--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Without question, so many people…" description: "\"Without question, so many people, throughout my life, never think of Puerto Rico as part of the United States. Many people have no idea what the relati..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed2/sonia-sotomayor-1504_citizens_without-question-so-many-people-througho_1244105.png" --- # Without question, so many people, throughout my life… ![“Without question, so many people, throughout my life, never think of Puerto Rico as part of the United States. Many people have no idea what the relationship is between Puerto Rico and the United States. And certainly, I have been asked if we are citizens.” quote by Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed2/sonia-sotomayor-1504_citizens_without-question-so-many-people-througho_1244105.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed2/sonia-sotomayor-1504_citizens_without-question-so-many-people-througho_1244105.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed2/sonia-sotomayor-1504_citizens_without-question-so-many-people-througho_1244105.png) > “Without question, so many people, throughout my life, never think of Puerto Rico as part of the United States. Many people have no idea what the relationship is between Puerto Rico and the United States. And certainly, I have been asked if we are citizens.” [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Many Americans are unaware of Puerto Rico’s political status and citizenship issues. **In simple terms:** People often don’t know Puerto Rico’s U.S. relationship. Key Takeaway Educate yourself on territorial rights and citizenship. Themes civic awareness politics identity territorial status Mood informative thoughtful Type political educational When to use this quote - classroom lessons - policy debates - media reporting Key Concepts constitutional law colonialism citizenship rights Questions to Reflect On - How can we improve public knowledge of territories? - What responsibilities do citizens have toward territories? A Different Perspective Complex legal nuances can be hard to convey succinctly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Puerto rico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/puerto-rico/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) ## Related quotes > [Without question, so many people, throughout my life, never think of Puerto Rico as part of the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/without-question-so-many-people-throughout-my-life-never-think-of/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [I think Puerto Rico becoming a state would fulfill the destiny of 3.5 million American citizens that live in Puerto Rico.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-rossello/i-think-puerto-rico-becoming-a-state-would-fulfill-the-destiny-of-3-5/) [Ricardo Rossello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-rossello/) > [I was aware that my nomination was drawing a lot of attention, particularly in the Latino world, not just in Puerto Rico. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/i-was-aware-that-my-nomination-was-drawing-a-lot-of-attention/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [ I visit the island \[Puerto Rico\] as often as I humanly can. And I visit with community as frequently as possible, given the demands… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/i-visit-the-island-puerto-rico-as-often-as-i-humanly-can-and-i-visit/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [ Same way I have my entire life. Keep my family and friends close. My Latino friends close. I visit the island \[Puerto Rico\] as… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/same-way-i-have-my-entire-life-keep-my-family-and-friends-close-my/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [I got a message from one of my friends in Puerto Rico, who said, 'Sonia, there's nobody working in Puerto Rico - they're all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/i-got-a-message-from-one-of-my-friends-in-puerto-rico-who-said-sonia/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [I'm a little bit of everything. Sometimes people think I'm not Puerto Rican, because my name doesn't sound Spanish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-smalls/i-m-a-little-bit-of-everything-sometimes-people-think-i-m-not-puerto/) [Joan Smalls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-smalls/) > [In Puerto Rico, we have a lot of traditions. We eat a very typical thing that's called 'pasteles' - it's almost like a tamale…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-giraud/in-puerto-rico-we-have-a-lot-of-traditions-we-eat-a-very-typical/) [Joyce Giraud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-giraud/) > [Now that the there is a path for the people of Puerto Rico to express their self-determination on Puerto Rico's political status, there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-thornburgh/now-that-the-there-is-a-path-for-the-people-of-puerto-rico-to-express/) [Dick Thornburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-thornburgh/) > [My mother always gives the best advice. When I left Puerto Rico to pursue my dreams, she always supported me and said to me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roselyn-sanchez/my-mother-always-gives-the-best-advice-when-i-left-puerto-rico-to/) [Roselyn Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roselyn-sanchez/) > [I know Spanish pretty well. I'm half-Puerto Rican - my mom is from Puerto Rico - so I have a lot of family there,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lambert/i-know-spanish-pretty-well-i-m-half-puerto-rican-my-mom-is-from/) [David Lambert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lambert/) > [You want a lesson? I'll give you a lesson. How about a geography lesson? My father's from Puerto Rico. My mother's from El Salvador.