How sad the wind….

I’d crash into government quarters to see if the good old folks are working the clock to provide the general public real services.

Each trip piles up into greater fits of frustrations at the grand sense of what I call “royal mañana”.

It’s the highly paid yet equally unproductive bunch with perks that reflect why we know everything and anything about big government and nothing about rugged and hard-earned dues. It’s a myopic view that has been (and still is being) perpetuated at every level of government.

Yes, I’ve questioned the passivity of taxpayers who seemingly take every wasteful spending in stride. About the only venues where you hear their true sentiments are in parties where alcohol takes over meaningful discussion.

I’ve heard it all. You challenge them the next day (when they’re sober) and they’d claim they were drunk out of their wits. Therefore, it would be wrong for them to state their case in forthright fashion. It’s what I call the “beer sentiment” best said when one’s out of his wits. Citizenship sentiment takes second fiddle because, in their words, “it’s not Chamorro tradition to say your piece”.

Taking the latter assertion, I suppose it’s perfectly fine to leave everything to the “we few” outspoken critics of public issues. Interesting though that most everybody I’ve spoken to basically shares the same sentiment. Yet, they’d retreat to their comfort level and watch from the sidelines as though it’s a Fourth of July parade.

This passivity needs major surgery. If you’re a taxpayer, then let your views be known right up front. To shy from it all tells me you’ve decided to coast along. It sends the wrong signal to public officials that they can get away with it robbing the public coffers or the total ruination of our posterity’s future. Paradigms have changed and it is really up to each of you to speak your mind so our collective voices are heard, loud and clear!

Let’s treat healthy disagreements as further points for discussion. In doing so, it’s good exercise to separate people from issues. We need to Unlearn the usual Chamorro debate method of treating dissenting views as purely adversarial.

• • • • •

Perhaps local passivity could be viewed as an issue waiting for major transition. As time progresses, the younger folks aren’t taking cheap shots as answers. They have learned to question actions of authority on issues, a healthy exercise that promotes proactive approaches to better understanding of matters of state and issues affecting their future.

You no longer have the luxury to leave issues in the hands of the powers that be. Not after years of tall speeches to help the young people of these isles only to buckle on their knees when disposition of funds affecting your education, health, safety, among others, turns from push to shove. Take your leaders to a challenge by rating their performances from federal takeover, scholarship, poor state of the economy, quality of education, etc.

If they can’t answer your questions with some semblance of common decency then you know it’s time to boot the sucker out of office. Take them to task on policy issues on these and other pertinent matters. Either you speak now or forever hold your breath. Take charge!

Strictly a personal view. John S. DelRosario Jr. is publisher of Saipan Tribune.