By William H. Stewart
          Special to the Saipan Tribune
                                   To those local residents who were recently quoted in a recent edition of a local paper stating  that they don’t want to be an American citizen. I say, "don’t worry by that very admission-at least in spirit-you’re not."

In all my years of world-wide travel and assignments among many nations-the first and only time I have ever heard such statements has been by a few in the Marianas.

To those who express such sentiments-as a former foreign service officer, I have friends at the U.S. Department of State and I can help you register your desire to relinquish your unappreciated American citizenship. Send me your full name and I will forward it to my friends and they will enter it into the department’s vast, worldwide computer data base and you won’t even have to send in your U.S. passport to have it canceled. They will take

care of it for you. No problem.  

The culture of America is freedom and liberty and the tool is citizenship. The right to criticize; the right to hold unpopular beliefs; the right to protest; the right of  independent thought. Those are some of the reasons many foreign workers want to stay in the Northern Marianas after their work contracts expire and choose to remain-even illegally if they can get away with it.

Of course, it's America's fault-America is to blame with its culture of freedom-that “mental narcotic of the spirit" that all-(excuse me-"most") people seek-it’s Freedom.

One thing about America is the freedom permitted to try to compete at being the best of anything you can be. Regardless of what the endeavor might be: basketball, singing or  pickling  prunes-if you reach the top of your field in America-you are probably the best in the world.

I can’t help but wonder if those in the NMI who profess they do not want to be an American may be because they are loath to have to compete and must rely on some social or economic advantage to provide a head start in life’s race.  I wonder?

The rights provided by U.S. citizenship are too numerous and vast to list in the space available. Just consider this-U.S. citizens have the right to sue their government and its officials or any agent there-of who use their authority to violate rights guaranteed by federal law. How many countries around the world offer that right to their citizens?  Precious few I wager.

Want to witness this process in action in the NMI? Watch the outcome  of the federal case involving the guard at the Kagman Juvenile Detention Center who alledgedly deprived  a minor inmate of their civil rights. It all goes back 66 years ago to an event which took place on the islands.

Sixty-six years ago this month much blood and treasure was risked and paid on Saipan and Tinian to advance the cause of freedom in the Pacific.

Eventually, the effort resulted in U.S. citizenship being conferred upon those islanders in the NMI who qualified for the honor.

Today people risk shark attacks in the Florida Straits; sneak across the Mexican border; stow away in freezing aircraft wheel bays; falsify documents; marry for green cards; try to purchase  illegal passports; enlist in the military or hide in dank, dark holds of rotting foreign ships-only to get dumped off American shores to “swim for it.” Others  attempt to bribe officials and some perhaps even murder to try to get into the United States.

If you doubt this desire for freedom ask several of the Cuban Americans now in Florida and elsewhere who dared the treacherous shark infested water of the Florida Straits to escape Cuba in flimsy rafts and automobile inter tubes.

Why? Because they think, as I do,  it's the best country on earth in spite of it's imperfections.

To my knowledge some national borders where illegals don't attempt to cross to enter  are: Cuba, North Korea, Libya, Burma, Zimbabwe, Iraq, Afghanistan, Somali, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Syria and almost all of the countries of the former Soviet Union.  

There are hundreds of thousands if not millions the world over who covet having U.S. citizenship. Why is it that not too many people apply for citizenship in the above countries?

If you are  the holder of a U.S. passport and don’t know-you don’t deserve to be told by me. But ask any sixth grade student for the answer.

It is certainly within the right of any indigenous islander, or anyone else, to chose to continue their U.S. citizenship identity or not. No one twists your arm one way or the other. However, I would take care not to insult those brave Chamorro and Carolinian men and women who have honorably and faithfully served our great nation. One of whom I have had the honor of meeting. He is Staff Sergeant Brandon Camacho, son of Ben and Cindy Camacho. He has received  five-yes, five-combat wounds and has been awarded five individual Purple Heart Medals on as many different occasions. What dedication, what courage, what character.  

He has been "hit" so many times his men refer to  him as "the bullet magnet."

We have many patriotic NMI men and women serving the nation in the uniform services past and present. All have distinguished themselves. Among those of which I am aware are three Command Sergeant Majors. They are: Vincent Camacho and two of my valued friends, Martin Manglona and Frank Cepeda.

The Northern Marianas has contributed more members to the United States uniformed services as compared to its population size  than any state within  our great country.

And let us not forget the gallantry and valor of the local "island scouts" who assisted the U.S. military during the 1944 invasion of World War II 66 years ago. No one forced them-they didn’t have to do it-but they did.

So-to those of you who don’t want to be an American and do not value your U.S. citizenship-how dare anyone insult those gallant members of our armed forces with their sniveling, whining complaint of not wanting to be a U.S. citizen when it is so easy to officially disclaim.

How dare anyone deprecate the honorable service to my country by these praiseworthy Americans from the NMI and their selfless, voluntary contribution..

If you are among the elected officials who have publicly stated you do not wish to be an American and you want my assistance in helping you nullify your citizenship-please contact me at saipanstewart@aol.com and identify the district you represent. I assume you were elected to mirror the attitudes, beliefs, and opinions of the majority of the voters in your district who elected you-but I could be wrong. I’ll look up the district population figure and balance it against the voting records of the most recent election. I thank you in advance as this will make my effort to assist you in opting out of citizenship much easier.

By the way, I won’t charge you for my help. It’s nothing-for nothing. (Oops-a double entendre!)

However, if you are one of those who are just talking and too fearful of abandoning your U.S. citizenship because of the benefits, comfort and safety it provides you -then just shut up. True Americans don’t want to hear or read your drivel.


