By Ambrose M. Bennett – Activist
THE Truth Be Told, the CNMI would be a very different place IF NOT for African Americans who waged the war for EQUALITY in America, as the indigenous people of the CNMI are also People-Of- Color who are in the SAME Boat with Blacks. In fact, Chamorros & Carolinians would have gone to school with Ambrodamus during segregation, not the white schools — the TRUE Reality of ties between the Indigenous People & African Americans! However, today Chamorros/Carolinians now RUSH to the mainland to reap the fruits of Dr. King’s work & sacrifice. If not for the Civil Rights Movement, the Covenant of the Indigenous People would be very different IF they would even get a Covenant signed, as even the first attempt to join the American Family was rejected taking an extraordinary “Begging U.S. Senators” to join the American Family and we’re still begging. But even more important is there are now many indigenous families in the CNMI with an ancestry that links them to Africans in modern times and going back as far as the 1800s when African Whalers jumped ship after seeing the beautiful indigenous women on the beaches with long flowing hair! But still today in America, Trump is proving that ALL-People-Of-Color are under attack in a racist effort to take America backwards to the days of “Segregation & Jim Crow Laws.” Ambrodamus should be THANKED for marching with Dr. King instead of being scorned for trying to help. But Dr. was RIGHT about “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere, as atheist Saipan Man who loves 34 Count Felon Trump is using the Web Edition of the MV to preach his bigotry in the comment section and even calls the CNMI’s Priest & Preachers “con artists perpetuating lies for control and money, blind obedience from the sheeple, baaaa.” He couldn’t get away with this BS-injustice on the mainland as the Patriotic Americans would figuratively “cut his legs so short he could sit on a Dime & Swing his legs”! Just think, Trump calls countries with People of Color “sh**holes” so it’s frightening to consider what he thinks about the CNMI & her Chamorro/Carolinian People of Color — HELLER!
I’m sure many if not most indigenous People KNOW that WE, Africans Americans & Chamorro/Carolinian Americans are in the struggle together, which is why there was a lot of support, even from PSS, to celebrate MLK Day. However, the People who used to organize these events have moved-on, died or gotten old like myself hoping someone NEW will take up the Banner, especially when CNMI leaders are impotent in recognizing & celebrating Dr. King’s life, Black History Month and the Civil Rights Struggle FOR all People of Color. Chamorros/Carolinians also no longer makeup the entire Social Fabric that now includes many other cultures but a Fellow American from the mainland doesn’t stand “a snow-ball’s-chance-in-hell of being elected nor of their ideas being accepted” — it’s called BIGOTRY! The bigotry is the main reason the CNMI Does Not have a robust “Housing/Real Estate Industries,” as the indigenous population is too small and the laws even prevent these industries from flourishing even though the “housing variables” are two of the cornerstones for a healthy & growing economy in states on the mainland. WE literally have JUNGLES in every neighborhood throughout the CNMI because WE are LOSING People instead of GROWING the Population for many reasons, starting with No Housing Market to the shortage of Labor! Locals don’t even want Free Land and would rather pay taxes on their home in the mainland FOR the American Dream than live in the CNMI — the Hard TRUTH!
The CNMI even continues to “flaunt the injustices & violation of the U.S. Constitution” as if it’s OK, but I can guarantee, the indigenous people Do Not want to make America MAD for mistreating Americans, as the retribution would definitely be devastating to the CNMI. In fact, WE need to PRAY Trump doesn’t cop-an-attitude over the billions of taxpayer dollars being sent to the CNMI when the CNMI refuses to allow fellow Americans the RIGHT to the American Dream of “equality in owning a home & business in their pursuit of Happiness & Prosperity” which is the Expectation & RIGHT of every American! I’ve said it before; “the indigenous People are NOT going to find Prosperity alone while the rest of us struggle because segregation & inequality does NOT work in OUR Democracy nor for OUR Economy.” I was even hoping someone would challenge me on the fact “the CNMI has missed millions by not listening to Ambrodamus” but its SILENCE from by bigot opposition, as I speak TRUTH-to-Power and you can’t beat the TRUTH with bigot-lies & character assassinations. Dr. King even personally made SURE Ambrose (all SNCC members) were STRONG & Capable Defenders of JUSTICE!
However, IF the CNMI was an “independent nation” like Palau, Ambrose Bennett the American would keep his mouth shut respecting indigenous sovereignty, but I’m a Real Patriotic American and the CNMI is part of MY America! I’m walking on American Soil regardless of the claims and if WAR breaks out the doubters will quickly become Patriotic BELIEVERS in the American Family, as it seems the CNMI didn’t learned from the Spanish, Germans, and Japanese Eras & WWII! However, WE, Africans- Chamorros/Carolinians Americans are in the American Family together in the quest for the American Dream and to think differently means you may not understand the “principles & values Of America FOR All Americans.” Happy Black History Month and please Do your part as a Patriotic American to Keep Hope & Dr. King’s Dream Alive that included “Equality FOR the Chamorro/Carolinian People of Color.” No Thanks but You’re still Welcome!
One People, One Direction.
Ambrose M. Bennett is an Economist who minored in Sociology, a Political Scientist, a retired teacher & former CNMI Board of Education Member, a James Madison Fellow (U.S. Constitutional Scholar), a Fulbright-Hays-Lifetime Humanities & Religious Scholar who resides in Kagman III in the U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
