Gab Gone Guam

[newroots]

hello ... allow me to re intro duce my self.. i'm a fat kid from guam. i read that the coolest people on earf , da kind people , i mean kine , are fighting fo' freedom against the haole government....

do you think hawaii is more betterer as a state .... or independent country?

whys it so hard for it to become independent?

dzust sen dem out umbri! just playing

thanks for answering my stupid question :)

[1stwahine]

I tink all wil rememba ya. bye. :mad:

[Surfingfarmboy]

whys it so hard for it to become independent?

Why are you asking the people of Hawai'i why it's so hard to achieve independence when your own island cannot decide for itself whether it wants to be granted statehood, maintain the status quo, or be granted independence?

If I recall, Guam has had referendums in the past in which the Chamuru (Chamorro) have been asked where they want to go with their political future. And as of yet, nothing has resulted from them. Why? I don't know. But as it stands now, the status quo has been maintained.

If the people of Guam want to be a free and sovereign nation, I believe that it their right, and ultimately, in another referendum, Guamanians will choose independence. Inversely, I'm not sure if Hawai'i will ever be afforded the luxery that Guamanians have had with a referendum for independence in my lifetime.

As for Hawai'i and it's independence, to me, that's kind of like asking why the people of Maine or Mississippi haven't achieved independence...they are all part of a much larger controlling government that is not likely ever to grant independence to any of its states. Like Maine or Mississippi, Hawai'i is simply too valuable of an asset to set free, to the American goverment.

On the other hand, I'm not sure if Guam is that important to the USA where it wouldn't consider granting it independence. It's within the realm of possibility.

But should Guam ever become a state, it would be my feeling that it would be an irreversible act. Once a territory becomes a full-fledged, 100 percent tax-paying entity, 'ol Uncle Sam seldom lets 'em go.

After Guam has been a state say for nearly fifty years like Hawai'i has, and ingrained into the American political environment, see for yourself how difficult independence would be to achieve.

[wahiawaboy]

Aloha Hawaiians,
How you guys?Doing good ahh,right on.
Well you guys know dat da government is responsible fo takin owa identity as a people and like try make us like da Indians.Braddahs and sistahs,we know down in owa big hahts dat dis is fo reel cuz.We no feet in dea da kine agenda cuz we know wot dey about.Time fo wake up awreddy and schmell da kau kau cookeen.Why you tink da economy so reep off back home now and all deez damn reech haoles goin ova dea.Dey dont know a teeng about us not won damn teeng.Pretty schoon no moa Hawaiians cuz da government li dat.Dats imperialism fo reelz kanaka maole.All da Hawaiianz all schtay up hea cuz cannot da kine survive ova dea,but we from dea.Sad ah---
but fo reelz kine.Instead,da kama'aina force fo leave cuz da money but in comez da greedy haole dat alwayz en up Hawaii Kai shide owa some damn gated community .You guyz kno wot I mean ahh.
Ah hui ho malama pono
Wahiawa boy

[c_a_otoole]

Hello Everyone:
Started reading this forum a few weeks ago, and am thinking of moving to Hawaii. I have lived in guam, so how would you compair the two. I would love to live in Guam, but my wife doesn't like it there, because she says that everything is a hassle. (Any one want to buy a 41 foot sailboat in Guam E-mail me) I am looking at the big island and the Hilo area. Any info on how they compair would be greatly apreaciated.
Chris

[GypsyLika]

No snakes in Hawaii. So far I think, I hope,never use to be.

Define "hassel"? :D

[Glen Miyashiro]

The weather in Guam is like kona weather in Hawai'i all the time. Hot, muggy, no tradewinds.

[glossyp]

I lived on Guam for many years and it is a wonderful place - great restaurants (the best Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese and Korean food I've had outside of the countries themselves), incredible ocean and reefs, hot & humid weather (I like that kind of weather), lush jungle and a very cool mix of people.

That said, there are some serious hassles such as the typhoons which regularly rip through the island. The last one I went through we were without power for 47 days which makes for creative living.

The government is not unlike Hawaii in terms of basic incompetency and stupid ideas so I don't see any difference there except Guam has a much lighter tax load and it's actually cheaper to live there than Hawaii due to our high cost of housing. Another plus to Guam is it's really easy to travel to Asia.

[Linkmeister]

I lived on Guam from 1969-1970, but I was a military kid living on Turner Road (Navy housing). I attended U of Guam for a semester or two, though. Back then it wasn't nearly as built up as Hawai'i was even then; the roads were all two-lane twisters. The climate was tolerable.

[drewb]

Hello Everyone:
Started reading this forum a few weeks ago, and am thinking of moving to Hawaii. I have lived in guam, so how would you compair the two. I would love to live in Guam, but my wife doesn't like it there, because she says that everything is a hassle. (Any one want to buy a 41 foot sailboat in Guam E-mail me) I am looking at the big island and the Hilo area. Any info on how they compair would be greatly apreaciated.
Chris
HawaiiThreads say you have your email blocked from recieving emails. I have a beautiful lot, engineered house plans and county of Hawaii building permit for sale 20 minutes from hilo. Got any pics of the boat?

[PoiPrincess]

Guam has snakes.
Hawaii doesnt have snakes.
I'll take Hawaii

[Missing da 'aina]

Guam is a special and lovely island, and the Chamoros are No Ka Oi!!!!

...but Guam seems to "Haolefied" for my taste. It seems like everyone here is trying to act like there on the mainland, and for a Kaamaina like me, that is da ULTIMATE turn-off.

If you were born and raised in the 'aina, will find Guam to be a dissapointment, because all those stories you heard about "Goobers" will turn out to be true.

If your from the mainland, you'll LOVE Guam, because everyone is trying to be like you.

Where Hawai'i has da best diversity on Earth, Guam is VERY secular(ie, Chamoros hang with Chamoros, Filipinos hang with Filipinos,etc.)

Everyone in Guam is ALWAYS complaning about not having money, yet they dont pay tax on anything, dont pay any kind of state or excise tax, and there leaders continually embezzel money from Federal Funds.

If you live in Hawai'i, be lucky, cuz you REALLY live in da greatest place on Earth. At da very 1st chance, I WILL move back.

p.s. they say "Hang Loose, bro" and call white people "Haole"........
...you know what they say, "imitation is the highest form of flattery"...they can keep ripping Hawai'ian stuff off, but Guam will NEVER be Hawai'i.

[Da Rolling Eye]

My wife's from Guam. She didn't like the climate and told me if we moved to Guam, I would die for the heat and humidity. I like cold. She misses a lot of everything else, though. Mostly the food and her friends. She whips up a mean chicken keliguen (sp?), red rice and finadeni (sp?) sauce. Never did learn to spell those words. She also said I'd be more grouchy over there as the stupid problems that bother me here are worse over there. ;)

Btw, don't forget the numerous earthquakes they keep getting. My MIL's condo has a wall that's starting to crack. She already had to get her floor "shaved" so it would be level again.

Also, there's only one airline servicing Guam direct from Honolulu. Needless to say, they can charge whatever they want, and they do. It's down right rediculous for round trip tickets. Last trip my wife took last year cost us $2000 per person. My wife, daughter and SIL. Also had to pay a one way from Guam for MIL and her dog.

Eh, Missing da aina, are you in Guam right now? Can you get me a coconut shredder? I serious. Can't find them here.

Get plenty Chamoros living in Mililani. Can tell by looking at the back window of their brand new pickup trucks or vanity plates. <LOL>

[Missing da 'aina]

Howzit DRE!! Lemme go look fo' dat shredder, cuz as you well know by now, Guam dosent have alot of da thing's da 'aina has.

