In December of 2017 the Washington Post published a disturbing portrait of life without light and power in Puerto Rico — “Sin Luz. Life without power.” It is now February 2018. There are thousands of people on the island who have been living without light and power since Irma — followed by Maria in September of 2017. Five friggin months. Let me repeat that — FIVE Friggin’ Months.
As you go about your daily business today and tomorrow — as you turn on your lights, unplug or plug your phone from its charger — plug in your coffee maker, use your microwave, hop in the shower, turn on your dishwasher, use a blow-dryer...look around you and see just how dependent you are on electricity. I live on a small farm. If I have no power I have no water — which we get from a well.
Heaven forbid you need power for a medical need — to get air.
Take just a few minutes and think about the “light privilege” you have.
This is an issue that cuts across lines of class, race and ethnicity, urban and rural. Everyone in the mainland U.S. still expects to have light. No matter what city you live in you expect the traffic lights to work whether you are driving or just trying to cross the damn street. San Juan is Puerto Rico’s largest city/metro area — ask folks there about the traffic lights that aren’t working and how dangerous it is.
Light Privilege — you’ve got it.
Asking you to now take the time to demand that your fellow citizens in Puerto Rico have the same.
Vox has just initiated a #PRpowertracker hashtag. Please tweet it and instagram it and facebook it.
They make the point that the word “customer” means a meter — a meter to a home that many have one— to who knows how many residents? So the numbers you see reported are obfuscated on the real impact on human beings.
See the joy when folks managed to get their own power on.
Go take a look at Don Feliberto’s face after he got power and light for the first time since Maria — thanks to the efforts of an intrepid team on the island and funds sent by Daily Kos members.
You have phone privilege. And internet privilege.
Use it — call/contact your elected officials in DC to demand that they do more for Puerto Rico.
Yes, I know you are paying attention to all the Trump bullshit and the shutdown.
However — if you are reading this — you have power and light.
Use your privilege to help get power to Puerto Rico.
Pa’lante