I didn’t mention the decision process in my previous letters because Article XII is a complex issue that we must dissect and remove the bad parts piece by piece and replace them as we go through the process with something new and better. There is much discussion about every aspect of Article XII but it would be prudent and expeditious to resolve the issues individually and then put the solutions together to create a new and improved Article XII to achieve an acceptable level of acceptance for the majority of stakeholders. I think it is safe to say there is a consensus among the majority that Article XII at the very least needs to be changed or fixed, which is a tremendous first step to realize we have a problem that needs fixing. But we must keep in mind the words of one of the world’s greatest thinkers who said you can’t fix a problem with the same mentality that caused the problem, Albert Einstein.
The mentality that created Article XII was with good intent but composed of some bad ingredients (discriminations & a Closed Market System) that completely neutralized equality and the Free Enterprise System which is the core of America’s and the world’s economic systems from the formula for Land Alienation. I’m sure Land Alienation was not done with bad intentions but out of true concern, however, it is clear now that Land Alienation has served as an incubator that is now breeding racism, discrimination and worse. You only need to recall the many ugly letters that have been written to me and about me because I’m an outsider who simply shared my opinion. Land Alienation was meant to preserve land not create hatters and racist who have no regard or respect for their FELLOW citizen in the same American family. We must first change our formula (mentality) to allow for the ingredients of equality and free enterprise to become a part of Article XII and the entire process — the old formula didn’t work. Equality and a Free Enterprise System are proven principles that are attributes of a well rounded and moral society and a vibrant robust economic system.
The vote on Article XII is the one time that everyone should exercise civic virtue — meaning voters need to put the CNMI and all the affected people before their personal concerns. I respect the fact that the decision to become a part of the United States was made solely by locals, the decision to create Article XII was made by local and the decision to fix Article XII is for locals. But the question is who is really local now? With blood being the only definition for voting there are many pronounced locals on the mainland with NO intentions of even returning and they will be allowed to vote. Yet on the other hand we have U. S. citizens from the mainland who have lived and contributed to the CNMI for decades with no intent of leaving but they can’t vote — is this really FAIR & EQUAL treatment? Some of these people from the mainland, like me even have children and grand children who are considered local — yet we can’t speak for our children and their future in this vote.
The bigger question is does the election commission even have the capability and will they really research every voter to assure they have the 25 percent indigenous ancestry? As you can see, principles like equality can be very elusive sometimes and often a challenge and may even require a sacrifice to achieve. But once achieved in the formula equality is truly the best political stew that mankind can make for society. It is going to be controversial regardless of what the election commission does so why not just make it equal and put the earnest on the voters to do the right thing — after all it is the people’s government and it should be the choice of every voting citizen to vote or decline to vote.
The decision to vote on Article XII should be an “open vote” for all U.S. citizens (indigenous & mainlanders) who have a vested interest in the future of the CNMI. If they don’t have a genuine interest in the CNMI and no desire to ever return they should reframe from voting. Discriminating in the voting process by using blood is just more of a bad formula for resolving the Article XII issue. Give everyone their equal right but ask them to vote only if they are a genuine stakeholder and leave it up to the voter’s character. Sometimes we can only pray people will do the right thing and exercise civic virtue to let the people who are truly affected to make the decision on Article XII. Giving everyone the right to vote is an excellent example of the “necessary evils of our democracy” in this case to create equality. The founders of America elaborated on this political phenomenon in the Federalist Papers.
It would be ugly and cruel to exclude anyone from voting if they have a real interest be it direct or indirect. Giving everyone affected the right to vote is clearly the right thing to do and certainly a better formula with equality as the main ingredient. No one ever said living in a democracy was going to be easy and without hardship or sacrifice but we must live up to the challenge as fellow human beings and as children of God FIRST and I can tell you God doesn’t like ugly. One people one direction for equality and free enterprise in our political formula to fix Article XII
AMBROSE M. BENNETT
Kagman, Saipan
