“We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.”
 – Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dear people of the Commonwealth,
 
Today’s Unity March will be a peaceful and historic demonstration for everyone who cares about the future of the Commonwealth.   The march does not seek to create or sharpen divides in our community.  It will not attack any individuals, businesses, agencies, or ethnic groups.   It will not pit any cultural groups or nationalities against each other, or employees against employers, or the local government against the federal government, or U.S. citizens against noncitizens, or Chamorros and Carolinians against all other members of the community. 
 
A few individuals have suggested otherwise, and have attempted to undermine the spirit of the Unity March.  They speak from ignorance.  Their messages of intolerance should be challenged, of course, but they themselves should be treated with compassion: they may simply not have the capacity, the courage, or the moral fiber to understand that our Commonwealth can and should aspire to be something greater than what it is.   
 
A continued reliance on cheap and indefinitely “temporary” foreign labor without any pathway to greater security for the workers will only perpetuate the problems of low wages, abuse and corruption, limited opportunities for citizens and permanent residents in the private sector, and little incentive for young people to pursue higher education and vocational training and return to work here to practice their professions.   Arbitrary job classifications, artificial quotas, and an ever-changing, laxly-enforced immigration and labor program full of loopholes and contradictions help no one: not citizens, not permanent residents, not foreign national workers, and not businesses.   When our best and brightest people leave the Commonwealth for better opportunities, when businesses raise prices, cut hours, or shut down, when investors shy away, and when government is forced to enact massive layoffs because of the resulting drops in revenue – we all suffer.  
 
We can imagine a great Commonwealth.  We can imagine a thriving economy in which all honest work is fairly valued, wages keep pace with the cost of living, and our quality of life improves over time.    We can imagine a community in which people are motivated to seek out higher education and continually improve their skills in order to compete to the best of their ability for decent jobs.   We can imagine flourishing local businesses that compete for the best, most qualified employees they can find by offering higher wages and better working conditions.   We can imagine a government that looks after the welfare of all its people, and that recognizes the power of the free market, the necessity of transparency and accountability, and the fundamental importance of fair and reasonable laws and consistent enforcement. 
 
Now, I am aware that some have questioned the “appropriateness” of a representative-elect participating in the Unity March.   Some have accused me of forgetting my people, and particularly the people who voted for me in my precinct.  I have also been accused of betraying my Chamorro culture. 
 
Before I decided to run for office, and throughout my campaign, I consistently and vocally supported the extension of federal immigration law to the CNMI, and improved status for long-term foreign national residents.   I have also opposed the new local labor law.  I have taken these positions with the long-term interests of all people who live here in mind.   My participation in this march should therefore be a surprise to no one.  I will be marching with foreign national residents, permanent residents, other U.S. citizens, and business owners, all of whom live in my precinct, and in every precinct, and all of whom have a stake in the immigration and labor issues facing the Commonwealth.   And while not everyone joining the march will be people who can vote, they do live here, work and pay taxes, have children who are U.S. citizens, and contribute to the life and development of the community.   They also deserve to be represented.
 
As for the notion that I am somehow betraying my Chamorro culture by taking on these issues:  I was raised by a Chamorro grandmother, father, and numerous other relatives who taught me to respect others regardless of race, ethnicity, or nationality, to love all children, to care about the welfare of the entire community, and to be true to my convictions.   I was also raised by a non-Chamorro mother, and non-Chamorro uncles and aunties who basically taught me the same things.  I count Chamorros and non-Chamorros among my friends and family. 
 
To me, being Chamorro is not about tearing down people who are not Chamorro.  Intolerance is not a core Chamorro value. “Respect” for my culture does not mean I must disrespect other cultures.   And we do not regain or maintain our “dignity” by demeaning the inherent dignity of others.     
 
And just as importantly, “culture” is not a fixed and unchangeable thing.  Cultures are constantly changing, adapting to the times, and the ones that survive and prosper are usually the ones that manage to preserve the very best of their traditions while discarding those habits that hinder their advancement.   I would suggest that the habits of fear and intolerance are those aspects of “culture” in the Commonwealth that need to change, because they are crippling us all as a people, while the habits of respect and care for one another are the very best traditions that deserve to be upheld and enhanced because they will continue to propel us forward.  
 
The Unity March represents a vision for the Commonwealth that embraces all people who call our islands home, people who live, work, pay taxes, and raise their families here.   It is for all of us who love these islands, who wish to be part of the effort to rebuild the economy and to help improve the quality of life here for ourselves and our families.   It is for all of us who desire economic recovery through genuine immigration and labor reform and better governance.  It is for all of us who understand that the core values of humanity are respect for one another, and treating others as we would wish to be treated.   We are all called to embrace these values, regardless of ethnicity, nationality, religion, or occupation.
 
Now, more than ever, we need each other to stand together in mutual respect and cooperation, united by a common aspiration to realize a great future as a Commonwealth. 
 
The Unity March begins at 4:30pm today at Kilili Beach.  For more information, please contact me at tinasablan@gmail.com, or call me at 483-3935.
 
 
Tina Sablan