NotiPR :: That's All Folks! :: Puerto Rico In The "Foreign" News, The "Foreign" News In Puerto Rico

1.14.05

Puerto Rico In The "Foreign" News, The "Foreign" News In Puerto Rico

By Keith W. Tyras Romanello 2004: 10.22 10.29 11.5 11.12 11.19 11.26 12.3 12.10 12.17 12.24 12.31

2005: 1.7 1.21 1.28 2.4 2.11 2.18 2.25 3.4 3.11 3.18 3.25 4.1 4.8 4.15 4.22 4.29 5.6 5.13 5.20 5.27 6.3 6.10 6.17 6.24 7.1 7.8 7.15 7.22 7.29 8.5 8.12 8.19 8.26 9.2

This week proved once again to be a big week for Puerto Rico in the "foreign" news. Foreign, meaning the United States -- and also the actual foreign news, beyond the United States.

A couple of major stories breaking this week showcased Puerto Rico in a VERY positive light. It's always great when that happens.

First, Carlos Beltrán joining the New York Mets and then, Ricky Martin, through his People For Children Foundation, visiting tsunami-stricken Asia -- offering help and hope to the many tens of thousands of orphans and others.

Both stories began in Puerto Rico, then moved to New York and Thailand, and when both have run their course, will end in all three areas.

Both stories showcase the best of what the youth of Puerto Rico have to offer the world.

Both stories received excellent, positive coverage in and out of Puerto Rico.

Carlos Beltrán's lifelong goal, hard work and perseverance was realized this week. His story is an example to everyone, especially young people. He had a dream, worked hard over a lifetime to realize his dream and with the POSITIVE INFLUENCE of his wife, family and friends was able to accomplish what he set out to do.

His lesson to everyone -- everyone can do the same. Maybe not in baseball -- but at ANYTHING and EVERYTHING someone may choose for themselves.

Carlos Beltrán, by simply being himself, was able to make his country, actually his countries, VERY proud.

You would think that Randy Johnson, the newly signed New York Yankee, would have also demonstrated what he was all about. Well, actually, he did. That's the bad news for him and those who admire and support him.

The media in New York was able to contrast the two VERY DIFFERENT styles of 2 VERY DIFFERENT men as they both reached the so-far-pinnacles of their careers.

While it's almost always a bigger story, including bigger front page headlines and photographs when someone does something NEGATIVE rather than POSITIVE, the newspapers in New York which are known for their clever, sometimes blunt, but always interesting front page headlines did well -- but could have done a little better, in my nonprofessional opinion.

When two MAJOR names in baseball are signing with two DIFFERENT New York teams ON THE SAME DAY -- and these two MAJOR personalities act in two VERY DIFFERENT ways --- one like a gentleman, one like a jerk -- I would have preferred looking at a front page cover that had both photos of equal size and a headline such as "GENTLEMAN VS. JERK" or "BEAUTY AND THE BEAST" or something even more creative.

I'll bet that if both baseball players had English-language or Spanish-language names, this may have occurred -- that's just my guess. I actually wrote to a couple of these newspapers -- but with the high volume of e-mail they must receive every day, guessing is sometimes all one can do.

Although the articles written in all the New York City newspapers, English-language and Spanish-language, regarding Carlos Beltrán and Randy Johnson definitely discussed the differences in their styles and attitudes while roaming around town -- I would have preferred seeing one of those famous, almost-collectible front page headlines that in many ways define New York City.

I would have also liked to see the correctly accented "á" in Carlos Beltrán's name. It's now 2005 and there are MANY, MANY millions of Americans and/or others who have an accented letter or two or more in their names. It's rare however that they are used in the English-language media when these names are Spanish. It's not limited to names -- certain Spanish words -some VERY common to everyone when they are heard- cannot be pronounced correctly when read without the proper accent mark -- that's why they are there in the first place, I suppose.

Hopefully someday soon ALL newspapers and everyone else will place the correct accented letters in Spanish-language names and words as they very often do in names like Beyoncé, Renée Zellwegger, and words like fiancée, etc.

In my opinion, when the media can quickly conform to the rules of certain languages that may require a small-case letter in a name like a small-case "b" in Osama bin Laden or a small-case "a" in al Qaeda -- the media should go the same distance RESPECTING those who may not be members of or represent terrorist organizations.

When you watch MOST television programs and television news programs on ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, most LOCAL news channels, the cable news channels -- FOX News, CNN, MSNBC, etc., you will rarely, if ever, see the accented letters in Spanish-language names and words. One rare exception would be ABC's Primetime Live -- the last name Quiñones has the correctly accented "ñ" in the opening titles. If you watch ESPN, you WILL see every athlete with a Spanish-language name spelled correctly with the correct accent(s) in their names. I'm certain that ESPN does this for 2 reasons -- one, there are MANY athletes with Spanish-language names AND two, there are MANY MORE viewers who just happen to have those and similar names.

Now, hopefully soon, not only ESPN but ALL the Disney-owned networks and companies -- including ABC, the Disney Channel, etc., will incorporate what they started at ESPN.

Once a giant like the Disney organization embraces such a policy -- it will not be long before EVERYONE, EVERYWHERE will do the same.

Anyone with an accented name should be able to see their name displayed correctly on drivers licenses, school and college records, health insurance cards, social security cards, credit cards, credit card bills and bills for electricity, telephones and everything else.

I'm sure that if we can agree on one thing -- it would be that if the last name SMITH or JEFFERSON, etc., contained an accented letter -- we would have all been looking at these names spelled correctly, everywhere -- for centuries.

