RAB Source Entry 2- Brianna L

Research Question: How is gentrification by wealthy US citizens affecting Puerto Rico property/ real estate/ ability to buy houses?

Source Entry 2: Op-Ed Piece

MLA Citation: 

Bonilla, Y. (2024, March 28). Opinion | Kamala Harris’s epic fail in Puerto Rico. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/28/opinion/kamala-harris-puerto-rico.html

Summary: The open editorial piece, “Kamala Harris’s Epic Fail in Puerto Rico” by Yarimar Bonilla talks about Kamala Harris who is also known as Vice President of the United States and how she went to visit Puerto Rico to highlight Biden’s administration so that they can show how much they are dedicated to helping Puerto Rico and their recovery. Bonilla opens the opinion piece by sharing how crazy it is that a resident who lives in Puerto Rico hasn’t had his home reconstructed for 7 years after Hurricane Maria. This is important because Biden’s administration’s purpose is to help Puerto Rico recover, or so we thought. Bonilla explains “The fact that it took seven years for Ms. Ramos’s home to be reconstructed after Hurricane Maria is indicative of how the federal government repeatedly fails Puerto Ricans, no matter which party is in charge.” The author points out that a lot of residents were lacking land titles and more than 250,000 homes are identified to be at high risk of reconstruction because of floods and Hurricanes. Bonilla later explains how she felt about Harris’s visit to Puerto Rico. She stated, “While she did not toss paper towels, her visit was what Puerto Ricans call a papelón — an embarrassing spectacle.” The author finalizes the opinion piece by stating her takeaway of the impact of Kamala Harris’s visit to Puerto Rico where there wasn’t really much changes because gentrification is still occurring as well as damaged homes not being reconstructed. 

Rhetorical Analysis:

The genre is an opinion piece. The Primary audience are Puerto Ricans, Biden’s administration, and the public including the United States. The purpose is to share her thoughts about the Vice President’s visit and whether there were changes or not. The appeal of pathos is present in the text based on the fact that the author is sharing how she personally feels about Biden’s administration and whether or not they are helpful. The author uses pathos to emphasize with the primary audience by expressing her thoughts with much honesty and valid reasonings. Bonilla shares her relevant credibility. Bonilla is credible because she is a political anthropologist, author, columnist, and professor of anthropology and Puerto Rican studies at Hunter College. The New York Times is a reliable source because it is an American daily newspaper and it has been published by The New York Times company since 1896. This article was published in March of 2024 which adds to the currency. 

Key Quotes: 

1. “The trip was meant, in part, to highlight the Biden administration’s dedication to aiding the island’s recovery.” (Par 1)

2. “Many of the residents lack land titles, which made them ineligible for the Federal Emergency Management Agency programs Ms. Harris aimed to promote.” (Par 3)

3. “The fact that it took seven years for Ms. Ramos’s home to be reconstructed after Hurricane Maria is indicative of how the federal government repeatedly fails Puerto Ricans, no matter which party is in charge.” (Par 4)