The weeds and wheat of our politics

I listened this past Sunday as the priest told us a parable about wheat and weeds growing together to illustrate that God has pre-warned us that good and evil will co-exist in our society as we see weeds growing with the wheat but can’t be killed or separate the weeds from the wheat until the harvest. I used to teach my students the same lesson with different subject matter and it was so comforting to know my teachings were confirmed by the priest. If everyone took an active interest in fixing the many evils in our society we could fix the CNMI and the world. The sad part is evil is right there in front of our eyes like weeds with the wheat but some people think the evil is OK and even good. They use the pathetic rationale that this casino evil has been accepted in other places and it’s the only thing that can save us. We want our 25 percent now; to hell with principles and other voters!

I would tell my students that we all have a niche/calling or genuine concern for something in our society that is being adversely affected (by weeds). But if everyone picks their niche to make things better we could make the CNMI a better place. Just think, it was God and the church who changed America and the world in the civil rights movement using Dr. King as God’s standard bearer. Your niche may be for education, health care, the environment, public safety, or almost anything in society but if you don’t act on doing something about your niche, you are more than likely not doing anything to help your fellow man who is growing next to you being chocked to death by the weeds. I hope the governor’s and Clyde’s retirees are getting this gospel truth!

But the wisdom of the wheat and weeds (good and evil) is not limited to the parables in Church as we the people of America were also educated in the Federalist Papers about the two keys for a good government. The church and the founders of America realized that citizens only need to do two things to make sure we have a good and accountable government of, for, and by the people. Citizens only need to be informed on the many issues facing society, especially the issues full of weeds (like the casino) and for citizens to be active in fighting these evils by getting rid of the weeds (like I am trying to do with the casino). Good and evil will forever co-exist and be in a confrontation but we can’t let evil win just because evil is growing wild and making the most noise while religious people sit on the sidelines quietly looking at evil win on Monday. Our priest and the founders of America are telling us all to be more informed and more active citizens at all levels and in every aspect of our life, including our politics!

The division between church and state only means what it says in the Bible, “Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s and unto God that which is God,” so we don’t have to be one-sided in our approach to life. The church can’t cross the political demarcation line between church and state but we the people are literally being told in church to do something about corruption in our government and our sad economic state of affairs. I just pray everyone got the message on wheat and weeds as the church can’t tell you what to do politically but I can! So vote for someone who is honest and you can trust to be our governor first and foremost and get rid of the weeds for a new and better crop!

I know some people don’t like me bringing God into this but like I keep saying, if we can pray for our government on Sunday, we can certainly do something about our prayers on Monday. I also invoke God and what is right because I realized something a very long time ago when I saw the banners of prejudice and inequality unfurled by leaders who stereotyped and promoted discrimination by law and segregated the people and their rights into a three-tier social imperialist class system based on race (Locals at the top followed by mainlanders and alien workers at the bottom). I knew then the people and the Commonwealth needed some divine intervention like we needed in the civil rights movement to overcome segregation. The fact that some locals still don’t like me because I’m considered an outsider is proof that we still have a racial problem, especially when my predictions and solutions are clearly better than the governor’s.

Ambrose M Bennett
Kagman, Saipan