Owned by Uncle Sam? No way, Jose.

“The CNMI belongs to the federal government already. . . they own these islands and have [owned them] since they liberated us from the Japanese [in 1944]. . . I say let the US naval base be built on Tinian.”

The statement above did not come from me. They are not my words. They come from an anonymous posting on Bruce Lloyd’s wide-open online forum.

Personally, I beg to differ. The CNMI does not belong to the federal government. It is decidedly un-American to think that a people–in this case, the Chamorros and Carolinians–can or should belong to bureaucrats and politicians in Washington, DC.

The Feds don’t “own” us. They don’t own us any more than they “own” the 50 States. No one can own anybody. The ownership of people or persons is unconstitutional and contrary to America’s founding principles of liberty. True Americans do not support slavery. True Americans do not support colonialism or tyranny.

True Americans support freedom and individual rights. True Americans support limited government and local self-government. As President Ronald Reagan–a true American if ever there was one–once said: “The Federal Government did not create the States; the States created the Federal Government.”

In other words, to carry President Reagan’s statement further in terms of its clear implications, the Federal Government does not own the 50 States. The 50 States own the U.S. Federal Government.

The Federal Government owns nothing. Everyting it has belongs to the American people–to the taxpayer. The Federal government belongs to the American voter.

And while we are a U.S. territory, while we are American citizens, while we receive money from the US Federal Government, we have absolutely no votes in Washington, DC. So what we essentially have with the United States is taxation (Social Security, FICA) and regulation (OSHA, ADA) without representation, which is decidedly un-American.

As the anonymous forum commentator asks: “By the way, do you honestly think that the CNMI would be given a choice if the United States decides to build a base there [on Tinian]?

“You won’t because they own these islands and have since they liberated us from the Japanese.”

If we really are true, red-blooded Americans, we are not going to put up with that sort of thing. We are going to fight for our rights. We are not going to be owned by anybody or any government. It’s the American way, amigos.

Recognize that we are Americans–and as Americans, we must fight for our democratic and natural rights just like every other American in the 50 States!

Biba America!

Strictly a personal view. Charles Reyes Jr. is a regular columnist of Saipan Tribune. Mr. Reyes may be reached at charlesraves@hotmail.com