Shame on 20/20

Ever since 20/20 aired its damning CNMI report, former Saipan residents in the U.S. mainland have been getting disturbing calls from many of their friends. “Is it true about Saipan?” they would invariably ask. “Is it really that bad? Oh, how terribly awful.”

What are we to say in our islands’ defense? With such a carefully orchestrated media smear campaign, backed and promoted by labor union and other left-wing special interest groups, it is difficult not to be thoroughly frustrated and defensive. But let us try and look at that report calmly, and consider the facts objectively.

The report claims that 20/20 news reporter “Brian Ross has found evidence that some young women are being lured into Saipan’s thriving sex trade and forced into onstage sex acts and prostitution.” Very well, then the question to ask is, “what evidence?”

Mr. Ross has no doubt conclusively proven that CNMI prostitution does exist, and that it is, in fact, often carried out by nonresident Asian women. No one disputes this fact. Prostitution, after all, is the world’s oldest profession. It goes on all over the world, including the United States, where, yes, even forced prostitution exists. But has 20/20 clearly and conclusively demonstrated that CNMI-based Asian women are routinely being forced into prostitution?

Again, let us look to the evidence. What specific evidence does 20/20 present? It primarily presents an unsubstantiated assertion—an unsupported claim that foreign women are being forced into sexual slavery. It also presents the case of “Katrina”—an isolated episode which occurred at least two years ago.

“It was my first time to dance naked,” claimed Katrina, “and I was ashamed.” According to 20/20 investigator Brian Ross, “Katrina told federal investigators that she signed this official Saipan government affidavit, thinking she was going to be a waitress and ended up forced into live sex acts on stage.”

In other words, Katrina was never actually forced to have sex with paying customers. Indeed, under President Clinton’s definition of sex, it is extremely doubtful whether Katrina had anything remotely to do with performing sexual acts.

Is there any other evidence 20/20 provides concerning forced sexual slavery? Has it offered up any compelling and substantial court cases? Has 20/20 been conducting a better forced prostitution investigation than the local F.B.I. office? If so, then it should immediately submit its evidence to the US Justice Department and the
CNMI Attorne General’s Office for swift prosecution.

What else does Brian Ross offer us in the way of concrete, indisputable and irrefutable proof of forced prostitution? Nothing but the biased, tainted and completely colored testimony of US Congressman George Miller, who has long actively sought to destroy our economy and local self-government, on account of his labor union constituency’s wish to eliminate their textile competition, our local garment industry, through political smear campaigns and dastardly lobbying efforts.

Ironically, Mr. Ross and 20/20 fault U.S. Republican Tom DeLay for supporting free trade, productive free enterprise (Willie Tan) and CNMI local democratic self-government (American values all), yet laud George Miller’s protectionist labor union agenda to strip us of our rights and dignity, by smearing us with charges of forced prostitution without any credible and substantial evidence to back up those wild and reckless charges.

Shame on 20/20. Shame on Brian Ross.

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