Airline fare? Hell yeah das lolo!!! 1500 fo' round trip? a'ole!!! But eh, fo' come back to my land, I'll pay ANYTHING!!!!!!!!!!( Not to mention the Guam based flight crew give meaning to da word "Goober")

Guam weather is just like Kona(minus da aloha spirit, of course)

I rememba befo' I left, I saw alot of "Goober" stickers on Trucks, and so far I've met 2 people from Hawai'i(One Air Force, One Navy) and dey both asked me.."bra, how come u came here? dis iz like a bargain basement version of home"

...go figa.

p.s. mahalo's fo' letting me speak pidgin, it feels SOOOOOOOO GOOD.

[Royce]

I'm from Guam, born and raised. Left at 18 and have been gone for 28 years except for 30-day military leaves and 18 months I lived there after military retirement hoping to "crawl back under the rock I came from" to live the simple life. I bailed after those 18 months and came back to Honolulu where I had spent 15 years stationed and, until I moved to Guam, took for granted.

Touristy comparisons about weather and cost of living aside, choose Hawaii if you have no connection to Guam such as being married to a Chamorro and really wanting to "integrate with the in-laws" and live there for reasons of much stronger bonds than simply being somewhere tropical and different.

[MadAzza]

Guam is a special and lovely island, and the Chamoros are No Ka Oi!!!!

...but Guam seems to "Haolefied" for my taste. It seems like everyone here is trying to act like there on the mainland, and for a Kaamaina like me, that is da ULTIMATE turn-off.

I lived on Guam for three years of my life I will never get back. Guam is NOTHING like the mainland U.S. If it were, it would be kind of an OK place to live. Working hard to succeed would actually mean something, rather than just working for the government, which means not working AT ALL. And that is what 68 percent of the people there do. Jesus Christ, what a waste of U.S. tax money. It's absolutely disgusting.

If Guam were "haolefied," people would *move there*, because that would mean that their hard work would pay off. As it is now, people from Guam who want their hard work and intelligence to mean something have to move to Hawaii or the U.S. mainland.

If you haven't lived there, don't write your angry little posts telling me I'm a "racist." This has nothing to do with race. I haven't mentioned any "races." It has everything to do with initiative, intelligence and work ethic.

The older generation of Guam, those who are Chamorro and at least 60 years old, are great. They are everything to honor in this world. It is a shame that the younger ones (up to 40-50 years old) have accepted U.S. government welfare money instead of saying NO to big government and free money, and standing on their own merits. What a damned, wretched shame.

[glossyp]

I considered whether or not to respond to some of the inaccurate statements made here about Guam and decided that most people aren't going to bother to find out what's true and I might as well make a small effort to set the record straight on certain facts. It's also a way to vent my annoyance at some people I meet here who get diarrhea face when I tell them I'm from Guam as though it was a disease.

Anyone who has lived on Guam for at least a year or more has an opinion about the place. It is not for everyone and, in fact, I would say it isn't suitable for most. The weather is hot and humid, typhoons tear the place up on a regular basis leaving major destruction in their path and the very small geographic area can make a person crazy. Guam is not for the faint-hearted or easily pissed off.

Madazza is right that Guam is far from 'haolefied' and I'm not sure who or where MDA is hanging out that he/she is encountering 'goobers' - find new friends is my advice. I looked at a recent photo of my friends on Guam and count seven racial/ethnic groups, not including the mixes. Caucasians make up less than 7 percent of the population and the claim that everyone there wants to be 'haole' is just weird. What would be an example of wanting to be 'haolefied' behavior anyway?

One thing I noticed during the many years I lived on Guam is that some people who moved there from Hawaii were shocked and disappointed that it is not like Hawaii. They were guilty of the same thing ignorant people who move here are - they made assumptions and didn't take the time to learn about where they were going and what makes the place unique.

I won't bore everyone with history lessons (well, I will but I'll make it a short one!) but Guam has been at the crossroads of Pacific ocean travel for centuries. Long before Cook turned up here, Magellan had landed (1521) and the Spanish all but obliterated the people. The indomitable spirit of the Chamoru was never quelched though and they adjusted and thrived despite great hardships. The Spanish ignored the traditional matrilineal culture of Guam but they underestimated the strength of a Chamoru woman - anyone who is married to a Chamoru woman can attest to their spirit! The women of Guam kept many traditions of the original culture intact for centuries. Guam was ceded to the U.S. in 1898 via the Treaty of Paris following the Spanish-American War. Then the Japanese invaded, brutalized and massacred people during WWII; there are people still alive today on Guam who lived through those desperate times. After liberation, Guamanians of all backgrounds became U.S. citizens when the Organic Act was signed in 1950. Today, Guam's indigenous rights groups struggle with many of the same problems the Hawaiians do.

So, Guam is not Hawaii - get over it. Take a fresh look at the island around you and appreciate the land, the culture and the people. If someone doesn't feel the spirit of aloha on Guam, it is probably because they aren't giving any. And, what is wrong if the people on Guam have adopted some of the slang of Hawaii? So have people in California and other places, including Japan. I wouldn't interpret that as a sign that they want to be Hawaii.

Think about how different Hawaii would be if the land and people had been through the same things Guam went through. I wonder how much of the culture would have survived. Hawaii is a blessed land in many ways and worthy of respect but so is Guam for its unique place in the world.

BTW, the number of people who work for the local and federal government is less than 30%. Most of my friends and acquaintances own their own businesses or work for small local companies. They are intelligent, hard working and ambitious and they love their island home just as much as any of the kamaaina here do.

Biba Guahan!

[Missing da 'aina]

Ah... I see that what I said earlier is indeed true.........oh well,

[Tiger Beer]

Also, there's only one airline servicing Guam direct from Honolulu. Needless to say, they can charge whatever they want, and they do. It's down right rediculous for round trip tickets. Last trip my wife took last year cost us $2000 per person.

If she ever wants a creative way to do the trip.. I'm living in Seoul.. and Northwest Air flies to HNL for around $550.. and flights to Guam from Seoul run around $350.. so you could essentially buy two different flights in and out of Seoul to connect the two and cut your airfare costs in half easily.

[newroots]

wuzzuup... guam is kinda haolefied as a matter of fact.. i have two theories for why that is so... #1 is the media's influence on the kids.. i'm 17 and i notice that my peers think its embarrassing being ''chaud'' or being chamorro with an accent and everything. they thought that being stateside or haole was ''cool''.. but recently , over the past 3 years , there has been like a cultural revival. so now its not so embarrassing..

the second reason would be politeness... statesiders tend to think that chamorros are obnoxious becuase their loud and very straight foward. so to be polite they would act haole so they can socialize and not feel intimidated..

the government does suck really bad.. sometimes government employees dont even get paid.. you only get good pay for your work if you got ''connections''... and hardword doesnt mean jack , well it does , but everyone at least one time has to take some for the team.

[Island2Island]

Howzit and Aloha to all my Kanaka Maoli at HT!!!

I just recently moved to Guam and found HT while looking for the Star Bulletin online.
.....ok,ok, befo' everyone asks "WHY GUAM?", I wanted fo' move there with my wife so she can finish bringing up her keiki(3), didnt want them fo go t'rew da hasso of movin' and stuff li' dat.

