I am only half-indigenous. Does that mean I am nothing to you as well? My husband is a foreigner, so my children are only a quarter indigenous, does that mean they deserve less respect?
Being indigenous should not be the only thing that makes a person worthy to be counted in this society. That should be the last thing on this list. How about being honest and truthful? How about performing a job with fidelity and commitment? How about doing the right thing for all of society not for just a chosen few?
These people whom you so degrade have been the foundation of our islands since we opened our doors so many years ago. They built the very infrastructure we depend on. They have built our homes. They have taught us in schools. Many of these people raised us while our parents worked. Now these same people raise our children for the same reasons. They clean our houses, yards, farms, and road sides. They report our news and deliver it too.
They feed our animals and sometimes even us. They nurse and doctor us when we are sick and ailing. They spend time caring for our manamko’, even more than we do sometimes. They are our family. They are our friends. They are our children’s friends. They are all of these things, yet they have no voice.
Stop making this election about race. This election must NOT be decided by racism and fear.
The person who wins this election MUST represent ALL people of the CNMI; not just Chamorros and not just Carolinians; ALL PEOPLE.
LEILA FLEMING
ALDAN STAFFLER
Kagman, Saipan
