Ambrose M. Bennett
“A special honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his DREAM for America & all Americans – Keeping the Dream Alive, as Ambrodamus is not here by mistake and even divine intervention.”
THE Truth is today 62 yrs. ago in 1963, Dr. King delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech during the “March on Washington for jobs & equality.” I was only 12 years old at the time, but I can still remember how important his speech was at that time and seeing Dr. King on our “Black & White” TV. Here WE are 62yrs. later and people like Ambrodamus in the CNMI are still fighting the “Good Battles & making Good Trouble to Keep Hope & Dr. King’s Dream Alive.” Ever since my arrival in the CNMI I recognized the beauty of the People who welcomed me with open arms and the beauty of these islands. I also saw how the CNMI had a lot of room for “Growth & Development” to become more like the mainland of America as it was obvious the CNMI was indeed on track with Fast foods, International Hotel & Restaurant like the Hyatt & Tony Romas to become more like the mainland only to see it all disappear right in front of my eyes and being an economist it was heartbreaking. What leader has been “dreaming & pursuing a BETTER CNMI to work & live,” — just the Same-O!
Ambrodamus is also not in the CNMI by happenstance, as I actually “prayed for a wife from the islands” and the chance of meeting my wife two years later was in the TRILLIONS compounded by the late Bishop pleading with Ambrodamus to “Help his People” sealed the deal for divine intervention, which is WHY Ambrodamus uses the Bible and asserts the wishes of our late Bishop. Ambrodamus just DARED to DREAM of a Better CNMI and even put his reputation on the line to push for a Better CNMI just like Dr. King did for ALL People of Color, including Locals. I’m sure I don’t need to tell any reader how badly the CNMI has “missed the mark” when it comes to Dr. King and his Dream of EQUALITY for every American regardless of where they are in America, as “an injustice anywhere in America is a threat to justice everywhere,” Dr. King. So, WHAT is your (citizens’ & leaders’) Dream for the CNMI, as it can’t just be Ambrodamus Dreaming & Invoking the 1st Amendment of “the right to petition the government for redress of grievances,” as WE the People should have a lot of grievances with our dying economy and no PLAN! The “Economic Road Map” was only a start as to WHAT needs to be done but it didn’t delineate HOW, which is why there is No Execution!
I must also pose two questions to readers for a reality-check, “if not Ambrodamus, then who will keep Dr. King’s Dream alive, and if not now then when will someone fight to keep the Dream alive in the CNMI.” I’d be surprised if the Democrats posted anything in the news for Dr. King on this all-important day in American History, yet the Dems claim to be “the People’s Party” who black-balls one of the soon to be extinct Democrats on earth who marched with Dr. King, as I have to LOL to keep from crying, but that’s the CNMI for True! However, unlike the “death threats” Dr. King faced, Ambrodamus has continued to face being black-balled by Republicans & Dems driven by bigotry, bullying and character assassination attempts by fake-name cowards like Saipan Man & his funny Crew of five who check “funny” regardless of the merits with nothing constructive to offer that can HELP! But they do PROVE the CNMI has a real problem with Bigots & the Conservative Movement just like on the mainland with conservatives’ project 2025. They are obviously working with their leader Trump to take America backwards to the days of “Jim Crow & KKK Tactics” being applied to immigrants, Americans, Mayors, Judges, Media, Cities, Museums erasing Black History and the list goes on of anyone or any entity against Trump who has turned our Federal System into his Department of Trump (DOT). It is no longer OF & FOR the People, just Trump.
But the CNMI remains SILENT on the injustices already perpetrated in CNMI Laws that makes mainland Americans, who send BILLIONS to the CNMI, “second class citizens” with virtually CW Rights. And speaking of CWs, the Filipino/CW Community who did and still do most of the “heavy lifting & dead-end jobs” have yet to be recognized by the CNMI Government for their contributions to the CNMI even in the light of a Federal Mandate to transition CWs out of the CNMI. There has never been a “CW Day” to show appreciation because it’s not about VOTES, and it’s not surprising Dr. King is not truly appreciated by the CNMI’s Government on MLK Day. But you can BET, every Local on the mainland experiencing the Rights Dr. King fought & died for do understand and appreciate Dr. King, as that’s WHY they are on the mainland for his Dream for ALL People of Color. In fact, there are many Locals who are darker than Ambrodamus and some have curly hair like me, as they would have gone to school with me, not a white school. So, WE, Chamorro, Carolinians, and African Americans are all in the Same-boat, yet mainland Americans are still being segregated with unequal rights by Law — sad!
America’s Original Sin was “slavery & inequality” and the CNMI’s Original Sin is also “Inequality among Americans” that Ambrodamus has been fighting to change ever-since! I used to chant “Keep Hope Alive” with Rev. Jesse Jackson and I’m still trying to Keep Hope Alive by fighting for Dr. King’s Dream to become a reality in the CNMI. So those who are “hating on Ambrodamus” need to know they are perpetuating the ugly & unfair times of “Segregation & Jim Crow Law in American history.” Every Chamorro & Carolinian American who wants to see the American Dream a reality in the CNMI for all must DARE to Dream of a Better CNMI and VOTE to try and make it happen, as WE Shall Over Come on that Day — Biba Dr. King!
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.