Guam(Guahan) is like a smaller version of Maui, with Kona like weather. Da pepo here are just as friendly as back in da 'aina, litto bit less outgoing, but still cool 2 da max!! Da grindz is ONO, but i still cant get zippy's fo ship food(dey say it takes too long). Also dey love dea land just as much as we love ours, even tho da gov. hea is BIG-TIME corrupt, da pepo still cruz and live life.

One shmall-kine funny ting is that some pepo here kinda ack "mainland". Pepo from da south are just like us, wit dea own version of pidgin(sounds kinda like a mexican accent) and close roots to da land. Some pepo from da north, especially da keiki, ack "mainland". Made me laugh, but still, GOOD PEPO all in all.

I miss my 'aina, and I'm SOOOO glad I found dis place, hope fo talk story plenty.....if can, can....if no can.......CAN.

Malama ka 'aina, Mahalo'z and Aloha!!!

p.s. If get any che'lu pepo on da board, Hafa adai!! and yo' place is Sholid!!

[Miulang]

p.s. If get any che'lu pepo on da board, Hafa adai!! and yo' place is Sholid!!
E komo mai I2I! You sound like you from Maui foa shuah (da "if can, can...if no can...CAN" is something OggBoy says all da time :) ) You know, get at least one more person on HT who lives in Guahan, right? (NewRoots). Would be funny if you ever bumped into him sometime.

Miulang

[Island2Island]

Mahalo'z fo' da welcome Miulang!!! Maikai!!

I figahd had some che'lu pepo here, afta all, get choke in Millilani.

Hope we can talk story aftahz......again Mahalo fo' da welcome!!

[glossyp]

Hafa che'lu Island2Island!

I've been here in Hawaii for nearly three years now (better half born and raised here so that's how I came to the Land of Aloha). I stayed in Pulantat Yona until ST Pongsona blew down my house, then went to Ta'i Road over near Father Duenas. Where do you stay?

Glad to hear that you are appreciating some of the finer things Guahan has to offer - like the food! If you need any recs for finding good eats, let me know. I know all the best spots. You probably already know that the best Chamoru food is at any fiesta.

You'll find lots of good people here on HT. They've helped me learn about Hawaii and I hope you'll enjoy it and stick around!

[Island2Island]

Howzit and Hafa Adai Gloyssp!! Mahalo fo' da welcome!!

I'm in Macheche(Dededo) wit my wahine and her 3 keiki, I LOVE dis place, everybody get good attitude, and da food is ONO, Chamorro Village every Wednesday cuz!!!!

I hope I no piss you off by saying dat da gov. here is CORRUPT, I give all che'lu MAJAH RESPECT fo' putting up wit dat shit, brah, if i was hea from keiki days, I would have killed da governor!!!! How come da pepo gotta put up wit low water pressure and blackouts when da old governor had his own "mansion", das Shtupid!!! All I see is HARD Working pepo getting cheated by LoLo politicians. Brah, I not saying Hawai'i is perfect, but at least the State kinda cares about da pepo. Ovah hea, It's like all about "Da Connections". DA LAND FO' DA PEPO!! BIBA GUAHAN!!(Did I get dat right?)

BTW>>Can I ask you watsup with da "north"??? How come dey act so "mainland". In da south and da middle, its all good, chamorro pride, I LIKE DAT, itz all about da rootz!! Some pepo in da north ack all "highnose" and talk like dey in California, dat was(and still is) funny.

Hope I neva make you mad, I love dis place, and I love your pepo, I HOPE one day u get da JUSTICE you deserve!!! Kanaka Maoli and che'lu, one in da same. And I tink red rice would go good with kalua pig and poi!!!!!!!

Guam Guahan, where America's Day Begins Chamorro Pride begins.

[glossyp]

No worries about the government corruption thing - it's actually better than it was in some earlier admins (hard to believe, I know). And it is absolutely about 'who you know' in getting stuff done from something as simple as a business license to one of those coveted Gov Guam jobs.

Honestly, I'm not sure about what the thing is with the area Dededo and north since I never spent much time up that way. Maybe it's the Mall! :eek:

And, to be clear, I don't have any Chamoru blood - I'm just someone who calls Guahan home. I guess Che'lu is kind of the default word for what people in Hawaii call 'local' though it's typically used between guys and the original meaning (to my best understanding) was 'friend'. Works for me though and I have total respect for Chamorus, their history and their present - good people who love the island.

Red rice with kalua pig and throw in some finadene - that's a match made in heaven. We have an achote tree in our backyard here so it's easy to make the red rice plus I brought some seeds so I'm growing my own boonie peppers.

[Island2Island]

Glo>>>> IMO, it doesnt matter WHAT kind blood u get, das yo hale, DAS YO HALE.
You must have seen dat dea are MANY pepo n da 'aina with little or no HAYN blood, but it makes noidifference, DAS DEA HALE. U may not b 1 Chamorro, but u iz 1 Guamanian, n i'll bet 100 scripts dat da "blood chamorro's" have all da rspect fo' you, dat u got 4 dem, garanz brah!!

Talk story aftaHz!!!! aLOHA che'lu, malama ka 'aina!!!

[newroots]

whazzzuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuup... doesnt guahan suck I2I?

Wow.. you got alot of good points I2I.. all the governors that guahan had were corrupt.. Wanna know why people kinda act haole in the north and in the central?? cuz they think its embarassing to be close to da roots. my generations was brought up to follow like .. the ''hiphop'' culture and punk rock stuff.. it sucks.. but like you said.. that stuff is funny!! .. especially in the north where they think they are gangsters!! hahaha

[Island2Island]

Howzit Rootz!!! No Guahan DOESNT suck, I'll testify to that. The North makes me laugh, no doubt. But da south makes me proud, no joke!


...but I did hear that SAIPAN sucks.........some website I seen......

[newroots]

nah. saipan is pretty cool. i got bula famaguon'ta up there. the hale is more metgot up there.. the kids are proud of who they are. their knowledgeable about their culture. its not so bad there. you just have to be respectful

[Island2Island]

^Maybe somebody should shut that website down, IT IS NOT nice in any way.

NewRootz, maybe you should do a counter-site, called "SAIPAN SUCKS, BUT ONLY IF YOUR MAINLAND-SPOILED AND CANT ENJOY THE ISLAND LIFE"

oh, better stop before some haole accuses me of being racist........

....wrong word, only dead people have "no breath".

I2I

[newroots]

ae wow brut.. that post was kinda harsh.. even to me it seemed pretty racist lol.. i dont think anyone should waste their time trying to make a ''counter website''... that site is almost meaningless.. but i can empathize with his point of view.. he just doesnt understand all the things he might see as ''unjust'' in the culture over there

[Tiger Beer]

Wow.. you got alot of good points I2I.. all the governors that guahan had were corrupt.. Wanna know why people kinda act haole in the north and in the central?? cuz they think its embarassing to be close to da roots. my generations was brought up to follow like .. the ''hiphop'' culture and punk rock stuff.. it sucks.. but like you said.. that stuff is funny!! .. especially in the north where they think they are gangsters!! hahaha
gangster culture is haole culture?

i don't think i've ever heard that before.

white people seriously laugh/make fun of white people who act gangsta.. its not haole at all.