Source : Saipantribune

                                                                                             By William H. Stewart
          Special to the Saipan Tribune
                                   To those local residents who were recently quoted in a recent edition of a local paper stating  that they don’t want to be an American citizen. I say, "don’t worry by that very admission-at least in spirit-you’re not."

In all my years of world-wide travel and assignments among many nations-the first and only time I have ever heard such statements has been by a few in the Marianas.

To those who express such sentiments-as a former foreign service officer, I have friends at the U.S. Department of State and I can help you register your desire to relinquish your unappreciated American citizenship. Send me your full name and I will forward it to my friends and they will enter it into the department’s vast, worldwide computer data base and you won’t even have to send in your U.S. passport to have it canceled. They will take

care of it for you. No problem.  

The culture of America is freedom and liberty and the tool is citizenship. The right to criticize; the right to hold unpopular beliefs; the right to protest; the right of  independent thought. Those are some of the reasons many foreign workers want to stay in the Northern Marianas after their work contracts expire and choose to remain-even illegally if they can get away with it.

Of course, it's America's fault-America is to blame with its culture of freedom-that “mental narcotic of the spirit" that all-(excuse me-"most") people seek-it’s Freedom.

One thing about America is the freedom permitted to try to compete at being the best of anything you can be. Regardless of what the endeavor might be: basketball, singing or  pickling  prunes-if you reach the top of your field in America-you are probably the best in the world.

I can’t help but wonder if those in the NMI who profess they do not want to be an American may be because they are loath to have to compete and must rely on some social or economic advantage to provide a head start in life’s race.  I wonder?

The rights provided by U.S. citizenship are too numerous and vast to list in the space available. Just consider this-U.S. citizens have the right to sue their government and its officials or any agent there-of who use their authority to violate rights guaranteed by federal law. How many countries around the world offer that right to their citizens?  Precious few I wager.

Want to witness this process in action in the NMI? Watch the outcome  of the federal case involving the guard at the Kagman Juvenile Detention Center who alledgedly deprived  a minor inmate of their civil rights. It all goes back 66 years ago to an event which took place on the islands.

Sixty-six years ago this month much blood and treasure was risked and paid on Saipan and Tinian to advance the cause of freedom in the Pacific.

Eventually, the effort resulted in U.S. citizenship being conferred upon those islanders in the NMI who qualified for the honor.

Today people risk shark attacks in the Florida Straits; sneak across the Mexican border; stow away in freezing aircraft wheel bays; falsify documents; marry for green cards; try to purchase  illegal passports; enlist in the military or hide in dank, dark holds of rotting foreign ships-only to get dumped off American shores to “swim for it.” Others  attempt to bribe officials and some perhaps even murder to try to get into the United States.

If you doubt this desire for freedom ask several of the Cuban Americans now in Florida and elsewhere who dared the treacherous shark infested water of the Florida Straits to escape Cuba in flimsy rafts and automobile inter tubes.

Why? Because they think, as I do,  it's the best country on earth in spite of it's imperfections.

To my knowledge some national borders where illegals don't attempt to cross to enter  are: Cuba, North Korea, Libya, Burma, Zimbabwe, Iraq, Afghanistan, Somali, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Syria and almost all of the countries of the former Soviet Union.  

There are hundreds of thousands if not millions the world over who covet having U.S. citizenship. Why is it that not too many people apply for citizenship in the above countries?

If you are  the holder of a U.S. passport and don’t know-you don’t deserve to be told by me. But ask any sixth grade student for the answer.

It is certainly within the right of any indigenous islander, or anyone else, to chose to continue their U.S. citizenship identity or not. No one twists your arm one way or the other. However, I would take care not to insult those brave Chamorro and Carolinian men and women who have honorably and faithfully served our great nation. One of whom I have had the honor of meeting. He is Staff Sergeant Brandon Camacho, son of Ben and Cindy Camacho. He has received  five-yes, five-combat wounds and has been awarded five individual Purple Heart Medals on as many different occasions. What dedication, what courage, what character.  

He has been "hit" so many times his men refer to  him as "the bullet magnet."

We have many patriotic NMI men and women serving the nation in the uniform services past and present. All have distinguished themselves. Among those of which I am aware are three Command Sergeant Majors. They are: Vincent Camacho and two of my valued friends, Martin Manglona and Frank Cepeda.

The Northern Marianas has contributed more members to the United States uniformed services as compared to its population size  than any state within  our great country.

And let us not forget the gallantry and valor of the local "island scouts" who assisted the U.S. military during the 1944 invasion of World War II 66 years ago. No one forced them-they didn’t have to do it-but they did.

So-to those of you who don’t want to be an American and do not value your U.S. citizenship-how dare anyone insult those gallant members of our armed forces with their sniveling, whining complaint of not wanting to be a U.S. citizen when it is so easy to officially disclaim.

How dare anyone deprecate the honorable service to my country by these praiseworthy Americans from the NMI and their selfless, voluntary contribution..

If you are among the elected officials who have publicly stated you do not wish to be an American and you want my assistance in helping you nullify your citizenship-please contact me at saipanstewart@aol.com and identify the district you represent. I assume you were elected to mirror the attitudes, beliefs, and opinions of the majority of the voters in your district who elected you-but I could be wrong. I’ll look up the district population figure and balance it against the voting records of the most recent election. I thank you in advance as this will make my effort to assist you in opting out of citizenship much easier.

By the way, I won’t charge you for my help. It’s nothing-for nothing. (Oops-a double entendre!)

However, if you are one of those who are just talking and too fearful of abandoning your U.S. citizenship because of the benefits, comfort and safety it provides you -then just shut up. True Americans don’t want to hear or read your drivel.


Source : Saipantribune