Drug Influence on the Island

 Puerto Ricans are known for their beautiful island, sexy music, and good Latino food, but Puerto Rico is known for their drug war and violent crimes.  In Bodega Dreams, we get a brief insight to the life of a drug game and the influence it plays on the people in the community.  Willie Bodega is a Puerto Rican drug lord in the projects in East Harlem, New York.   He tries to give back to his Puerto Rican people by financing renovation on old project buildings, then turning around and renting them out to deserving Puerto Ricans, under market value.  Chino, the books narrator, is a married, baby on the way, in community college, guy.  Everything he makes gets saved to help find a home for himself and his wife.  Chino becomes involved with Willie through his friend Sapo, but gets dragged into Willies business, when Willie finds Chino useful. Chino can’t refuse to help Willie as the reward will help him land the perfect home for his wife and unborn child.   

This drug war and act of violence crimes is nothing new to the island of Puerto Rico. In 2011 Puerto Rico reached its all time high in murders. Large amounts of them were drug related murders.  Just as the book showed the positions of the drug game in the characters Willie and Chino, models of that hierarchy play out in real life, everyday in Puerto Rico. Like Jose Figueroa Agosto a Puerto Rican, leader of the largest drug trafficking organization in the Caribbean.  He was arrested this past year in 2011, but he was the man who ran the game, the top dog, much as the book portrayed Willie in Harlem. He had lots of people who worked under him. Many whom could have been “Chinos”, forced into the game because of finical burdens. After reading this book and recently coming back from a Puerto Rican trip, I wanted to research this problem, this relationship, drugs and Puerto Ricans had with one another.  In the book, Bodega Dreams, we read how Puerto Ricans were involved in the drug war in America.  The question I want to pursue for this paper, how influential is the drug war on the island of Puerto Rico and the people, but how influential is America on the drug war in Puerto Rico?

Many young Puerto Ricans become dragged into the drug business, in order to make a quick buck for their family. Many young Latino men get involved in the drug business on the island, much like Chino was pushed in. They are looked at, as easy targets to convince to participate in illegal activity as they have no other way to provided for their family. On my trip to Puerto Rico I met a Latino male, who took me around, showed me, and described his home to me. I saw the beauty in Puerto Rico. The dazzling flowers, animals, oceans, views, but inside the beauty was death and violence. I saw men holding guns, shots rang out through the night air. I was warned everywhere I went. “Don’t stop at the red light, its pass midnight, we could be shot.” “If someone breaks in, let them. Let them take whatever they want. Just don’t try and stop them.” People were always looking out for me, one, I think, was because I was American. Second because the island is dangerous place from all the drug activity happening. The island has become a popular point in the Caribbean for the drug trade. It is right along the route from Colombia to America. Cocaine, heroin, and marijuana are the main drugs that arrive in Puerto Rica. Many of them are bound for the US.  This map to the left, I got from Google images, shows the suspect maritime activity in 2007. Though it may be slightly dated, it shows the popular routes for drug trafficking in that year.  We see how many of the products final destinations are the United States, and how many of those stop in Puerto Rico first. The map may be old, but the distribution of drugs has only increased as time has prevailed. Now in the year 2012 the US-Mexican border security is becoming more and more intensified, rerouting drugs through the Caribbean. Routes, such as the one to Puerto Rico have been successful and will just increase in popularity enhancing the dangers of the drug war. 

As we (a Puerto Rican male, a Puerto Rican female, my roommate, and I) drove around the island, and especially the capital city, San Juan, gang names could be found on the sides of the buildings. Calli Cuarto, means Fourth Street, which is a popular gang to have graffiti marks on housing complexes. According to CNN U.S., the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, and local police departments raided a housing complex in mid-October with warrants of 82 suspected gang members of the Calli Cuarto. The gang was blamed for 25 out of the 1,133 of the homicides that had occurred on the island in 2011. Netas, are another popular gang in Puerto Rico. They claim the lives of many young Latinos by joining the gang life. In the National Drug Intelligence Center, Narcotics Digest weekly, it discusses this very dangerous prison gang. It now has members in United States located within prisons and on the streets. The number of members participating in this group are said to be around 40,000 in Puerto Rico alone, 30,000 in the United States and another 30,000 in other countries. The colors of the Los Netas can be shown with pride throughout the housing projects. As discussed in the book, Teen Gangs: A Global View, Duffy and Gillig describe the gangs influences on Puerto Rican communities. “It is the belief among those of low socioeconomic status that all Puerto Ricans may end up in jail at any given time in their lives.” Puerto Rico has a high poverty rate 44.5%.  That means just over half of the population lie above the poverty rate. The average household income is around $27,000, making it the poorest territory/states of the United States. With seeing the poverty rate and looking at this book, its unreal how much influence gangs have on communities. They influence a large number of young males to join, but inspire the poor to have pride when they have nothing.

