I don’t mean that in a metaphorical sense, but rather literally. We lived by the sweat of our brow, reaped what we sowed and the alpha-males ruled the nest. If you could not, would not work, you would not, could not eat. There were a few selective exceptions for toddlers, senior citizens and people with disabilities; otherwise, everyone put in their fare share of work. The simple fact is that life was short for anyone who did not join the ranks of the contributing members in society no matter what the reason. There were no jobs for money, so we toiled both by land and by sea. And, trust me when I say that fishing, sometimes with only a machete, ain’t easy…it’s hard work requiring a well honed skill. Respect was earned in three primary ways: (1) by being fearless in everything you did, (2) by having unconditional respect for your family elders and, (3) you guessed it, by putting in regular hard days’ work — it’s really only on account of Christianity that we got Sundays off…in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
So what happened? How did our islands become infected with cowardly thieves who, among other things, sneak up on helpless little girls and have their way with them only to run and hide behind masks of anonymity? When did we begin to tolerate clueless, scoundrels who pay no mind to their parents and generally have no respect for anyone including themselves? And, why are so many of us content to sit on the edge of progress with our handy caps held out for alms?
I can’t say much about what makes a yellow-belly, but I’d sure like to catch one…some people should be swimming with the fishes. I also don’t presume to have answers for a misguided mind. The truth is I really don’t know as much as I’d like, but I am certain that the pervasive sense of entitlement and over-dependence on others is not part of our heritage (and that’s true for Pacific Islanders and statesiders alike).
For people with disabilities, the culprit sentiment is pity…we feel sorry for them, so we label them “special” and guard them from responsibility or accountability as if by virtue of having a disability they can do no wrong. Truth be told, there is nothing special about anyone who doesn’t contribute to or participate in a meaningful life, disabled or otherwise. We all know stories of numerous people with various types of severe disabilities accomplishing the most incredible feats yet we continue to expect so little from our own. Some families expect nothing more for their children with disabilities other than to stay at home and collect a monthly disability check.
Heaven forbid, we should expect anyone, least of all someone with a disability, to work for a living. Why work when SSI is free, right?
My point is this: Just because there aren’t any jobs available that does not mean there isn’t any work to be done and just because you get paid for doing nothing, doesn’t mean you should do nothing. Life comes but once in a lifetime…don’t just watch it go by.
We might do well to take some lessons from the life of a fish – no matter how strong the current, you can’t stop swimming and you should be aware that an easy catch might actually be bait on the end of someone’s hook. For what it’s worth, I’d still rather be one of the little fishes in a familiar ocean, than a big fish on somebody else’s dry land.
For more information on employment support services for people with disabilities and/or on the rights of individuals with disabilities in the workplace, please feel free to contact the NMPASI office at (670) 235-7273/4 [voice] / 235-7278 [tty] / 235-7275 [fax] or contact us on-line at www.nmpasi.com.
JIM RAYPHAND
Executive Director
Northern Marianas Protection
& Advocacy Systems Inc.