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-esposito/you-want-a-lesson-i-ll-give-you-a-lesson-how-about-a-geography-lesson/) [Jennifer Esposito](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-esposito/) > [I had such a great upbringing in Puerto Rico, and it was just a very normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roselyn-sanchez/i-had-such-a-great-upbringing-in-puerto-rico-and-it-was-just-a-very/) [Roselyn Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roselyn-sanchez/) > [We are a possession of the United States. Congress has full authorization power over Puerto Rico.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricardo-rossello/we-are-a-possession-of-the-united-states-congress-has-full/) [Ricardo Rossello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricardo-rossello/) > [I represent the streets of Puerto Rico around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anuel-aa/i-represent-the-streets-of-puerto-rico-around-the-world/) [Anuel AA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anuel-aa/) ## More by Sonia Sotomayor > [This is, for an accomplished Latino, an accomplished African American, an accomplished anyone who disproves stereotypes, it's a constant battle in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/this-is-for-an-accomplished-latino-an-accomplished-african-american/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [I have never had to face anything that could overwhelm the native optimism and stubborn perseverance I was blessed with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/i-have-never-had-to-face-anything-that-could-overwhelm-the-native/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [The task of a judge is not to make the law - it is to apply the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/the-task-of-a-judge-is-not-to-make-the-law-it-is-to-apply-the-law/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [I got a message from one of my friends in Puerto Rico, who said, 'Sonia, there's nobody working in Puerto Rico - they're all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/i-got-a-message-from-one-of-my-friends-in-puerto-rico-who-said-sonia/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [In the wider context, what I believe I was - the point I was making was that our life experiences do permit us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/in-the-wider-context-what-i-believe-i-was-the-point-i-was-making-was/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [I have spent my years since Princeton, while at law school and in my various professional jobs, not feeling completely a part of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/i-have-spent-my-years-since-princeton-while-at-law-school-and-in-my/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [The first case I sat on... was Citizens United. Talk about being thrown in. Needless to say, if I was scared before, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/the-first-case-i-sat-on-was-citizens-united-talk-about-being-thrown/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [“Over the years, I have gathered more godchildren than anyone I know, and I take the role seriously.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/over-the-years-i-have-gathered-more-godchildren-than-anyone-i-know/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [ I am growing to love DC.This \[Washington\] is a beautiful city. I think every citizen should come see their capital. A lot of the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/i-am-growing-to-love-dc-this-washington-is-a-beautiful-city-i-think/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [“I think that even someone who got into an institution through affirmative action could prove they were qualified by what they accomplished there. Page 188”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/i-think-that-even-someone-who-got-into-an-institution-through/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [You make your life choices understanding that you might and do have to work harder to prove yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/you-make-your-life-choices-understanding-that-you-might-and-do-have/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [“The persistence or failure of human relationships cannot be predicted by any set of objective or universal criteria. We are all limited, highly imperfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/the-persistence-or-failure-of-human-relationships-cannot-be-predicted/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [I have ventured to write more intimately about my personal life than is customary for a member of the Supreme Court, and with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/i-have-ventured-to-write-more-intimately-about-my-personal-life-than/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [With my academic achievement in high school, I was accepted rather readily at Princeton and equally as fast at Yale, but my test scores…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/with-my-academic-achievement-in-high-school-i-was-accepted-rather/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [This wealth of experiences, personal and professional, have helped me appreciate the variety of perspectives that present themselves in every case that I hear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/this-wealth-of-experiences-personal-and-professional-have-helped-me/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) [Explore all 234 Sonia Sotomayor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) ## More Citizens quotes > [Politics is not an issue whether you like or dislike , but every citizen must involve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khem-veasna/politics-is-not-an-issue-whether-you-like-or-dislike-but-every/) [Khem Veasna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khem-veasna/) > [I will be a model prisoner, as I have been a model citizen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-edwards/i-will-be-a-model-prisoner-as-i-have-been-a-model-citizen/) [Edwin Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-edwards/) > [The language we share is at the core of our identity as citizens, and our ticket to full participation in American political life. