P.R. Gov. Speaks on Diversity

The governor of Puerto Rico told an audience of 300 at Leverett House last night that the United States must increase cultural diversity following incidents of racial violence in Forsyth County, Ga. and Howard Beach, N.Y.

"The United States must stay involved in South Africa, but it must also get involved in the South Bronx and South Boston as well," the governor said. "It would be a shame in trying to build democracy abroad, that we fail to perfect democracy at home."

The Hon. Rafael Hernandez-Colon ended his two-day visit to Harvard yesterday which was the highlight of "Semana Puertorriquena," a week-long program designed to increase student awareness of Puerto Rico's politics and culture.

The governor said he hoped that this week has helped "to shatter stereotypes that blind others to what we are."

"Chauvinism is not our trade, but neither is servility," said the governor. He expressed his pride and pleasure that Puerto Rico "is not the mythology of West Side Story, but the story of people who have found themselves in a different setting but have still managed to retain their cultural identity."

Hernandez-Colon, however, said he was concerned that the "United States believes in an insular tradition of monolinguism, and that rather than bridge the linguistic gap...it would widen that divide by declaring English the official language."

The governor said that bridging this cultural divide is the task of universities, and "the perpetuation of moral values must be an integral part of university education. [Universities] must have an ethical framework."

Hernandez-Colon received an ovation for saying that "Harvard deserves the biggest round of applause for [its ethical imperative]."

"I leave Harvard tomorrow with the feeling that outstanding con- tributions made in this university to thedemocratic vision encourage the development of allof our people," the governor concluded.

Earlier yesterday, Hernandez-Colon met withDean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences A.Michael Spence to discuss establishing a channelfor increasing awareness of Puerto Rican culturethrough the Center for International Affairs, saidS. Allen counter Jr., director of the HarvardFoundation.

"Semana Puertorriquena" concludes today with alecture by noted Puerto Rican author Luis RafaelSanchez, at 8:15 p.m. in Boylston Hall