[tinav]

uuuuuhhhh....we think we're gangstas?? naw man...we dont. we're very proud of our roots. i'm sure that you dont mean to generalize....right?? but to those of you that dont know....us chods from the north are very proud of who we are and where we come from. our blood, sweat and tears are in the land that we grow our food on...and in the waters that we fish. the north does have a higher and more diverse population than the south...so i guess i can see how u might come across that impression. BUT...i have come across the same kind of "MTV/OC wannabees" coming from the south. Guam's government IS corrupt. but i challenge u to show me a government...any government...that is not. Guam is like anywhere else...we have our issues that need to be dealt with....and we have our beauty that can be found no where else. any place can be enjoyable or "hell on earth"...its what you make of it.
oh....back to my point....us folks from the north are just as proud of our culture, heritage and over 4000 years of history as our southern chelus. how can the chamoru people move forward if we just keep pulling each other down???

[CranBeree]

who is the mayor of saipan now?

[newroots]

i talu.. basta man dagi dagi che'lu .. the guys in the north are fagget umbri... nah just kidding.. i agree with you on all your points bro.. but except for the government.. i think guams government is more messed up than the usual. and as for the ''beauty''... its long gone.. beauty was a thing of yestercentury. guam is begining to be very crowded and polluted. and were making all the hawaiians get angry.. IS THIS GUAM THREADS??? haha

[tinav]

yeah...maybe we've turned this into "guam threads", huh?!?!? but i sure do appreciate the opportunity to connect with and discuss my home with others.
the government of guam is better than what it used to be...still corrupt...but its alot better than 8 years of "sunshine". i find it so disheartening that u cant see the beauty of our island. guam IS getting crowded and polluted...just like oahu. but, just like oahu, the beauty is still there. u wont find it in waikiki just like u wont find it in "pleasure island." but the greatest, most important beauty of guam is, of course, its people and our culture.

i dont get why we're making hawaiians angry. can u explain that to me...and why it should matter. i seriously doubt that the hawaiians...or anyone else....would care if chamorus were getting upset with them. i honestly dont understand that comment.

have a great weekend. til next time...................

[glossyp]

and as for the ''beauty''... its long gone.. beauty was a thing of yestercentury.

Guam is still beautiful - check out this series of photos (http://www.flickr.com/photos/latitude13/sets/86060/) all taken within the past couple of years. You just have to look to see it.

edited to fix link

[CranBeree]

i guess no one knows who the mayor of saipan is :rolleyes:

[MadAzza]

Does Saipan have a mayor? Maybe the villages have mayors, but not the island itself? It's been a long time since I've been there, but I thought Saipan had just a governor/lt. governor. Gov. Benigno Fitial and Lt. Gov. Tim P. Villagomez now, from what I googled.

Sorry for any ignorance on my part. Just trying to help!

[glossyp]

i guess no one knows who the mayor of saipan is :rolleyes:

The mayor of Saipan is Juan Borja Tudela. Each of the larger islands have mayors: Rota, Tinian and Saipan. There is also a mayor for the smaller Northern Islands.

[CranBeree]

thanks, i googled it but it didn't give the years in office..i was wondering if Guerrero was still mayor...he had a son that had aplastic anemia and was here to get treatment or rather and we used to hang out with his other son jesse.

[Caliguy]

If you don't like Guam,then take the next plane out...

I've been reading alot of your posts in other boards on here and you should be ashamed of yourself on trying to change your Chamorro Roots to Hawaiian...

Chamorros are proud of their Heritage,but your are the only one I know that wants to deny it...

If you want New Roots then pick either Spanish,Filipino or Mexican or you can select all 3 since Chamorros have all 3 Bloodlines...


Good Luck on your Identity Search :rolleyes:



whazzzuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuup... doesnt guahan suck I2I?

[Caliguy]

If you like Cooler Weather,More Things To See or Do,Rarely Any Tropical Storms and a More Fast Paced Life,No Snakes and Cheap Airfares to the Mainland then you'll like Hawaii...

If you like the opposites of above then you'll like Guam,but I also wanted to note that Snakes are a rare sighting in Guam,and Guam is the only island in The Marianas Archipelago that has Snakes...

Snakes are not endemic to Guam,but was brought into the island on a Cargo Ship. do you think hawaii is more betterer as a state .... or independent country?

whys it so hard for it to become independent?Newroots you should be more concerned with what goes on in The Marianas Islands.

[IslandBoi671]

You know what? I have heard that Hawaiians are some of the kindest people on earth. I have heard that Hawaiian culture of respect mirrors the people of Guahan...but I have also heard that Hawaiians think of themselves as the superiors to all other islanders and after reading this thread I believe it! We have nothing but the upmost respect for ALL islanders and to read some of the things that you people have said about us sends shivers up my spine.

From what I hear...Hawaii is not too different from Guahan aside from the size and population...Hawaii's crime rate is no better...your drug problems are no better...Hawaii has it's own government corruptions to worry about as well. Chamorus hang out with Chamorus and Filipinos hang out with only Filipinos? Really? Is that what you heard or have you experienced yourself? Some of my good friends are Filipinos...some are black and you better believe I have Haole friends too! Yeah we "SHAKA" all the time and use the slang "Haole"...don't mean we want Guahan to be like Hawaii...then it wouldn't be Guahan! As a matter fact we don't chase "Haoles" from our beaches the way you do...I lived on Guam for over 20 years and have only seen 4 snakes in my life...at least we don't have a rodent (mongoose) problem. Most of you are ingorant of what we are about! Guahan has it's Americanized or Haolefied area (mainly the central), but don't tell me Hawaii is immuned to the likes of Americanization. Islanders have pride but are also humble. Your comments in here only show personalities of VANITY! Its so sad that we have had nothing but the upmost respect for Hawaii and their people and come to find that you bash us like you are better...I challenge you to live on Guahan...befriend our people. We do nothing but kick back, BBQ, jam the guitar or uke have a good time...ILSAND STYLE.

Quoted from...Missing da 'aina
"p.s. they say "Hang Loose, bro" and call white people "Haole"........
...you know what they say, "imitation is the highest form of flattery"...they can keep ripping Hawai'ian stuff off, but Guam will NEVER be Hawai'i."

I don't recall ever saying "Hang Loose, bro"...nor do I recall anyone ever picking it up. I for one don't want Guahan to EVER be Hawaii.

I don't think down on Hawaiians, but many of you in here have made some totally ignorant comments...

[Magalahi]

^^^ i totally agree islanboi.... to think what we thought about hawai'ians and have them say negative remarks is just plain stupidity!!!!!

[Leo Lakio]

Yah ... sucks to be "ingorant." ;)

[Marco]

Well, I've lived in Hawaii almost all my life, and have never heard anyone think that Hawaii is way better than Guam. One or two posters saying that they think it's better is by no means a general consensus of how the people of Hawaii feel about Guam and their residents.

I know a few people from Guam, and am proud to have them as friends.

ps. I'll bet our surf is better than yours, though ;)

[tinav]

well....i lived on guahan, hawaii, california, north carolina, and panama (republic of...) and ALL of these places had the same thing in common....corrupted governments, high crime, bad schools, people who rode the welfare system as a way of life (not sure about panama really), people who looked down their noses at the locals, and people who didnt like people from across their state/town/country/provence/county. i think the reason why these five places have the same thing in common is because its populated by the HUMAN RACE!!!
everybody has a place they consider to be "heaven on earth". for some its hawaii...for others its guahan...for others, its where they hang their beret....for others its wherever their children are. so many places...so many different reasons.
i choose guahan over hawaii. my family is there....my mom's cooking is there....my brother, his wonderful wife, and their 2 children that i want to spoil on a regular bases are there...as well as my aunties, uncles, cousins etc. what isnt there is a job for me or my husband to pay da mortgage. BUT WAIT....that's not here in hawaii either!!! this is why my hubby "commutes" to the mainland to work. to commute from guahan to the mainland is even more ridiculous.
i go home when i can...and at the first hint of family dramas....i like hawaii better!! LOL...............well..........when i started to type, i had a point that i wanted to drive home....but....i lost it.....so.....all this babbling for nothing. very typical of ME!!



oh...aaannnndddd........my husband (who's hawaiian) likes to surf guahan and hawaii. but winter time...he prefers guahan. brada just cant (and i wont let him try) to surf a 30 foot wave...and he no mo' da time to sit in haleiwa winter traffic to surf a wave he cant ride. he claims its easier to get into the line up on guahan than anywhere in hawaii....but he'll surf wherever...even israel...where he claimed the water looked gross.