The Puerto Rican male, I was in the car with, began talking about friends he had, who were now part of the gang life. “Many of the boys who are my age (22), started when they were 15.”  The Puerto Rican female sitting beside him begin discussing how it was almost necessary for the people to participate in drug activity. “70, no 65%, yes, roughly 65% of people in Puerto Rico make money off the drug business. Its plays a larger impact on people’s lives, then the media likes to portray.” It wasn’t hard to believe her.  The larger cities were filled with housing projects. I saw, for my first time, a real homeless man sleeping on the sidewalk, and across the street another homeless man was digging in the trash, trying to find something to eat. Here I was in a $60 dress and $35 shoes, I had just picked up for the night. I felt a lump in my stomach as I watched the man dig and dig, then walk away without anything. If I had nothing like this homeless man, I could understand how people here would feel like they had nothing to lose. I would feel like I had nothing to lose. When there isn’t much hope, it’s not hard to see why people participate in the drug war.

Not only does it affect the community by influencing the lower class, the violence that comes with drugs and protecting territory affects the island. “It doesn’t matter who you are or where you are, you are in danger.” Carjacking is popular type of crime that occurs with gang activity. They (gang members) are always looking for new wheels in order to transport their products. I have been told and read stories of senators, mothers, punk kids, being in the city of San Juan at a doctor’s appointment, at home in the hills, or at the grocery store, and have been carjacked. Crimes such as these occur frequently and throughout all of Puerto Rico. It is dangerous for everyone on the island, but especially cops. “The U.S. territory of Puerto Rico may be an island paradise for tourists, but it's also one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a cop.” Kevin Johnson from USA Today wrote in his article. The article discussed the dangerous job Puerto Rican police officers have. In the past decade in Puerto Rico, 40 police officers have been murdered, only Texas and California have higher police murder rate. FBI: Critical Incident, mentions how many police officers must ride with their weapon on the ready when being on duty in Puerto Rico.

Police officers may have an active role in trying to control the drug war, but corruption does not stop with just drugs. Law officers have been found on many occasions to have been dealing and smuggling the heroin and cocaine. Just in the years of 2003-2007 out of 100 law officers that were put on trial 75 were convicted of police corruption. One of the largest known police corruptions happened in Puerto Rico in the year of 2001. 28 state officers were arrested and charged with drug-running charges. Police officers are not the only ones; in 2008 Governor Anibal Acevedo Vila of Puerto Rico was charged with 24 counts including fraud and tax crimes. In the same year Senator Jorge de Castro Font, was charged with 32 counts including extortion, fraud, and money laundering. The people of Puerto Rico look at this as examples to follow. They see people on the high end of society participating in such an activity with so much to lose, that if they have nothing, why shouldn’t they participate?  

            The drug war may not have been shown in great detail in Bodega Dreams, but Puerto Rico the Island, and all the people whom call it home, know this war all too well.  The small Caribbean Island is trapped due to “handy” location and its rights as a US territory. America influences the Puerto Rico drug war, as they are a stop along the journey to the United States. If the amount of money in drugs wasn’t so great, the risk to trafficking them would never be taken.  The drug war influences the people of Puerto Rico by instilling fear of violent crimes at any minute. They recruit of young Latino males to gangs. Drugs influence the all the people of Puerto Rico to participate in the distribution. It is looked as the only way to make a living and survive, yet it’s creating the violence in the country. Maybe one day the people will find hope in something other than this and this war on drugs will come to an end.

