Last week, I was faced with the question “Who is Joe Walsh to say what a real Republican is?” The gears turned in my head, and I began to think of what Joe’s response would be. Joe would probably agree that he is no one to decide what a “real Republican” is because, in his own words, he’s “just an old white guy.” Personally, I feel that Joe Walsh is more than qualified to distinguish a real member of the Grand Ole Party from a “RINO.” I find him more qualified than my professors, Jimmy Kimmel, and even President Trump. But then again, what do I know?
I was raised in a family that embodies the American Dream. My grandmother left the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico when she was 18, which is younger than I am as I write this. She hoped for a future in which her children and grandchildren could thrive and live in conditions she had only dreamed about.
As I brush my teeth every day, I am reminded that she lost all of hers in her 20s because she did not have access to a toothbrush as a child. When I get dressed in the morning and have to choose between combat boots or tall boots, it hits me that she would not have had a choice between either. When I call home during the day, she asks me how my classes went. I am sure she is genuinely curious about my day, but even more, I am sure she is curious about what a classroom would look like, because she only had a third-grade education. I am blessed to know of her struggle and honored to share her story with others.
RELATED: Jaimes: What hasn’t been said about U.S. efforts in Puerto Rico
My grandmother raised children who believed in working hard and earning every dollar they made. They went to school, while working full-time, and earned their degrees so that I can eventually earn mine. In their hard work and stories of their success, they taught me that their accomplishments came through free-will and strong work ethic, both of which inspired their political affiliation.
They are baffled by today’s politics. They see no need for free college; they worked for their degrees. Government-run health care is something more than 70 percent of Puerto Ricans currently have. Months before the hurricane hit, the troubled health-care system was the reason my uncle, who was visiting family on the island, was told it would take three days for an ambulance to reach him and treat him for low blood count and trouble breathing. This harsh reality is what is silenced and avoided during many health-care debates.
If you’re still curious as to what a “real Republican” is, please turn to my family. While Joe Walsh understands that big government is not the answer, my family can provide real-life stories on what big government is and why it is possible to prosper in a world where the government does not need to intervene. They are not old white men, and they are not bigoted, racist, sexist, homophobic, etc. They believe that success is something that is earned, not given through handouts from politicians. They make me proud to be an American, a Republican, and their daughter, granddaughter, and niece.