[udontno]

i talu.. basta man dagi dagi che'lu .. . but except for the government.. i think guams government is more messed up than the usual. and as for the ''beauty''... its long gone.. beauty was a thing of yestercentury. guam is begining to be very crowded and polluted. and were making all the hawaiians get angry.. IS THIS GUAM THREADS??? haha

A few administrations ago, goverment officials had their selfish ways and the people didn't learn of it until after the fact. Now all governors and their officials will be labeled just as guilty until that day comes when all is well and stable and there is no deficit. That day is nowhere near. The current Governor and his officials are doing the people right and the next administration should do just as good, if not better.

The island is long from crowded and polluted. If you spend your time down in Tumon, you may get that impression but that is just the small "Hotel Row" we know as the tourist section. The north is far from over-developed and the south is still considered the country-side.

newroots, you are so far off but consistant with your generation "Laguna Beach."

The younger generations clown those not in tuned to the fashions and fads that television promote. Those truer to their roots or less concerned with FHM's guidelines to be hip are labelled "CHAUD." Funny thing is that those issuing this lable out are the ones we recognize as "Haole-Wanabees" or if you perfer, "Stateside-Wanabees." Of course their rebutal to that would be something to the affect of "nothing wrong in taking pride in how I present myself." In return, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG IN TAKING PRIDE IN OUR CULTURE. I where the lable of "CHAUD" as a badge of honor. I am proud of my house on Red Dirt Road Street and my children love it. Member TinaV and her family love it as well and TinaV always have a hard time getting her children back to HI when they do come to Guam. BTW, I'm from the north (Dededo) and there are no "gangsters" in the north.

The south is known to be "GANSTA." They proudly acknowledge themselves this way and I don't know why. I don't know anyone that cares anything about a seperation of the north and south other than those in the south. The southerns seperate themselves. The villages are less developed so yes, they have retained more natural beauty. That's no secret and I (a "Northerner") am not jealose. I'm proud.

Bottom line is that where ever you have television and newstands, you will have a cultural disconnect in the generations up and coming. It doesn't matter if it's Guam, Hawaii, Bali, etc. Guam has simular beauties Hawaii has but they still are different places with different cultures, thus different people. Don't compare them. Value them for what they offer.

[udontno]

Member MadAzza has pointed out that Guam is nothing like the US Mainland. Another member says Guam is too "Haolified" thus a turn-off. I guess we can conclude via MadAzza that Guam has very little reflection of the US Mainland and that little reflection is a turn-off. I guess to be a little "Haolified" isn't a good thing for most genuine pacific islanders. That's fine by me. I feel the same way.

For anyone listening and thinking they are learning something new here about Guam, let it be known that MadAzza's veiws are so very distorted and I think member Glossyp has noted some discrepancies in her ranting.

The people of Guam are very big hearted as well as hard working people with pride and integrity. We do have a generation that is lazy and spoiled but this generation is consistant in Hawaii, US Mainland and everywhere else. The kids of today are not expected to suceed their parents becuase we have spoiled them.

I am a 35 year old Director of a multi-million dollar company working for a "Haole" from the states. My stateside-hired predecessors all failed to do the job. As a matter of fact, all the company's state-side hires all have been fired and local hires have suceeded their roles and cleaned up all the mess they created. I'v just past my 5yr anniversary with this company since I started on the floor level.

My 35 year old wife is the Vice President of a multi-million dollar company and the "Haole" President (Owner) resides in Hawaii but is originally from TX. Let me add that she started with this company 6 years ago as a part timer so to spend time with our first child. 5 years later she is the VP.

Did I mention that she is from Agat(dad's side)/Asan (mom's side) and I am from Dededo. Surprisingly we are locals. Sorry to disappoint you guys.

Initiative, Incentive and Work Ethic not a trait of the locals? I am safe to assume that my wife and I are not the only success stories on island. Before it is suggested that we got here via "hook-up" program, I made sure to include that the owner's for both our company's are "Haoles" not having any history in Guam. We both started in on the very bottom entry level and have found success minus the owner's position.

Let's get back to the subject:

Guam vs Hawaii- You say Tomatoe. I say Potatoe. The same but different.
(Gotta be island to understand that and it doesn't matter what FCKN island either)

[MochaDuchess]

I grew up in Guam and have only visited Hawaii, so I don't feel I have the authority to really compare the two since my knowledge of Hawaii isn't comparable to my knowledge of Guam. I would only say that both are beautiful in their uniqueness, and one's beauty is different--though no less valuable--than the other's beauty.

Oh, and what snakes? That Discovery channel special was like fifteen years ago and even then it was chronicling events from years prior. In my entire life, I'd only seen four of them there and two of them were in the crappy zoo. I love Guam, but I will concede our zoo needs work, but that's okay. ;) And can't our mutual love for Spam be a uniting factor?! :D

[tinav]

And can't our mutual love for Spam be a uniting factor?! :D

YES MOCHA!!!!!!!!! we can...we can!!! i like my spam sliced thin, fried crispy with cold rice, ketchup, tabasco and pickled daigo/daikon.

SPAMLOVERSUNITE!!!!!


man, can we please put this subject to rest already. its so utterly ridiculous. every place on the face of this earth has positive and negative aspects to it. there will be lovers and haters.....there will be complainers and do-ers. God bless the whole world. No exceptions!!

Be the change you wish to see in the world. Ghandi

[Royce]

man, can we please put this subject to rest already. its so utterly ridiculous. every place on the face of this earth has positive and negative aspects to it. there will be lovers and haters.....there will be complainers and do-ers. God bless the whole world. No exceptions!!

That's probably the only option because the comparison does nothing but stir each side up as has already been evidenced. I was born and raised on Guam, left when I was 18. I've lived in Honolulu for 21 years. I make a lot of comparisons but the better/worse evaluations serve no purpose. The subject line of this thread itself is senseless. What for?

[newroots]

they have guam vs. hawai'i in the pxc.... we had corey daneils vs. chris brub

i think corey daniels really should've won that match up ...a few other guys ... albert ''always bad'' manners , lost to joe taimanglo ... as far as guam vs. hawai'i which one is better .. i'd have to say hawai'i even though i never been there.