The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

Junot Diaz was a very exciting author to read. I enjoyed his use of words and detailed descriptions thought out the book. The text was extremely easy to follow and fun to read. It is not hard to understand why the novel won so many awards.

The first thing that caught my eye when reading this book, was the oppression Oscar felt with his friends and family about not being attractive enough for a girlfriend. The theme of machismo is something that we have followed throughout the course of our class. Oscar’s fat, dorky, adolescence self is suppressed by this need to feel handsome and be a ladies guy. His family and friends both let him know that he is not fitting into their cultural stereotype.

So many times in the Latino community there is a big push for hurrying the process for marriage and children. I wonder if it is created by the weight machismo plays among Latino boys. My 25 year old male Latino friend told me the other day, how he was somewhat sad. He was 25, no wife, no kids, no girlfriend. He felt as if he had done nothing with his life. I kind of chuckled and told him how my parents threaten to kill me if I even thought about marriage before I was 30!  It made me wonder and made me think about these two culture stereotypes.

In the third chapter of the book, we then see how Beli, Oscar’s mother, at a young age also deals with machismo in her life. She become wildly crazy in love for a boy named Jack and begins stirring with this idea of marriage to him. Though we know that Jack is promised to someone else, we see how he fits the typical role of a machismo male. Beli shows how she, a young Latina woman, begins wrestling with this idea of marriage.

As the book goes on we read about Beli, Lola, and Oscars mishaps with love. Rather it be a Latino thing or not this theme of machismo and love, is something that we have followed and will continue to follow throughout Latinos work. 

Looking to the Island

I have decided to take the path of writing a research project instead of an integration essay. After my trip to Puerto Rico and reading the book Bodega Dreams I saw a large impact drugs had on this specific cultural group. I wanted to further explore the relationship of the Puerto Rican people in Puerto Rico and how influential drugs play in their life. In Bodega Dreams we saw just how involved Puerto Ricans living in America were involved with drugs.  (Just in the book) Willie Bodega sells  drugs and becomes so successful at it her can finance reconstruction projects in East- Harlem, then rent them out for below market value to fellow Puerto Ricans who are in need. The question I want to uncover in this research project is who is to blame for drugs being such an impact in the Puerto Rican cultural?

Pointing any one finger at a person for a countries problem with drugs is just not possible. The drug business, just like any businesses, it has an established system that runs it, and the destruction of that business is near impossible. I want to uncover through research and interviews how people of the island are affected. Thus far in my research I have uncovered how America may be a large consumer and thus fueling the drug business in Puerto Rico. Bringing the questions I would like to answer in this paper, how are drugs influence and affect Puerto Ricans, but how specifically Americas influence on the drug war in Puerto Rico.

I do not have much research done at this point, but I am very excited that a 20 year old Puerto Rican has agreed to let me interview and ask them questions about the drug war on the island. I met him while I was in Puerto Rico and he actually took me around and showed me different areas where the drug cartel was located. I can remember how scared I was not only seeing all the guns around that people had with them, but hearing the gun shots at night. Reading about the impact Willie Bodega had on people and the impact drugs played with him has made me interested in looking to see if this is something that stems from the island and if that’s true, then are we fueling there drug war? 

My name

My name is Jessica Elaine Reed. I am my parent’s first child and they got a bouncy baby girl. My name was decided on by both my parents. They picked it purely because they liked it. They did not know at the time how it would become the most popular name for my age group. Thanks Mom and Dad! =) No, I actually really enjoy my name. I think it fits me and have never felt any shame because of it. I do get annoyed however when a teacher calls Jessica and 3 of us look in her direction.

My middle name came from my aunt, my mom’s sister. This is my mom’s best friend and she has been a big importance in my life. I can remember making the trip to Aunt Jackie’s house many times with my mother. She was not so fortunate like my mother who had 2 boys, 2 girls, she had all 4 boys. My mother being so close to my aunt is what gave me my middle name.

As for nicknames I have tons; Mouser, Jess, Reed, Reeder, J-rizzle. You name people have probably said it. The one nickname I did have a problem with was Jessie. I have a guy cousin on my mother’s side whose name is Jessie.  That was the only nickname I could not stand just because that wasn’t my name it was my cousins. The funny thing that I have learned through growing up is that most people who call me Jessie are older men and woman. So I do not try and correcting them because I do not want to think I am rude. I have learned to bite my tongue, but if my brother or sister trying calling me that I always beat them up. 

