It’s da economy, lai, stupid!

An unlicensed social scientist related that the Tribune is pro-garment industry. Of course, I expected to get hit by half-cocked “warped know it all social liberals”. Definitely, there’s nothing up this alley by way of meaningful discussion. I mean, how can this people understand what’s the greater issue here when they’re riddled with preconceived notions of utopia that is at best, baseless or without realistic reasoned analysis.

The point that needs to be understood is that it isn’t about the garment industry that is at issue here as much as the dire need for all hands to realistically descend on our leaky ship to ensure that it doesn’t sink into the abyss of abject poverty. An unhealthy economy simply triggers all kinds of negative criminal activities from burglary, robbery, murder, and drug sale to prostitution. It’s been crashing against our shores since 1997 and one only needs to keep his/her ears to the ground in order to feel the true pulse of the Northern Marianas Community. The local economy is shot and the heavy hard landing has taken its toll.

This is the mind set of the “other” paper who can’t see beyond the realm of its turf protection. In other words, however the fact that the apparel industry remains the sturdiest contributor of direct and indirect taxes during these bad times, that one of the members owns this newspaper isn’t sufficient a reason to employ an all out fatal policy versus the apparel industry. It boggles the mind whether it can support its weak-kneed, if not, adolescent viewpoint about the issue at hand–the economy. It’s the moronic politics of protectionist annihilation the “other” seemingly paper advocates with Marianas Detractors that I find most troubling. It simply defies common sense and reason on every corner.

This mind set reminds me of too many St. Thomases treading planet Marianas. In other words, you know that smashing ironwood and flame trees along beach road at 80 miles an hour is fatal. But you’re ready and blindly willing to prove, beyond a reasonable, that such a dumb feat is a must, convinced that a stint at the ICU (which could lead to the so-called “better known as” list, is the way to go. You know it’s deadly, yet you want to go full spead ahead to fastforward your own death? Need you brave stupidity to prove it’s fatal?

It’s the perfect analogy for all those who refuse to read and digest the very essence of the Covenant Agreement which guaranteed self-government for the people of these isles. It isn’t surprising, therefore, that the Marianas Variety has advocated total compromising of all our sacrifices inherent in the basic document. It isn’t even willing to stand on behalf of our people it purports to serve as one of its guardians. It is, in fact, willing to compromise our rights and interest as indigenous people. It wasn’t willing to take the lead to ensure the protection of our rights premised on the basic tenets of the agreement. This is, indeed, very troubling where our interest is shoved aside because the Variety can’t stay the course of a healthy and meaningful competition.

This is really sad a moronic position that I can only expect from a blind, deaf and mute student of economics. The fact is: The Variety secures its revenue from fellow businessmen here. Is this too difficult to understand? Is it hard comprehending that if businesses consitently shut their doors, there will be less ads for the Variety? What’s your beef on encouraging hopelessness and abject poverty? Is the Variety capable of providing at least 100 jobs for those who would be cut from employment because you have failed to defend their rights to meaningful employment? A crash course on Economics 101-A is timely and it’s available at NMC. Presto!

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