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-i-hayakawa/the-language-we-share-is-at-the-core-of-our-identity-as-citizens-and/) [S. I. Hayakawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-i-hayakawa/) > [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [“The police ultimately pay the price for poor customer service when citizens become fearful of them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-police-ultimately-pay-the-price-for-poor-customer-service-when/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [Worship isn't destructive, Martin. I know that. I don't. I only know it's the core of his life. What else has he got? He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-shaffer/worship-isn-t-destructive-martin-i-know-that-i-don-t-i-only-know-it-s/) [Peter Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-shaffer/) > [No greater victory can be won by citizens or soldiers than to transform temporary foes into permanent friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jennings-bryan/no-greater-victory-can-be-won-by-citizens-or-soldiers-than-to/) [William Jennings Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jennings-bryan/) > [Let us at all times remember that all American citizens are brothers of a common country, and should dwell together in bonds of fraternal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/let-us-at-all-times-remember-that-all-american-citizens-are-brothers/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [A free society depends upon a high degree of mutual trust. The public will not give that trust to officials who are not seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-cox/a-free-society-depends-upon-a-high-degree-of-mutual-trust-the-public/) [Archibald Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-cox/) > [My dreams were always small and puny. All I ever needed was a little house with a little picket fence by the sea. Little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imelda-marcos/my-dreams-were-always-small-and-puny-all-i-ever-needed-was-a-little/) [Imelda Marcos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imelda-marcos/) > [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/) [Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/) > [I think most of us are raised with preconceived notions of the choices we're supposed to make. We waste so much time making decisions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/i-think-most-of-us-are-raised-with-preconceived-notions-of-the/) [Sandra Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bullock/) > [Without the ability to talk about government power, there's no way for citizens to make sure this power isn't being misused.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-swartz/without-the-ability-to-talk-about-government-power-there-s-no-way-for/) [Aaron Swartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-swartz/) > [Consequently, citizen legislators, rotating back to their communities after a short period of public service—considered an indispensable and routine characteristic and design of representative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/consequently-citizen-legislators-rotating-back-to-their-communities/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What I will stand up for is what I think is right and for the best interests of the citizens of the state of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-judge/what-i-will-stand-up-for-is-what-i-think-is-right-and-for-the-best/) [Patty Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-judge/) Browse all 4,189 Citizens quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Without question, so many people, throughout my life, never think of Puerto Rico as part of the United States. Many people have no idea what the relationship is between Puerto Rico and the United States. And certainly, I have been asked if we are citizens.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sonia Sotomayor" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/without-question-so-many-people-throughout-my-life-never-think-of-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Citizens" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/without-question-so-many-people-throughout-my-life-never-think-of-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed2/sonia-sotomayor-1504_citizens_without-question-so-many-people-througho_1244105.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed2/sonia-sotomayor-1504_citizens_without-question-so-many-people-througho_1244105.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed2/sonia-sotomayor-1504_citizens_without-question-so-many-people-througho_1244105.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Without question, so many people, throughout my life, never think of Puerto Rico as part of the United…” — Sonia Sotomayor", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Sonia Sotomayor", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Without question, so many people, throughout...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/without-question-so-many-people-throughout-my-life-never-think-of-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/without-question-so-many-people-throughout-my-life-never-think-of-2/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```