Dreaming in American

We have discussed in class the book Dreaming in Cuban, but we were given the question what does it mean to be dreaming in Cuban.  I began by looking at this question not through Cuban but American. So I faced the question what does it mean to be dreaming in American?

America is the land of the free and home of the brave. I have been taught that being American means you can accomplish anything. Anything you can dream to do you can do. In many places are not so fortunate to be able to have such a choice.  In the book Dreaming in Cuban we see how Pilar, Celia, Felicia, ect. We read about the lives of these women and how they view the world.

I began thinking about how I view the world and how being American has affected my sight. Goshen College has allowed me to meet many different people from different places. If I was asked this question my freshman year I probably would not be able to answer it. I have taken classes and talked with people to learn that people go through many different experiences. America has not taught me fear as the woman in the book was taught. I have not need to worry about food or money they way many Latinos are forced to fear.

My family is a large happy family. I’m babysitting my cousin’s kids. Go shopping with my aunts and love getting our big family together for holidays. The farm helps to keep us close, but taught me about hard work and responsibility. I view he world as my playground and with hard work I can accomplish anything. Now that college is coming to an end I cannot wait to see what new dreams I will uncover with my journey. 

A Good or Bad Man

Bodega Dreams is a tale of a man who uses the drug game to make large amounts of cash to help his people by creating housing. People may look at him like a bad man for selling drugs or a good man for how he used his cash to create homes for people who needed them. Early in the week my group was asked the question of was Willie Bodega a bad or good man. I did not know how to answer that question but referred to one of the most popular drug cartel men ever, Pablo Escobar. He was the richest and most powerful drug lord ever. He was from Columbia and the drug was called, cocaine.

             Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria was a cocaine trafficker. He became so successful he bought airplanes, luxury cars, houses, everything he wanted. He moved cocaine all over the world including hundreds of tons into the United States. New York City and Miami were his two big ports in the US. The reason I compared Pablo Escobar to Willie Bodega was because of the work e did with the poor. Pablo created jobs for people who would have no their way to make money. He gave them money and gifts and houses to the poor people of Columbia. Hot only that he built schools and hospitals for the poor of Median. To the people he became Robin Hood. He was worshipped like a god.

            Though Pablo Escobar may have used his money for good things, he killed many, many people in order to get where he was. He shot and killed many authority figures, to keep himself out of jail and destroy any evidence against him that could put him away. Many people talked about how he killed the beautiful and peaceful city of Medellin. They moved to having the highest rate of assignation. He became public enemy number 1. So can a drug lord be a good man? I don’t believe just because you do small acts of good can change your choice of occupation, especially if it is illegal. 

My Mirror

As I sit and look in the mirror I look and see white. I see a white face followed by two blue eyes that appear and a round crooked nose placed on my face. My lips don’t quite match as a bottom has a little plump and my top is flat. I see the blonde fine hair trying to peak threw where once they flourished, covered now by a faded red. Two small dimples appear as I begin to smile. My mother and father can both be found in my face.

 I began to stare intently at the mirror now. Soon my face fades and I see the farm, I hear the cows mooing, the rosters crowing, and hear the old loud tom cat as he wakes to start his day. Corn can be seen on all sides of my house and if you’re lucky you’ll see a white tail deer run across. The tractors can be seen going all threw the summer’s night harvesting the corn. I also catch that cold breeze the blows on a late winter’s night, stinging your nose and feet.

The mirror begins to show my family. I see my mom down at the barn helping with the animals. My dad out back, teaching me how to throw a softball. And I can see my uncle on the big John Deere tractor tilling the field. I see my sister cleaning the house, constantly cleaning. My brothers constantly playing their games, always kicking me out. I see my family all together on a big Reed family Christmas. Eating till our stomach burst.

I hear the sweet sound of country music and the tapping of the wooden soles of cowboy’s boots.  I feel the wind upon my face and feel the sun against my back. I remember the sweet taste of corn on my taste buds and the fresh cold feeling as milk hits my tongue. I smell the fresh bread rising in the grandmother kitchen and the taste of her famous eggs. I remember my siblings and I sneaking into my grandfathers papa chips. This crunchy cheesy goodness was also known as Doritos. I remember picking tomatoes in my mother’s garden and taking that big juicy bite.

