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Giving him the flowers
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Posted on Apr 17 2012
The recent naming of the Benjamin Taisacan Manglona International Airport reminded me of a song and tradition at the church I grew up in back home in Memphis. Every year we would give our pastor an anniversary celebration and a song was created for the occasion: “Give them the flowers (that went on to say), while they live trying to cheer them on, useless the flowers after they’re gone.” These two lines send a very strong message that we should honor our great people while they are still with us and I am so glad for one of the CNMI’s founding fathers to be able to see this monumental and immortalizing event. Rota, you got it right and I am so glad and happy for the man that helped to create the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
I must say one more time: Biba Ben, biba Ben, biba Ben! God bless the people of Rota for getting it done as too often we wait until it is too late and the honoree never knew how much they were appreciated. I also want to say to Ben that I have been one of his admires since I first began to study the history of the CNMI. Your visits to my classroom to tell students the history of the CNMI will never be forgotten as you have been a genuine trooper for the CNMI and especially for the people of Rota. His “Rota is delicious” is a fitting slogan that I hope the people will consider preserving with a big sign at his airport, if you haven’t already done it.
I wanted to use one of his titles with his name in this letter but he had so many titles I don’t even know how to address the great Benjamin Taisacan Manglona. But I’m sure he won’t mind me referring to him as one of the CNMI’s greatest citizens who exemplified public service with a passion for helping people.
Ambrose M. Bennett
Kagman, Saipan