[newroots]

why should we be proud of our roots??? ... we should be ashamed of ourselves ... we bicker with each other ... we rip each other off ... we make friends with the enemy , for personal gain ... the only way to truly succeed , is to unite as together , as one people , one blood , with one aim... i bet our ancestors are ashamed of us ... our health is poor , our island is poor .... and our situation is only getting worse.. just in the last 6 years .. islan guahan has went through significant changes. and their all bad.. its alot more crowded. alot more polluted. alot more chaotic. and alot more UGLY. guam is looking more and more like the motherf*ckin philipines..

if you want proof of what i'm saying. just look at the situation our government is in. the manamko our working to death. the kids are being mis-educated , and the school system is super bad. were stealing money from the people. the only way to change this , is to work as one.

we are the true tao tao tano! ... and its been 500 years too long that we've been held down. its not racist if we try to correct the unjustices that has been commited against us .. and still are being commited. and if it is racist , that my racism is justified.. becuase certain races have commited genocide to my ancestors.


deskata i natibu

[udontno]

Guahan is so terrible with issues not common to any every other place in the world. People of Guahan are terrible. They are dishonest shameful criminals. The land is trashed. The area is over developed and over crowed with useless people and buildings. The people are unhealthy, poor and dumb with no ambition. Within the last 6 years, things have progressively gotten worse and the fate of the island is already secured to the undesireable/untolerable. The land and people have been held down for 500 years plus and today the people are still directly suffering a quality of life common to other war-filled third world countries where the chapter in their history books of civil war can not conclude as the was has been going on for many, many years and no end in sight. Where their bodies doomed from the war or disease or starvation litter the streets. Where death is accepted and expected every sunrise. Guahan is ranked in together with them. People of Guahan can not better themselves nor their island. They have no choice in the matter. The youth's future has been decided by those not their own. By those still holding the people down.

newroots, I obviously feel your pain and shame. You are a very educated fair judge. Guahan with its people is definitely the cess pool of the world and your shame in your land and blood is justified. Allow me to help you pack your belongings, bleach your skin and hair and book you immediate flight out to the greener grass where none of this sickening actions are not found. Do we need to consider a blood transfussion to rid the Guahan that pumps through you? I have even attempted to find a destination for you to root into but I'm having a hard time. Please do suggest where this fairy tale land can be found. Searching the net, I only found Neverland on the Disney page but no flights going that way. Should I call Peter Pan and Tinkerbell to pick you up? What can I do to help you relocate and to change your identity to something you can be proud of?

May I suggest to you before you continue bad mouthing Guahan, do some research and find out how the problems you identified are common where ever there is man. I have lived in 5 different states and many more different counties. I have many many more extended visits to many other states and counties. I have lived in two other countries out side of the US and visited too many more to count since my career has me traveling the globe. Political corruption and other crimes are always common where ever I have traveled. All of these places have history of some other foreign entity coming in and conquering their people and land. Many of them are still fighting today with weapons in hand and bodies at their feet. Most of these places are far from rich. FAR!

Before you go screaming how terrible Guahan and its people are so loud and proud, analyze how green that grass on the other side really is. It might surprise you how misrepresenting YOU REALLY ARE. You sad attempt to support your activist clan is very destructive and disruptive. I do hope that you are not singing the cries of a activist clan since your message is actually counter-productive to their cause. As bad as you made Guahan and its people out to me, the most accurate description I have for you is "IGNORANT." Move elsewhere and claim a different root because as ashamed as you are of Guahan, we are more ashamed of you FOR REALZ. Go back and slap the dog sh!t out of the person who has lead you down the wrong path because you truely are embarrassing.

I know I first said that you are educated and a fair judge. Well, I lied and you can add that to the list of traits Chamorrus have. We are also liars.

[Pua'i Mana'o]

for someone who claims a widely-travelled resume, how is it that you fail to spark some economic and social ideas (and ideals) with which to combat Newsroots' claims and concerns? Why did you focus instead on a direct and personal bashing?

So after the two of you finish off your pissing contest, and after some other disaffected HT junkie yammers "take it to the ChammoroThreads board!", why not engage in tossing out ideas aimed to address the concerns of over-crowding, finite resource management, immigration policies, and how we Pacific Island people can unite in our shared responsibilities of keeping our isles happy and healthy in the Y2K?

I would love to do comparatives of US state vs territory, particularly what your international relations are like (e.g. tarrifs; do they apply when you want to buy a Toyota? What are your tax situations like? What is the population demographic like? Of all those problems "like anywhere else in the world", what unique ones do you have?)


Grumbling is the easy part. Let's take advantage of this medium and come up with good ideas. Please.

[glossyp]

I would love to do comparatives of US state vs territory, particularly what your international relations are like (e.g. tarrifs; do they apply when you want to buy a Toyota? What are your tax situations like? What is the population demographic like? Of all those problems "like anywhere else in the world", what unique ones do you have?)

I will always consider Guahan home though I am not Chamoru. I will try to answer some of these questions. Guam is a duty free port but also subject to The Jones Act which really sucks and adds thousands to the annual cost of living for average people. Individual and corporate federal income taxes are paid but are returned to the coffers of GovGuam. There is a gross receipts tax (GRT) of 4% added to all goods.

The indigenous people (Chamoru) are not stupid or lazy and constitute the largest ethnic group. Next are Filipinos, then other Pacific Islanders. Caucasians and Asian represent less than 7% (each) of the population. There are lots of mixed race people as well. The Chamoru language is spoken widely after nearly dying out. Chamoru and English are both official languages and at the unicameral legislature debates and speeches are regularly heard in either language.

For those who don't know what a beautiful island Guahan is, I recommend this Flickr page of photos taken by my very talented friend. Guam is Beautiful (http://www.flickr.com/photos/latitude13/sets/86060/)

[CranBeree]

i lived in Guam for a year and a half...i hated it when i first got there...but it grew on me and i started to enjoy it..i left there in 91, and its good memories that i remember in that short time i was there. i miss Tarague beach :)

[udontno]

for someone who claims a widely-travelled resume, how is it that you fail to spark some economic and social ideas (and ideals) with which to combat Newsroots' claims and concerns?

If social science were my specialty, I would've included such details in my effort. Seeing that it is not, I dare not.

Why did you focus instead on a direct and personal bashing?

This is a person from Guam educating the masses with wrong information. It is one thing to hear this strong distaste from a outsider but to come from a fellow brutha of the island and for him to ask "why should we be proud of our roots" is just plain insulting and flagrantly disrespectful. As I am openly proud of my roots, people and culture, yes I take his comments very personal and I believe I fairly speak for my people when I addressed newroots. You have only heard from me, a silent voice, so far. Since this is not our board, I hope I am the last or things will get carried away. I am sorry for airing the dirty laundry.

[udontno]

they have guam vs. hawai'i in the pxc.... we had corey daneils vs. chris brub

i think corey daniels really should've won that match up ...a few other guys ... albert ''always bad'' manners , lost to joe taimanglo ... as far as guam vs. hawai'i which one is better .. i'd have to say hawai'i even though i never been there.

do you wish to compare "Quality of Life" to "Combative Sports"? It is apparent that you don't like Guahan. That is fine. We have learned enough from your posts to know that a seperation of YOU from GUAHAN is best. You don't have to go on bad mouthing us and we shall forget you too. Everyone will live happier. I am sure another culture will embrace what you offer with open arms. Good luck in your journey and travel safely.

[newroots]

hey udontno ... you think everythings okay , but its not. sure guam isnt as bad as some places in africa , or mexico , or wherever... but ... if we , as a people , dont take action to get back our soveriegnty or , self-determination. than it could be 2 late... cuz , in about 6 years , the united states is gonna re-locate 10,000 marines to guam and stuff...

their willing to invest 10 billion dollars for that. i dont think they would waste all that cash. by investing 10 billion to put them somewhere else after they already put em on guam.

if we continue on this path , and if we just sit back and let things run their course.. theres almost no hope for chamorro identity or independence..... i'd rather have us have a hard time , and struggle , and keep our soveriegnty and 100% freedom.... than to sell it to the united states for chump change.

but if things do go wrong for guam.. than i'll just go to sa'ipan.

