After seeing a picture of multiple people holding signs saying, "Go home, this is our land," I just felt sick. I was trying to let that picture go, but it is just too revolting to let slide without comment. I wrote about Taotao Tano the other day and was trying to be charitable. Taotao Tano's agenda is much clearer now, and Ambrose Bennett's two letters on that subject make complete sense. I'd like to say to those sign holders: Filipinos didn't do anything to you. They are churchgoing folks who live here, raise children and do their best, usually without much money, like most people here -- probably a lot like most of you holding those signs. They fix our cars, teach our children and care for us in the hospital. I bet all of you go to church here, this is Saipan after all. I wonder if you found "Go home, this is our land" in your bible. Somehow I doubt it. I'd love to see the Bishop say something about this immoral act. If you, the signholders, continue to go to church with the attitudes expressed in those signs, you are hypocrites to your faith. The bible talks about loving your brother, not "go home, this is our land."Why are you picking on these people and trying to make them scapegoats for the islands' many problems? It isn't their fault the government people like you the signholders empowered, flooded the labor pool with workers, kept your minimum wage low for so long, and hired lobbyist Jack Abramoff, now a convicted criminal, for more than $6 million of your tax money to keep it that way. The "cash strapped" government is about to renew the contract of another lobbyist
to try to keep it going, yet you are mad at people who did nothing to you. This is not the spirit of the Saipan people I have come to know over the years. You have also limited your role as a civic group because anyone putting their name with you now is putting their name with this kind of disgusting, racist display. You should be ashamed of yourselves!"The members of Taotao Tano staged a rally on Saturday against a group of alien workers seeking to improve their immigration status.Taotao Tano president Greg Cruz was joined by over a dozen other individuals during a protest action
at the Microl intersection on Beach Road that started at 10 a.m. Most of them held placards denouncing Dekada, a group of nonresidents who have been in the CNMI for at least five years."
15 comments:
The people from Dekada are home.
A radical bunch at best. This only expresses ignorance.
Way to go Jeff.
"It's the most unhappy people who most fear change."
Mignon McLaughlin
I went to the last Taotao Tano meeting and I liked what I heard. About 95% of what they want to do is right on. They truly want to make the CNMI a better place to raise a family...they just fuck everything up by being racist.
I wonder how many of those protestors have Filipino children?
I agree on the want to do the right thing, and screw it up with racism. It is truly disappointing.
I heard that the Taotao Tano group, at one time, invited the Dekada, Korean community and Chinese community to form an alliance with during the early stages of the group.
First I'd doubt that since those groups can't vote, and they're clearly concerned and focused with "locals only" and blew off Tina Sablan's group, but even if they did, it hardly justifies those signs now.
I have travelled the far east and lived abroad for the past 40 years. Since coming to Saipan in 1991, I can't think of a place that I have been that has a more racist attitude, expressed, implied and behind the scenes. Parents teach their children this crap and it perpetuates. A sad testimony. Reminds me of a bumper sticker in Oregon back in the 70's.. Welcome to Oregon, now go home.
I wonder if the people holding those signs and telling the Filipinos to go home, realize that the Filipinos are their cousins.. literally. DNA doesn't lie. Would they tell their Grandmother to go back to Spain or Mexico?
And when the feds take over and the contract workers go home.. it's going to be a hoot to see everyone having to take care of their own children and clean their own houses. Need a plumber? Lets see, nothing in the yellow pages. Drat!! guess I have to fix the clogged toilet myself.
There is no racism in Japan? I've seen restaurants in Japan with signs that say "NO Gaijin."
There is no racism in Baghdad? Isn't there a sectarian civil war going on there?
There are two examples of places with a more racist attitude. I could continue with more examples if you wanted.
It doesn't make it right, but racism created by cultural, religious, and ethnic misunderstandings and differences is not a problem unique to the CNMI.
My friend wanted to visit a nightclub in Korea, was told, "Koreans only. You want to go to a club, go to Itaewon (the foreigner's area)."
Even my coworkers at my last job would have Koreans-only parties or drinking nights, no foriegn co-workers invited.
So if they go home then CUC will magically reduce their rates? This shit just don't make no sense. Si Yu'us Maase (May God have Mercy) pot i Taotao Tano.
At least they got the "this is OUR land" right on their signs.
Point taken on the fact that the CNMI is not the only racist place on earth. I think I said that it was the most racist place that I have traveled to, personally, and in my opinion it is. I think that the first chamorro word I learned was "fucking haole".
I guess the difference is that some places practice their racism in a polite and civilized way. Other places are in your face with it.... Dekada go home... for example.
And when you lease your land for 55 years and get a pile of money for it... it's no longer your land, at least until the end of the lease.
I've never gotten treated in a racist way other than Eric Atalig, but that is because he had no better response to my criticism of Danny Aquino's crazy cries of imperialism and how horrible the U.S. has been to the CNMI, which is bollocks. I never got any of that F in Haole stuff, and locals have always treated me with great respect. They are hospitable people and I like them a lot individually.
I don't feel most have a positive view of Filipinos because they've been doing all the hard labor for meager money. In America, frankly, people look at Mexicans largely the same way, which is equally wrong. The Lou Dobbs of the world want them out. Of course many are indeed here illegally, unlike the Filipinos in Saipan. Gringo is also a Spanish word and not said lovingly.
As a white, mainlander, military guy, I was never treated with anything other than common respect by Frank, Tao Tao Tano, and all others on Guam. From time to time I heard stories that we (military) weren't wanted but I don't personally know of anyone who was ever mistreated. We weren't catered to as customers nor chased away by "racists". We were simply befriended, fed, included in the days' events, always made to feel welcomed. That was my overwhelming experience where ever I went on the island.
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