,” one Tennessee state senator replied, “but that would be unfair to the state of Georgia.” “I think they’re embarrassing themselves,” said another. “Absurd and laughable,