[udontno]

Now you see, this is whole different subject. If your efforts are leading to deter the whole "Marines relocation from Okinawa to Guam", I understand but to publicly insult Guam, the people and culture is WAAAYYYY out of line. I support your position in not wanting the Marine Base in Guam. Who would want it when they are being kicked out of another country because of their recorded history of voilence and crimes against the local civilians. I support you on this but not the path you take to pass the message.

Our federal deficit is large, our economy is unstable and our expenditures seem to be exceeding our revenues. An investment of 10 BILLION will make a very significant difference but I feel the indirect cost we will pay in the long run out weighs the attractive "fast fix."

[newroots]

i publicly insult guam cuz guam is over rated and it sucks man.. it looks like a mini version of an asian place.. its all crowded and stuff. thats really a damn shame.

[udontno]

i publicly insult guam cuz guam is over rated and it sucks man.. it looks like a mini version of an asian place.. its all crowded and stuff. thats really a damn shame.

Over rated? Generally, Guam is unknown. I would venture to say that 90% + of the world's population don't even know what a "Guam" is.

...like a mini version of an asian place? Considering our geographical location, what do you think it should be like? You obviously don't think it contributes to our beauty.

...crowded and stuff? a population of a little over 150K is not "over crowded." Research Downtown Hong Kong or Tokyo. This island is still very undeveloped but this fact is part of our beauty. "Undisturbed Natural Beauty."

You have made it clear that you are very miserable. Find your way out. Go to Hawaii or where ever your choice place is. Until you move on to your greener grass, just consider that maybe your disgust in Guam probably has nothing to do with Guam but with yourself and your immediate environment. Also consider that those helping you conclude that Guam is shameful may not be a reliable source of information. Maybe they are good friends or respectable family members but "WOW!", you are sssooooo far off that I now feel bad for you. Don't endulge in my pity for you because IGNORANCE, "thats really a damn shame" especially when it is displayed with such confidence. Most everything about Guam is great. Rid your surroundings of the negative. Find different people to hang with. Do things differently. See things differently. You must be exhausted from hating so much.

[Leo Lakio]

I would venture to say that 90% + of the world's population don't even know what a "Guam" is.I believe George Carlin said it sounded like something disgusting - "Ewwww!" (brushes himself vigorously, as if removing something from his person) "Somebody get this guam offa me!"

[tinav]

I believe George Carlin said it sounded like something disgusting - "Ewwww!" (brushes himself vigorously, as if removing something from his person) "Somebody get this guam offa me!"

george carlin is hilarious!!! however...i'm sure someone out there will be offended. oh well...

so here's my take on all of this silliness...cause i know everyone has been holding his/her breath wondering just what tinav's opinion is....NOT!!!

u like guahan...cool. u dont like guahan...cool. u're proud of your roots/heritage/culture...good for u. u're NOT proud of your roots/heritage/culture...that's unfortunate...but still yet...good for u, i guess.

if someone came to HAWAII threads for an education on GUAHAN...well......uuuuhhhh.........hhhhhmmmm..... ..buddy, u took a wrong turn somewhere along the way.

if someone....ANYONE...takes ONE person's opinion (off the internet,no less)as gospel, then, phooey on them!! i venture to say that noone on HAWAII threads is taking the opinion of a disgruntled 17 year old to heart...since it is in fact, JUST HIS OPINION. but, if anyone does...so be it. at the end of the day.......who da h*ll gives a flying rat's a$$?!?!?!?!

to those of you who are not happy with your current location...whether it be guahan, hawaii, or timbuktu...may i suggestion u make the effort to move OR become a part of the solutions to various issues. if u cant do either...then get the hell out of the way for those of us who are trying to move forward.

FURTHERMORE...we have been asked POLITELY to take this to CHAMORU threads. please, lets do this. frikkin guamanese...so rude to continue to air dirty laundry in SOMEONE ELSE'S HOUSE!!

[Pua'i Mana'o]

<gives up a rat's ass for the sake of furthering the conversation>

underneath all the emotional and pissy stuff, I find it utterly fascinating the turn that the thread has taken. And what a treat to hear other PacIslanders whose historical and current affairs have much to offer Hawai'i in terms of comparison/contrast.

Would you folks do me a favor? Pick up a book that has a macro-economic world view (The World is Flat comes immediately to mind), read it, and come back here and let's rip it up? I would be squealy-buggah-happy if you would!!!

[admin]

With apologies to various original posters, unrelated threads that subsequently turned into general discussions about Guam have been merged into this one.

[newroots]

okay udontno... ur taking it pretty far now.. i dont wanna disrespect all the hawaiian people whom i feel for so much by continuing on with this bull crap... so we should just meet up in real life bro... i stay in asan , kalaka side.

anytime partner. u wanna go 1 on 1. i'll show u ur time is over. just stroll by the village acting like a maniac. i'll know its u.

[newroots]

nah i was just kidding man... plz dont send little john john to come get me.. i was just joking mr. high chief. lol. but really i'm sorry. :confused: i was just messin around.

[glossyp]

Very close gubernatorial race on Guam. It looked throughout the night that it might end in a runoff between former congressman Robert Underwood (D) and incumbent governor Felix Camacho (R) as Guam law requires 50% plus 1. As of this time, it looks like Camacho pulled it out by less than 1,000 votes.

[glossyp]

The election commission meets tomorrow for a final decision, but it looks like a run off is going to happen as neither team garnered the needed 50% plus 1. According to the Organic Act the run off must take place in 14 days. Details here (http://www.guampdn.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061108/NEWS01/61108018). Read the comments though for some reasons why it might all be over with.

[glossyp]

I apologize for the third posting in a row here, my excuse is that it's been months and the reason for posting should be of interest to anyone paying attention to the U.S. military presence in the Pacific. The linked article from Newsweek outlines the future of Guam and its important role in projecting U.S. power throughout Asia from North to South. U.S. Military Embraces Guam (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17202830/site/newsweek/from/ET/). The article doesn't mention the long history of U.S. forces on Guam particularly the intense build-up during the Vietnam war and throughout the Cold War.

[Royce]

Hmmm... let's wait and see just how active the activists become with all the activity poised to start with the buildup. True, no mention of pre-drawdown days when the military presence was much bigger on Guam. I've heard some people wonder out loud about how things will be with so much military (so many GIs were the actual words) on the island.. problems in the bars, etc.. Younguns... it was like that when I was growing up!

[Miulang]

I pray for the Chamoru that the US Department of Defense doesn't mess up Guam in the way they've messed up Hawai'i. At this point, the Chamoru are still in the majority, but unless they can take action politically, their opportunity for more say in their governance might be lost.

If I was Guahan, I would be more than a little upset at the Newsweek story that glossyp cited about how they HAVE to build up defense facilities on Guam because it's a "lily pad in the Pacific that the US can hop on without having to get approval from any of its allies". What about what the local residents of Guam want? Yes, more of them need jobs, but are defense contractor jobs the kind that will help the country in the long run?

Since our "enemies" in Asia will now know that Guam is being fortified again, wouldn't that little 30 mile long piece of sand become a primary target?

The Okinawans want to kick us out completely; the Philippines has already done so (I think Mt. Pinatubo might also have helped in that decision;) ), they are drawing down troops in South Korea and redeploying many to the Middle East.

