Mapp Responds To Petersen’s Stand On Draft Constitution
(Editor’s Note: During Wednesday’s presentation to the United States Congress on the Virgin Islands draft Constitution, Convention Delegate Eugene “Doc” Petersen, who voted against the document, encouraged the Congress to amend the document and remove a number of provisions relating to native and ancestral native Virgin Islander rights. Petersen stated that inclusion of these provisions would do “irreparable harm” to the “delicate social fabric” of the Virgin Islands. His comments generated a great deal of comment on the airwaves on Thursday. Petersen is gubernatorial candidate Kenneth Mapp’s St. Croix campaign manager. Mapp responded with this message late Thursday.)Â
Kenneth Mapp
Today I heard many concerns about Doc Petersen’s testimony before Congress. Let me reaffirm my respect for Doc and his role as an elected delegate to the Convention and his fundamental right to express his views.
Personally I do not believe that Congress should amend the Constitution as written by the people, but should return it unchanged for debate, approval or disapproval by the electorate.
Be assured that I will state my position publicly and discuss this view in more detail.
I thank all of you for taking the time to call, text or email the campaign with your concerns.
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U have read many of your postings with interest, Soldier Crab. And while I disagree with some of what you say, I do dare to say with great aplomb that some Naturalized citizens pay their dues. But these are the same individuals that I work with who brag about the many programs they rip off by filing false information, claiming dependents that do not exist and living in public housing when they have property where they come from. They steal from the Government of the Virgin Islands in a number of ways and brag…BRAG…about it. And it enrages me. So yes, I have encountered some who do the right thing, but many more who don’t. So you may take off your breast plate of indignation and face the facts. It is the people from the other islands and the Continentals who seek to take what rightfully belongs to native born Virgin Islanders. They launched the first attack when the Consitution was made public…not us. We expect to recieve our heritage. It is outsiders in their greed who seek to protect what they have taken and have no right to…
We are now seeking to correct the mistakes of the past. So while I accept that some pay their dues, I want you to acknowledge that many don’t and if there is just one who does not, it is one too many. Remember, unlike many of you who adopted the Virgin Islands as your home, this is our home of birth and I have no place else to go…by choice! All I and other native born Virgin Islanders ask is that you respect our home and our rights that go along with this birthright!
Soldier Crab, meant to say I have read many of your postings with interest.
@ Virgin Islander To The Bone’:
A couple of things here.
First off,I cannot agree that the majority of naturalized citizens are in fact stealing from the government,’living in public housing’,'claiming dependents that do not exist’ (which is difficult to do since each dependent must have a social security number)and bragging about it.Some,I suppose,may be doing as you say….but not the majority as you seem to believe.
Secondly,if what you are telling me is in fact the case why aren’t you REPORTING them to the authoriries? You have an obligation to do so.Nobody has a right to to ANYTHING that isn’t rightfully theirs….
not even the governor.
Again,by all means fight for that which is yours but do so without the casting of aspersions.
Should have also mentioned that in as much as the Virgin Islands may be YOUR home,it’s not like you don’t have choices.You,like anybody else,are FREE to roam as you see fit.But you can’t elect to stay put
and fault others for so doing.
Peace,Bro.
…..and lastly,and by no means least,aren’t some of the biggest thieves who are ripping off the government and the people of the virgin Islands,not native Virgin Islanders voted into office by you the people?
By not hearing thus far from you,’ISLAND LOVER’,re my response to your earlier post,am I to assume that you and ‘VIRGIN ISLANDER TO THE BONE’,who responded,are in fact one and the same?
Many who blog on this site do so under multiple aliases and there is nothing wrong with that.Would you,per chance,be one of them?
After all,you came down pretty heavily on the people from down island..painting with a ‘broad brush’ and yours truly had to chime in with some remarks of his own.
Again,holler if need be.
Took a break for the afternoon and got busy with other things but s you mention choices, A native should never have to choose whether to stay on their homeland based on the opinions of outsiders. As is my birthright, this is my home, I love it here and will not leave. This is my choice and I do not need you or anyone suggesting otherwise. My life has always been comfortable, even more so. My ancestors took care of that for me. So when any outsider attempts to encroach on what is rightfully mine, then I will react strongly. As to the thievery, i have reported it to multiple authorities and guess what, I was even told once that “homies must stick together” in reference to the thief and the authority having been born on the same island in the Caribbean. And these are the things that make you resent outsiders in one’s home. I see it often and it is the arrogance of an outsider attempting to determine what will happen in my home that makes me so angry sometimes.
Loyalty to one’s home is expected so non birth residents must be understand that they raise other’s ire when they speak of how great their home is, how clean their home is and little crime there is on their island nation…when in fact these same Eastern Caribbean nationals choose to come here to live, drop their garbage on the streets and take little interest in improving anything unless they have some way of benefitting from it. And further, to mention one person who has done great things here, or one person from here who held a position in over 200 years in the Eastern Caribbean as a reason for them having the same rights as me…PREPOSTEROUS.
i am highly amused when i see the postings and everytime the Natives speak about our rights, outsiders get upset. Maybes it is time we start staking a claim where the belongers’ heart is…begin to infiltrate the other islands, take jobs and positions from the people there and hear who will bawl. i paint a broad brush stroke because this is honestly within my experience.
I feel passionately about this topic and since everyone else can be weigh in emotionally on this debate…here’s one for you…if anyone will steal in the Virgin Islands, let it be one of our own!
By the way, I am not Island Lover.
@VI2DB & IL……….
Agree with both of you 100%.Whenever these things are mentioned someone always has something to say as if it’s untrue.We here and see em evryday and that’s why it’s a known fact cause when they seak amongst themselves they sure don’t hide it.Some of you are just thinking bout dominica,St. Kitts and the like,but how much santos and haitians are here and are really contributing??? Can anyone count them on their hands and feet???Wake the eff up. It’s even more crazy for people to mention this who don’t even reside on the island no more.You may have lived here years ago when there was few,but now they are like legion for they are many. Again I say people wonder why the immigration stuff is going on in Arizona..do you read the news or just CIS??? What happens when more goes out and nothing comes in?? Remember marilyn??hugo?? how many blue tarps was down de islands as they say?? Did Fema move there or what???.. It’s a big big problem one that’s been going on for years and one that’s definately out of control. Of course someone will try and attack me for this,but thet truth is…………
Like Derby say, “We hate one another so long”
@ VI2DB:
Whew! I had no idea things in the Virgin Islands have deteriorated to the point as you have explained….assuming all that you say is based in fact.Mark you,I’m in no position to dispute any of what you say and will therefore accept your version of things until and unless I
hear otherwise.
Frankly,your post,meh son,speaks volumes as I cannot imagine a person reporting irregularities (hearsay as they may be) to the authorities and their not at least investigating the veracity of what is being reported.And whereas I can better understand your anger and frustration,your last sentence in which you say “if anyone will steal in the Virgin Islands,let it be one of our own” is such a sad,sad commentary.But hey,to each his/her own.
Good luck in your pursuit!
Derby was paid big bucks to write that song. Big bucks! We know about you Derby.