"THE PUERTO RICAN DAY" EPISODE

I was very suprised at all the controversy over "The Puerto Rican Day". For a show that killed off a woman with envelope poisoning and had a man steal a loaf of rye bread, one wouldn't think that Kramer setting the Puerto Rican flag on fire would be that much of a deal. It was an accident, not meant to offend anyone. The burning of the flag is a classic example of Seinfeld's warped humor. I personally loved the entire episode---thought it was one of the best---and gave it an "A" on a scale of "A+" to "F-". For those who found the flag burning offensive, there were many postive things said about Puerto Ricans, like "I'm really getting into the Puerto Rican Day." (Kramer). I am pretty sure than NBC will not rerun this show during the summer; too bad, it was great, as I said. Hopefully it will be put into sydnication despite all the angry Puerto Ricans. I could see if one of the characters said something along the lines of "I hate Puerto Ricans," than that would be a different case and inexcuseable. But this, everybody, is comedy---Seinfeld style. By the way, stop in and visit My Seinfeld page at: http://members.aol.com/RathburnSt/seinfeld.html

Most of the self-appointed "Puerto Rican leaders" in New York screaming their lungs out because of this episode are just politicians trying to stir up trouble, for their own petty political aspirations.

For example, there's this guy Mirabal (who's been loudly screaming foul about this), he really doesn't represent anyone but his own organization, but he's talking to the news media saying that "he represents over 7 million Puerto Ricans both in the USA and in the Island". That's complete BS. 99% of PRs in the island haven't even HEARD of Mirabal!

Most Puerto Ricans who have complained haven't even seen the episode! They were just told "hey, did you know they burned a PR flag in Seinfeld last night?", and of course, if you don't see the scene and how it happens, you'll get the WRONG idea. Most of the people here in Puerto Rico who DID see the episode don't find anything wrong with it. We got the joke, because we saw the show and the flag scene IN ITS CONTEXT.

Just to make things clear: the people complaining about this are a MINORITY, and they don't represent the majority of the Puerto Rican people.

Saludos,

RAUL

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Surely the majority of Puerto Rican's live in Puerto Rico. Any New Yorkers of PR descent are surely American, and their flag is the Stars and Stripes?!

At the risk of sounding rascist, if they are so proud of Puerto Rico why do so many of them live in the USA?

CMoon

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It's about 3.7 million in PR, and about 2 million across the whole USA, most of them in NYC / Tri-State Metro Area.

Well, although pro-independence PRicans don't like it, ALL Puerto Ricans are Americans (citizens since 1917), as Puerto Rico has been a US Territory for a whole century (since 1898). Both the PR and US flags fly side by side in all public buildings (except federal offices, where it's only the US flag).

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Well, Texans are proud of Texas no matter where they live, so what's the problem? Americans of Irish descent celebrate their heritage all across the country, and so do Puerto Ricans residing in the USA. Hey, we're citizens, it's our country too, we can live in the USA whenever and wherever we want, just as you're all *welcome* to Puerto Rico whenever you want to come! But still, we have a very unique and beautiful cultural and historical heritage, which we cherish and treasure wherever we go.

Saludos

RAUL

[email] wrote:

If I may carry this a step farther (I'm Irish/Swedish descent)...I don't think any race or nationality should celebrate any "foreign" country's national days if they're United States citizens. (Of course anyone should be free to do so, I'm not saying they shouldn't be FREE to do so) I just wish that everyone in the U.S. would celebrate the U.S. holidays with gusto and remember that we are all Americans, we left our nationality behind when we became citizens of this country...but that would be my ideal United States. FWIW, I don't celebrate St. Patrick's day, or honor it in any way because it's not an American holiday. I am proud of Veteran's Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, etc.

I wouldn't go to Ireland, Puerto Rico, or Mexico and celebrate American holidays on their streets and wave U.S. flags in their faces!

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Hmm... would you celebrate July 4th if you were Black?

Mike

I think everyone is being too sensitive about the flag burning of the Peurto rican flag on the show. The comedy on Seinfeld derives from "happenstance". The sparkler happened to start the fire, and Kramer was trying to put it out on the sidewalk, but it looked like he was burning the flag. I thought it was hilarious, and it the whole show, in my opinion, showed that people are too sensitive to such things. One episode even poked fun of sterotypes specifically; the "cigar store indian" one, where Jerry said "Isn't everyone getting a little too sensitive.... if someone asks me which way is Israel, I don't freak out".

Does anyone agree?

LAURIE ROSEN wrote:

We ALL agree! Jerry is an iconoclast - he pokes fun at our unquestioned social values. Flags included. - Kissing hello included - wearing an Aids ribbon included - religion included - sexual repression included - private clubs included - worshiping Schindler's list - etc...

Mike wrote:

Are you saying that black people cannot be Americans? You have never celebrated Independence Day with anyone of color? Why the distinction? If you were born in this country, you're an American, it doesn't matter what color you are. Why don't you ask the millions of black veterans who served the United States in the armed forces if they celebrate July 4th?

Most black people I know are proud of their country even though it has been unfair to them in the past. They still believe in the U.S. ultimately and I think the U.S. has made tremendous progress racially in the past 100 years. (We still have a way to go though)

Rob