Focus on Education Our Ignored Legal Holidays By: Anthony Pellegrino
On March 24, the CNMI government closed shop for a legal holiday. How many of us know what that day signified? How many children understand why they did not have school? Why did the Governor and Legislators ignore such a historical day? Why didn’t anyone discuss the meaning of Covenant Day?
Four significant historical days are set aside to commemorate the CNMI and its coveted affiliation with the United States.
1 ) January 9, Commonwealth Day–the CNMI formally celebrates its birthday as a Commonwealth in union with the United States.
2) March 24, Covenant Day–the signing of the Covenant Agreement establishing a permanent political relationship between the U.S. and the CNMI.
3) November 4, Citizenship Day–the granting of full citizenship to all those residing in the Marianas.
4) December 9, Constitution Day–the people of the CNMI spoke with their heart in the Preamble: ” We, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, ordain and establish this Constitution as the embodiment of our traditions and hope for our Commonwealth in Political Union with the United States.”
As each historical day comes and goes, I notice less mention of them except the taking of a day off from work. If we want to take the day off, then let’s just do it and not be hypercritically insensitive about these historical days.
I fully realize we are currently engaged in strained relations with the United States. But pride, integrity and dignity in ourselves should still prevail. If we maintain these qualities and persist in seeking mutual understanding, the differences will be resolved.
Let us recall some of the benefits that we continue to receive despite this friction. We possess perhaps the most sought after passport in the world. We receive millions of dollars yearly donated by our fellow citizens in the United States taken out of their tax dollars. We enjoy preferential benefits that few other fellow Americans enjoy, such as exclusive land ownership, control of immigration, retention of all our tax dollars, technical assistance in various areas and many other benefits. We can migrate to the United States and fully realize rights and privileges as native born without restriction.
It puzzles me. How can we continue to hold out our hands and receive all this largess and then act like pouting spoiled children? Isn’t there even a little bit to be thankful for?
This is not the place to debate the merits or demerits of the relationship between the United States and the CNMI. But it is the time to reflect that we are un~ted w~th the United States, and that we still strongly desire to continue this relationship.
The most disturbing thing is: What kind of message are we sending to our children? What kind of citizenship values are we teaching them? Are we educating them that our relationship is not a good one and should be ignored? Why are we adults fostering our seeds of malcontent on innocent minds? Citizenship teaches us to be worthy members of our country and to be loyal to it because it is our “family” and must be respected regardless of our differences.
We opted to become a member of a larger family for better or for worse. Regardless of the outcome of our dissatisfaction, let’s keep our dignity and pride in our union with the United States. To ignore these historical days is to degrade ourselves. These events are the bulwark of our political foundation For our sake and for our children’s sake, let us practice good citizenship.