I began to look strongly in the mirror and began seeing the German and Irish decent, followed by a hint of Native American snuck it. The tan begins to come out in my skin during the warm months. The blonde hair blue eyes show the German from my grandmother. I also see the deep western roots that have been instilled in my family for generations and generations. This is who I am. 

Sheryl Luna

Sheryl Luna is a famous Latino poetry writer, for her book, Pity the Drowned Horses. She was born and raised in El Paso, Texas.  After high school she went and attended Texas Tech where she earned her BA.  She then went and attended Texas Woman’s University and earned her MA in English. Then continued and got her PhD in Contemporary Literature from the University of North Texas. In 2004 is when she published her book of poetry called, Pity the Drowned Horses.  It was published by the University of Notre Dame Press. Her book went to win the first Andres Montoya Poetry Prize.  The award was sponsored by the Institute of Latino Studies and the creative writing program from the University of Notre Dame. It also went to be one of the finalists in the National Poetry Series and the 2006 Colorado Book Awards. The final judge of the Andres Montoya Award, Robert Vasquez, commented this about her book of poetry, “her syntax—sometimes raw and edgy—creates a tableau where everything rushes toward ‘our wild need, all sweat, all shiver. The overall effect is simply mesmerizing.’”

Luna’s poetry discusses tends to discuss cultural identity and barriers between the U.S. and Mexican border.  This reflects where she grew up living in El Paso right on the Mexican American border.  However, her poetry in the book, The Wind Shifts, did not share the same themes. The three poems that had an impact on me were Her Back, My Bridge, Slow Dancing with Frank Perez, and The Colt. All three shared the sense of a story and all discussing a daily life of a Latino as well as showing the common theme of identity. Themes ranged from age to rape and from love to the scene of the city. Her writing style with these poems in the book goes through life and what we experience in life. She also shows how Latino experiences life and certain things that they deal with.

Her Back, My Bridge begins with a young girl describing her features and outfit. It shows what young Latinos were into and enjoyed doing in the area. As the poem continues it shows the girl aging. It begins describing the frailness of the women and the horrible features that comes with age. It shows us how once we are nearing our time, what becomes important to us. As a child she wished to receive jewels from GI’s wanting to get older and grow up and get married. The old lady has her mirror covered in pictures of herself as a child. All she can think about is she wished she could go back, be young again. It shows how as child we wish to age fast and grow up, but when we are old we just want to be young. This poem caught my attention because of the close details and the clever writing abilities of Luna. One of my favorite lines was when she is describing the old lady, “she’s breathing thin now, her veins too think, her bones to hollow.” She is able to put a vivid picture in my mind while making it flow beautiful throughout.

The second one if found to be wonderfully done was Slow Dancing with Frank Perez. In this poem she goes back to discussing the life of a young female. The girl begins by talking about a man and how he kisses like a fish. She goes into detail to describe himself into detail and the detail of the way he kisses. Unfortunately he dies in a parachute accident.  He will never get the chance to grow old. One of my favorite lines in the poem goes like, “memory does this, help us live.” Just like in her first poem she discusses the important to life and what is important to us as time changes. Memories and images change with age and we hold on to the memories that we hold dear. I believe n the poem she compares life to slow dancing. While we are living in the day it seem to last a life time, but when we look back, it seems as if it has passed by in a second.

The Colt, was the third poem I choose from Sheryl Luna. This poem was different then to two other ones I chose.  This one described nature and the colors of nature. It also describes a colt and the belly and hair of the colt. The reason I enjoyed this poem so much is the detail Luna puts in to describing the scene.  She describes the spotted mare, the dogs running, and the barren field. She writes about the call of hungry and the child that stood like God. Her flow and use of words is what caught me. Describing to the “T” what is happening. We can easily imagine our self there because of all the details. Here I believe she is describing her Latino home in El Paso in this poem. She is describing her home to use. I appreciate Sheryl Luna style and themes she uses throughout her writing. She shares with us such visual messages of her home and the Latino community. 

