Politics: Guam and Its People: Sacrificial Lambs of National Security

_POSTEDBY peskadot on Thursday, July 08, 2010

I am writing to appeal to the people of Guam (and the U.S. mainland people if they are even listening or care to listen) that as a community we must continue to resist the military buildup on Guam. As each day goes by it becomes much more apparent that there is one main risk that becomes the overarching argument to desist the buildup.  This buildup encourages the risk for so called enemies of the U.S. to target Guam as nuclear strike zone more than ever.  It is unconscionable for me or anyone to risk and compromise that theory.  There is no cost-benefit to losing an entire island, our homes and our families.  We do not have the landmass, as with the U.S. to move on and recover should a nuclear disaster occur.  When Guam is gone, it’s done forever.  The sensationalized tune of national security interests must further be scrutinized.  Transparency in this matter is paramount. The disparity of equal representation between Guam and the U.S. continues to be dismally perpetuated.  Time and time again proves that mutual consent will never occur.  Although a mutual consent provision exists within the CNMI covenants, subsequent legal opinion by the U.S. Attorney General would reveal that provision as unenforceable. Bureaucrats, politicians, corporate and lobbying organizations within the U.S. have insured nothing for Guam but their own interests. Guam’s interests are overshadowed, no, overpowered by these external forces. 

Another persuasive theory exists, through the continued historical actions of these external forces and, with the plot that Guam must continue to depend on the U.S. because Guam cannot self-sustain its economy or local government.  Far from the truth, Guam has never had a fair shake at the opportunity. Sampled impediments such as the Organic Act, Insular Cases, Jones Act, USDA, refusal of Congress to negotiate mutual consent, the U.S. influence within the United Nations, and surely the list goes on to weaken Guam’s case for economic self-sufficiency and self-determination. What boggles me is the question: What is the U.S. government afraid of? Additional critical questions include: Are they skeptical of Guam’s potential for international influence?  Reaping economic benefits that may shift U.S. corporate gain and globalization, to Guam’s coffers (most compelling it would seem)?  Exclude the right to vote for Presidency, at least two U.S. Senators and at least one or two Congressional Representatives to equally represent (at least in theory) the people of Guam’s interest (another compelling wonder)?

Hafa Adai Everyone,

I have posted my essay, “Guam and Its People:  Sacrificial Lambs of National Security,” on the Chamorro Roots Genealogy Project, because I have a strong conviction of love for our islands, people and culture.  I try my best to stay out of local and national politics, but the military buildup that is happening continues to linger in my conscience and has me worried.  Most of you who know me on a personal level know that I do not normally engage in this type of discussion, and may further be surprised on how much this issue has compelled me to come out of silence and become more vocal.  I was inspired to write this essay based on three books written by Julian Aguon: 1. “What We Bury at Night;” 2. “Just Left of the Setting Sun;” and 3. “The Fire This Time: Essays on Life Under U.S. Occupation.”  I highly recommend reading these books with an open mind. I can attest that it brought me to tears and prayers.  Some of the issues, I was already aware of, while others were utterly shocking; some things that are just not taught or disclosed in history books.

Julian Aguon is a young Chamorro civil rights attorney on Guam that not too long ago completed law school with the University of Hawaii.  He has been invited and has spoken at several events throughout Guam and the U.S. to educate and to make people of aware of Guam’s political and civil rights challenges for the Chamorro people. Among his speaking engagements, he has also spoken and provided testimony at the United Nations and has been interviewed on Democracy Now.  His passion for our culture and the Chamorro people is an awakening and call for the younger generation to question and challenge the “Group Think” dogma that has pervaded Guam and our people over the centuries.

Throughout the military buildup hearings on Guam, it was apparent that many of the younger Chamorro generation had begun to speak up and critically argued the flaws of the Draft Environment Impact Statement. Watching this generation speak up and against the military buildup provoked further thought with some of the elder Chamorros, that this decision and issue must be further scrutinized, because it will in fact have a lifetime affect on our younger and future Chamorro generations. We can no longer sit idle and remain silent to let local and national politicians set the stage to risk destroying what we have now.  For those of you residing abroad, you may very well be the only ones left of our peoples and culture to tell our stories and in order to continue our Chamorro legacy.

I have submitted this essay to the Guam Pacific Daily News and the Marianas Variety Guam on June 29, 2010 for publishing.  I remain hopeful that soon it will be published one day.

Bernard Punzalan