It all comes down to a little extra work and A LOT OF EXTRA RESPECT. Not too much to ask for -- unless of course you write to many of these networks and newspapers over a period of years requesting such a change. If you are like me, you too will not get many, if any, responses to your request -- unless of course you are NOT me -- then you may very well have a much greater chance of receiving a response. While I was recently reminded by someone in the media who actually answers their e-mail that everyone has the absolute right to answer only the e-mail from only those they choose to -- there is such a thing as common courtesy and manners.

The other major story this week regarding Puerto Rico was and currently is Ricky Martin's humanitarian efforts in Thailand. Ricky Martin is probably one of only a handful of stars who could receive global news coverage in MANY different languages doing something VERY POSITIVE -- and currently the only Puerto Rican star who can command such attention for doing something IMPORTANT and not just more of the same.

As far as I can determine, he is not only the most recognizable star who has visited with the tsunami victims, but possibly the first and only major star who has made the trip.

While tomorrow evening, a great number of celebrities will be participating in a live tsunami telethon on NBC -- doing something VERY POSITIVE, it's nice to know that Puerto Rico is being represented throughout the world by the real-deal -- following in the footsteps of the original real-deal, Roberto Clemente.

Since Ricky Martin was actually born in Puerto Rico, there is no disputing the fact that he is 100% Puerto Rican. It's also possible that Luis Miguel will be part of tomorrow night's telethon -- I don't really know -- but I do know this -- unlike Luis Miguel, who was also born in Puerto Rico -- Ricky Martin, with the incredible success he has earned, working a lifetime to achieve -- has never changed his stripes -- literally, figuratively or in any other way, including not having to change the stripes on his latest album cover like Luismi. You know, besides being Puerto Rican, American, Mexican and Spanish, Luis Miguel is also Italian. Maybe those multicolored scribbles on his new album cover actually represent the Italian flag -- just another guess on my part.

As far as I'm concerned, it shouldn't matter where ANYONE is born. It's not like ANYONE has a say in that department. What matters is where someone CHOOSES to make their home and live their life.

It's always interesting, to say the least, how so many in the media in Puerto Rico will regularly label certain people -- specifically celebrities -- as being either "Puerto Rican" or "of Puerto Rican descent" -- whether or not these celebrities live in Puerto Rico or elsewhere and whether or not they were actually born in Puerto Rico or elsewhere.

Without mentioning any names, it seems as though some people -- specifically celebrities -- are able to eventually earn the distinction of being a "Puerto Rican" based on their success and notoriety -- even when they are born in New York, for example -- and others, also born in New York, seem to always remain someone of "Puerto Rican descent" for a variety of reasons, none of which I can fully understand. Once again, I have to continue guessing.

I suppose the only bright side in writing to people who are too busy, too swamped with an incredible volume of daily e-mail to answer repeated questions and observations is that I always wind up feeling as though I am correct in my views.

In Puerto Rico, the media doesn't have ANY problem using the correct accented letters in Spanish-language names and words -- for obvious reasons -- however, in Puerto Rico, the media seems to BEND OVER BACKWARDS to be INCLUSIVE, spelling and accenting names and words the way a variety of languages call for -- plus, just like many more English-language newspapers in the United States are doing in recent years -- focusing on Hispanics a lot more than before -- the media in Puerto Rico has consistently covered a great deal of news about ANYONE and EVERYONE when it is interesting and/or warranted.

What Puerto Rico desperately needs is a "Puerto Rico Geographic" magazine that would contain the GOOD NEWS about the GOOD PEOPLE of Puerto Rico who aren't nearly as famous as Carlos Beltrán and Ricky Martin, but do equally great things. If we all wait for the media in the United States to do this for us in any BIG way -- it ain't gonna happen anytime soon.

A "Puerto Rico Geographic" magazine/supplement that is paid for and sponsored by various corporate donations, advertising and Puerto Rico Tourism -- delivered at no cost to many millions of people each week -from all 50 States- inside their Sunday newspaper like PARADE and/or LIFE magazines are currently distributed -- A LOT OF BIG THINGS will happen for Puerto Rico and for Puerto Ricans wherever they may live.

While I am not Puerto Rican by birth, I have always considered myself to be "A PUERTO RICAN" the moment I chose to move to Puerto Rico in 1985. If instead of Puerto Rico, I chose to live in California, I would have considered myself to be AND WOULD HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN a Californian. After living in Puerto Rico for 5, 10, 20+ years, that person certainly wouldn't be considered by anyone to be French or Cuban or Chinese -- unless they were French or Cuban or Chinese-born -- they would be considered to be A Puerto Rican, a Puerto Rican-American. It's really that simple.

The moment someone born in Puerto Rico moves to New York, for example -- they are AUTOMATICALLY, 100% a New Yorker -- except even if they NEVER leave Puerto Rico, they are and ALWAYS were AUTOMATICALLY, 100% an American -- Not because I say so -- but because that's just a fact.

Sure, anyone and everyone can consider themselves to be whatever they want to believe they are or feel they are. The fact remains that some of us are Puerto RICAN, some of us are AmeRICAN and some of us are a combination of both.

American is American -- until the law or the policy changes.

That's another reason why President Bush and EVERY U.S. President should not only visit Puerto Rico on a regular basis -while in office and after they leave office- but also EMBRACE Puerto Rico for everything GOOD it is and help all of us realize a greater quality of life. The truth is that we are all RICANS -- and luckily -- we ALL have the right to express our opinions, including the occasional disclaimer* when necessary.

Well, that's all folks! Until next Friday.

Keith

*For motivational speeches, conferences, media requests and other things such as eating disorders, you'll have to contact someone else. My only qualifications for writing a weekly column are based solely upon having a lot of free time, unlimited Internet access and very little else.