About me
The only thing I find difficult in my ongoing campaign for the seat of CNMI delegate to U.S. Congress is talking about me personally. I have an almost visceral reaction to hearing myself even attempting to articulate what a good, competent person I am and some of the good I’ve been able to do for the community (in so many words). No doubt it all stems from a childhood of being taught that humility is important and that talking about one’s self runs contrary to it.
“Shemenei pwe osapw kai namiki,” (Translation: “Remember not to be namaike,” a word which I believe comes from the Japanese and is used to mean arrogant, or show-off or essentially putting yourself above others) are literally the last words my late Mortlockese grandmother said to me the last time I saw her when she came to see me off at the airport on my way to school in the states. Her goodbyes to me came with these parting words of wisdom. Admittedly, it took me years to fully grasp what she meant which was, in part, not to think so highly of myself and much less “toot my own horn.”
The question now becomes how (or maybe rather if) I can win an election without talking more about myself as I am consistently being told that I should? My thought and response to that is… I hope so—I hope there is still a place in the heart of our electorate for leadership that isn’t over-occupied with self-aggrandizing.
It’s been a little over three months since, with the blessings of those who know me best, we declared my candidacy for CNMI’s delegate to U.S. Congress.
Against tremendous odds, we’ve mounted a simple campaign to give our voters a different choice, a choice we feel is more befitting the spirit of our islands. A choice that isn’t beholden to big money, party politics, but rather only to the collective interests of all who call the CNMI home—we very simply can’t have it both ways.
We felt then, as we do now, that the other candidates are not representative of us and much less the islanders-of-old on whose shoulders we stand. We are who we are because of the courage, wisdom and I dare say humility of those who came before us. The question for us now is what kinds of shoulders will we leave for those who come after us to stand on?
We believe that our strength and unity depend on leadership that is committed to safeguarding and preserving our Commonwealth as a whole, not on individual, self-preservation through political gamesmanship—some would do well to be reminded accordingly.
I’m in this race because I know what it takes and I have the proven experience to lead others in service to our community—it all starts with a dignified, even-keeled approach to every issue, with all people, all the time. There is not room for personal egos in this job.
Our next delegate in U.S. Congress needs to be someone with a proven, unblemished record of placing a high value on dignity and respect for all. We think that choice is clear and look forward to seeing what the rest of our community thinks.
Jim Rayphand is a former director of the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation and Northern Marianas Protection and Advocacy Systems Inc.
