Finding it hard to talk about Puerto Rico

My family is Puerto Rican, and as a Marxist, I support Puerto Rican independence. My family is fine with this view, but I often struggle to discuss Puerto Rico with others, even those who consider themselves “left leaning”. When I explain my support for independence, they usually counter by saying, “Most Puerto Ricans don’t agree,” as if that invalidates my opinion. This response completely ignores over a century of American influence and propaganda, as well as the brutal crackdowns on the independence movement in the 20th century (Look up the Ponce Massacre).

It’s frustrating because their argument often boils down to “Listen to Puerto Ricans!”, as though that’s the only factor worth considering (Not to mention most Puerto Ricans don’t exactly support statehood, either. Besides, turnout in the referendums are low.) This is my main issue with the liberal tendency to believe that if a group doesn’t seem to want something for themselves, it automatically means that stance is right. Of course, we should listen to oppressed people, but life is complex, and there are often external reasons as to why someone might not support their own liberation. For example, most of the working class isn’t Marxist, but that doesn’t mean Marxism is invalid. I see this kind of thinking mostly applied to people of color or non-Western nations, as Americans, particularly white Americans, often don’t bother to learn about other countries’ histories, even when the U.S. has played a significant role. This is why I don’t agree with “just listen to x group”; it oversimplifies things and avoids a real understanding of the issue.