Word on the street: What do you think of the U.S's efforts in Puerto Rico after the hurricane?
Hurricane Maria has spread devastation across the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. Many have criticized the federal government's approach to relief for the island. Some believe the United States' efforts are not enough, while some claim it to be an economic burden. Here's what students think about President Donald Trump's Puerto Rico aid so far.
Patrick Bradey
First-year peace, war and defense major
"The administration has put too little into resolving this crisis, too late, compounded with an incredible tone deafness of the president."
Andrew Carter
Junior computer science and business double major
"I'm not too in-the-weeds with the specifics of it, but I think it's a good example to highlight how Puerto Rico has systematically been excluded from the U.S. as a whole. This is a good way to highlight (these issues) and bring discussion about how Puerto Rico can be better taken care of."
Lauren Smith
Senior sociology major
"It's been pretty lacking. We've seen where celebrities step in to help more than the actual president. I feel like there's more that we could do, but we're not trying hard enough."
Mariana Morales
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"Definitely not as strong and active as they should be."
Hidy Akila
First-year international business major
"In all honesty, I feel like the United States' efforts toward hurricane relief in general has really been slacking off since the Trump administration has begun. I know that it's difficult for the U.S. to support that many areas at once, but at the same time Puerto Rico is a country that is in need, and when they need us, we aren't there. I think that says a lot about the U.S."
Khawla Assisou
Junior management and society major
"I think it has a lot to do with how the media is covering it. For example, when the media hit Texas, you saw a lot of media outlets covering that, but only a few are covering what's happening in Puerto Rico. It has a lot to do with educating people about what's going on in Puerto Rico."
Max Kobernick
First-year political science major
"I think there should be more efforts because Puerto Rico is under the U.S., and there weren't as many efforts for Puerto Rico's recovery as there were for Florida and Texas, so there should be more focus on that and more money spent there. "