Taking a Look at Latino Literature

The Arizona Desert is a place that is very dangerous and has claimed the lives of many people. In the book, A Devils Highway, it takes us through the real story of 26 men and their journey through this hell.  Many of the men did not survive the journey, and all of them were crossing to make a living or to go find a job so they can make money.  This has been seen many work done by Latinos, such as The Guardians and Bless Me Ultima. Hispanics are forced to go to many lengths in order to supply for their family. I can never remember anybody in my family have to going to such extremes to make money for food and shelter.  Not only is the travel dangerous but, they are forced to leave their family.

After the discussion in class about our own history I went home to ask my parents about our history. My mother told me that she herself hardly knew anything. Her dad came from lower Indiana and her mother from upper Michigan. They met and moved to Cassopolis but, other than that she didn’t know.  This has got me curious and though I don’t know much I plan on looking to better find our history. They have given names of some relatives who have looked into our family history who I can get a hold of and talk to. To me this is important because all of us came from somewhere and it’s important to remember that when we are judging Latinos so harshly.

I believe it’s important to study Latino Literature and learn from the cultural. One thing I would like to see would be more Latino literature in schools. We read a lot of white male authors and now teachers are began assigning female authors. But Latinos are becoming a proud group who are becoming a big part of our country and I think we need to recognize the accomplishments made by Latinos. 

9500 Liberty

9500 Liberty is a powerful movie that drew much emotion from me as I watched the film. Here was a town that had so much hatred towards one specific minority group, Latinos, so they passed a rule to expel them from the town. As I sat there watching the movie, I felt myself start hating these white people whom where causing the suppression upon the Latino group. When DB and I began discussing the film, I told him how I felt ashamed that I myself was white. The white people created and enslave thousands of African slaves and now here we are again suppressing a minority group. How can people be so hatful towards human beings? Here are people who just want to make a living and support for their families. They were not here committing crimes and driving drunk as some of the people in the film complained about. At least not anymore than the white people were doing. How can people so deliberately excuse the crimes of their own race, while blaming the Latinos for committing such crimes?

As I watched the 9500 Liberty and discussed the problems going on throughout the film, I began thinking about the language barrier.  Many white Americans complained about Latinos not knowing English. In many countries there are two main languages. Our sister to the north, Canada shares two dominant languages, English and French. They are not bitter about this issue; instead they embrace it and have students learn French in school.  Why can’t Americans be this open to another language? As we discussed further in class, we saw the older generation having the majority of issues with Latinos. The younger generation was not experiencing the same issues. Even though this may be a morbid thought I’m going to ask it anyway. As the older generation dies off and we become the grandparents, do you think America will have a different view on Latinos and immigration issues?  My thinking is yes because the younger generation has grown up with Latinos and has also learned Spanish in school. Our grandparents maybe scared of change, but this is a change that we have been experiencing throughout our life. 

A day without a Mexican

A Day Without a Mexican, I found to be a very humorous film, but a very true film. As I watched the film I could not help but think of all the people I wanted to show this film too, including my parents. I would not necessarily call my family or friends racist, but defiantly misinformed just as I was. Many of the stereotypes discussed in the film are the same stereotypes that I believed in.  I was upset that so many Latinos came to American and did not speak English. I thought that they did take the “white” person job.  And I did not believe that illegal immigrants should be allowed to live here. That changed when I made Mexican friends and learned that they were not all legal. It changes your perspective to have a friend actually in the stereotype. Many illegal immigrants I know my own age have lived here, about the same amount of time I have.  I was also fortunate to meet a Mexican American male whom I am dating, and he and his family have opened my eyes up to their culture. I have learned how fortunate America is that there are Latinos. They taught me how most Mexicans can speak English they just choose not to because they do not want to communicate with us (white people). I then notice how Latinos take many of the jobs that white people will not do, jobs that we need such as the fruit pickers in the movie. One of my close friends may not be legal, but he told me how he has tried to get citizenship three times, every time being refused. His biggest passion is to gain citizenship and join in the Army. When I asked him why, he simply told me. I love this country, they have gave me everything, I just want to give back to it a little of what it has gave me. How do you answer this? I never could.