A patriot or parasite lesson for leaders and retirees

It’s the principal of the matter! I’m sure many readers have heard arguments, especially over money, being carried out with someone invoking that this is about the principle of the matter more than anything—the amount of money did not matter. Well, that is exactly what is happening now with the governor and leaders who have thrown our principles of governing in the trash for Communistic politics—some example for our future leaders who I know were taught better, especially in my classroom and in most government classes.

I used this title many years back in describing how many in the CNMI at that time wanted to rebuke the federal government for forcing us to do the right thing and here we are again almost a decade later with parasites reemerging in our society. It is a sad state of political affairs in the CNMI again for the coming election season. We have a governor and the GOP trying to turn our democratic republic into a Communistic commonwealth using retirees as the tip of their political spear to kill the voice of the majority. I can understand a lot of our leaders in the Legislature and retirees not even recognizing they were supporting a Communist approach to governing, given their level of education. But I expected better from Sen. Torres as he is an attorney. I truly hate to say this because I like the guy but I guess he didn’t have the fortitude to respect and stick to the principles, the laws, the values and the ethics we live and govern by with the lieutenant governor’s seat gleaming in his eyes.

It seems I have to deal with our leaders and some retirees the same way I used to deal with students who didn’t grasp the concept or the subject matter being taught because they did not pay attention in class. I have to re-teach and reinforce the lesson. So please pay attention in class this time, leaders and retirees! If you are a patriot you do not trash the principles of America at any cost. That’s why our children are fighting and dying so others they don’t even know can have a democracy. Our democratic principles are just as strong and important for guiding us through life as the 10 Commandments. There are no arguments strong enough to contest the 10 Commandments and there are no arguments strong enough to contest the principles of our government being of, for and by the people. It is called America, a democratic republic! We know freedom is not free and democracy also comes at a cost and with certain sacrifices.

The retirees were being tested to momentarily sacrifice their 25 percent to preserve the integrity of our democracy but a lot of them failed the test, behaving more like a parasite than a patriot, saying to hell with our democracy and the majority of people—just give me my 25 percent. They need to know there are only two approaches to life, which is our public commitment to our government, our laws and our guiding principles and a private commitment to God, family, and our community. Yes, life is really that simple but the test presented by life can be very challenging in making us live up to these high standards.

We the people cannot afford for the GOP (Covenant) Party to remain in power any longer after 14 years as they are dividing the people, turning our government into a socialist government and acting like tyrants. It’s the principles that matter most!

P.S.: There is nothing wrong with the CNMI experimenting with pot legalization given the president and the feds are supporting states reforming America’s marijuana laws. We will surely make hundreds of millions regardless in the first year or two. It is a Sunshine Law that will give the people a chance to see first-hand the benefits and problems so the people can decide whether to make it permanent or not in the fourth year. The GOP has killed all attempts to legalize pot so get informed and read the proposed legalization law that I proposed so you can make an informed opinion. You just might like the law that better controls marijuana given we already have marijuana everywhere in the CNMI and throughout America.

Ambrose M Bennett
Kagman, Saipan