Nothing is wrong with saying it–on the surface. But once you examine intent, things change pretty quickly.
Most folks used this term when supporting Bad Bunny’s Superbowl performance, replying to naysayers expressing a desire to have “an American half-time show.” It was used to explain that Bad Bunny is an American, was born one, on US soil.
It was to emphasize that he is not, nor are his parents, immigrants.
In fact, it was the United States that took over Puerto Rico. The United States that claimed Puerto Rico–and its citizens–for its own.
So why could it be wrong to describe Bad Bunny as a Puerto Rican American? Because he is just an AMERICAN. There is no need for a qualifier. Because using such a qualifier (think Irish American or Cuban American) implies that you immigrated, or your parents immigrated, to the United States. It implies that you might not really belong here. That you may have torn loyalties.
(I’m not going to address the umber of performers who headlined past Superbowls who were NOT American. That’s been done elsewhere.)
Since Puerto Rico is part of the United States, its almost like saying American American. That he is Puerto Rican means he is American. If someone from Florida says they are a Floridian, do you consider they are not American? No, because Florida is part of the United States.
And we don’t usually use this type of qualification when describing people. For instance, I have never called myself a Massachusettsian American, or a Bostonian American. Nor have I ever called my husband a Wisconsian American. In all such cases, the American bit is understood, so I would simply claim to be from Massachusetts or that my husband was born in Wisconsin.
This type of qualification is inherently “othering” a group, whether by saying the person with the qualifying adjective is the other, or those without it is the other.
As someone who writes and edits fiction, I use this all the time. It is a subtle way to create loyalty ties and connections to characters in a story; it is also used to create doubt in a characters actions. And in fiction, when done with intent, it can be very effective to do this. (However, you need to be very careful when applying tropes like this, it can be racist.)
And that is the issue.
When used in the real world, it serves the same function. In the case of Bad Bunny, whether intended or not, it “other-ed” him and anyone else from Puerto Rico. It seemed to imply that somehow, he was not as American as other Americans (like Kid Rock, who would never be called a Michiganian American.)
Now, if someone who is Puerto Rican were to use it, it is a subtle way of showing pride in your heritage and the history of where you were born. Similarly, I could claim to be a Bostonian when I am feeling proud of something that is happening in Boston; it is a way to lay a claim on something.
Which is why so many folks didn’t understand the issues other folks were having when they used it in support of Bad Bunny. For most folks using it, the intent was to support him in his performance, that he had every right to headline the half-time show.
And he did.
Because he is an AMERICAN, full stop.
(And I absolutely loved his half-time show, for so many reasons.)
Tara Moeller - Editing 