Are there any other islands in the Pacific that we can annex so we can have FOBs without having to ask permission?:rolleyes: ooooh, how about Bikini Atoll (http://www.bikiniatoll.com/history.html)as an FOB? There are no inhabitants you'd have to displace.;)

Miulang

[glossyp]

A bit of history would help understand the general outlook of the Chamoru people and the other residents. Guam was occupied by the Japanese in brutal fashion throughout WWII until the island was liberated by US forces as they pushed northward through the Pacific towards Japan. The Chamoru people on Guam are in general extremely patriotic and appreciative of being US citizens with the protections and freedoms inherent with citizenship. They are also realistic about their geo-political location - it's been a factor since the Spanish turned up in the 16th century and Guam became an important way-station in the Western Pacific.

A concern that Chamorus don't have a say over their government is somewhat laughable. All elected governors have been Chamoru. When the legislature is in session you are just as likely to hear the senators speaking in Chamoru as English. The vast majority of government employees are Chamoru - there is no lack of representation of Chamorus in government and throughout the society. The government has not been "hi-jacked" by any other ethnic or racial group though these groups are represented in the legislature.

The indigenous rights movement has waxed and waned almost in parallel to the economy; when the economy is booming indigenous rights flourish, when the economy is in bad, indigenous rights aren't as important. Locals have not forgotten the boom of the late 80s, early 90s which created the illusion that Guam didn't need the US military as a economic contributor. At that time the indigenous movement succeeded in pushing through a major draw down by the military with base closings, relocation of forces and other moves which reduced the military presence significantly. It was thought that tourism (almost solely dependant upon the Japanese market) would provide what was needed to sustain the economy. World events and natural disaster proved that this was not true. And, while there are some activists who would like to return to a traditional lifestyle, the fact remains that most people on Guam, Chamoru or otherwise, enjoy the comforts of modern life including electricity, running water, automobiles, plentiful food choices and gainful employment.

Many locals left the island during the economic collapse that happened. I would imagine most everyone here in Hawaii has friends, neighbors or co-workers from Guam who arrived here in the last 10 years. They came here in no small part because the economy of Guam tanked. (I hope that those who want to return home will be able to due to the improving economic situation.)

An influx of military personnel and families along with DOD contractors, etc. does have an amazing impact on the economy. Restaurants flourish, small businesses of all types do well, from communications companies to beauty shops. You name it, they benefit. So it's not just the jobs that come with the build up (though there are plenty of qualified locals who are hired for both professional and blue collar positions), it's the overall boost to commerce.

[Miulang]

I just hope the US government is more benign and can control its employees (enlisted and otherwise) better than they did in Okinawa and the Philippines. I also hope they make a commitment to the Guamanians that they won't ruin their ecology and environment by polluting the land and water with all the equipment that will be based on that small island. I still think Bikini Atoll would be a better place...closer to Asia than Guam and there's nobody around to antagonize there.;)

The amazing thing about Bikini is before the US government stole it from the trusting Marshallese in the 1950's, it was a very verdant, lush area that supported many people. The US government has an obligation to pay reparations to the displaced Bikinians as well as mitigate and rehabilitate the island, and we have fallen so far behind in our payments to them that they sued the US government and we now owe them more than $700 million.

We could kill two birds with one stone by moving our troops to Bikini: since we have to rehabilitate the island anyway because of a treaty we signed, we could then construct new facilities and not have to worry about any local residents interferring with the development of a base.

I learned something last night about the former residents of Bikini Atoll that was kind of startling; while many of the Bikinians moved to other parts of the Marshall Islands, there are some 3,000 living in, of all places, ARKANSAS! Can you imagine the culture shock they must be enduring?:eek:

Miulang

[glossyp]

We could kill two birds with one stone by moving our troops to Bikini: since we have to rehabilitate the island anyway because of a treaty we signed, we could then construct new facilities and not have to worry about any local residents interferring with the development of a base.
Every once in a while I am completely amazed at your suggestions. I can only presume you are being facetious as you can't simply be that uninformed. On the other hand, you don't seem to know where Bikini is actually located. You can find it at 11 N 166 E placing it much closer to Hawaii than Guam which is at 13 N 144 E. (Latitude/longitude rounded to nearest number.)

Bikini is an atoll which could not support the facilities required. There is zero infrastructure and to put the equivalent of what already exists on Guam would take years. As mentioned above, its physical location is literally thousands of miles from the area of concern (China, North Korea, SE Asia, etc.).

You seem to have a hard time wrapping your head around the idea that the majority of people on Guam, Chamorus and others, may actually welcome the military build up and attendant economic boom. There will always be problems with young and rowdy military, but violators are turned over to local authorities and handled through the court system which does not look kindly on bad behavior from military personnel or dependants.

[Miulang]

Every once in a while I am completely amazed at your suggestions. I can only presume you are being facetious as you can't simply be that uninformed. On the other hand, you don't seem to know where Bikini is actually located. You can find it at 11 N 166 E placing it much closer to Hawaii than Guam which is at 13 N 144 E. (Longitude/latitude rounded to nearest number.)

Bikini is an atoll which could not support the facilities required. There is zero infrastructure and to put the equivalent of what already exists on Guam would take years. As mentioned above, its physical location is literally thousands of miles from the area of concern (China, North Korea, SE Asia, etc.).

You seem to have a hard time wrapping your head around the idea that the majority of people on Guam, Chamorus and others, may actually welcome the military build up and attendant economic boom. There will always be problems with young and rowdy military, but violators are turned over to local authorities and handled through the court system which does not look kindly on bad behavior from military personnel or dependants.
Of course I'm being facetious, glossyp.:) But I also object to the US's continued mindset of being able to take over another country just to suit our purposes, which are to protect an empire which is quickly fading into the sunset.

Miulang

[glossyp]

Of course I'm being facetious, glossyp.:) But I also object to the US's continued mindset of being able to take over another country just to suit our purposes, which are to protect an empire which is quickly fading into the sunset.
Object as you may, the concern does not apply in this case. And, while you may be cheering for the day when the U.S., or 'empire' as you so derisively call it (all the while protected by its military, laws and systems), fades into the sunset, I am not and I'm guessing people who view our country as a symbol of hope and freedom don't either.

[Miulang]

Object as you may, the concern does not apply in this case. And, while you may be cheering for the day when the U.S., or 'empire' as you so derisively call it (all the while protected by its military, laws and systems), fades into the sunset, I am not and I'm guessing people who view our country as a symbol of hope and freedom don't either.
I have nothing against our military as long as they are not housed in other countries and I am certainly for law and order in this country. But the US no longer has a "manifest destiny" to be the protector of everyone else when we can't even protect our own citizens in this country, on our own soil!

Webster's definition of "empire": 1 a (1) : a major political unit having a territory of great extent or a number of territories or peoples under a single sovereign authority; especially : one having an emperor as chief of state (2) : the territory of such a political unit b : something resembling a political empire; especially : an extensive territory or enterprise under single domination or control

Although we were formed as a democracy, the current Administration is doing its damndest to crown an Emperor (or at least one person who believes he is above the laws of the land).

Miulang

[glossyp]

I have nothing against our military as long as they are not housed in other countries and I am certainly for law and order in this country. But the US no longer has a "manifest destiny" to be the protector of everyone else when we can't even protect our own citizens in this country, on our own soil!
For better or worse, this is not your decision to make. Congress mandates and funds our bases around the world and we are leaving (and have left) places where leases expired, e.g. the Philippines and others such as Okinawa and South Korea. There are places in the world where having a forward presence is important to protect our interests and those of our allies.

Webster's definition of "empire":
Although we were formed as a democracy, the current Administration is doing its damndest to crown an Emperor (or at least one person who believes he is above the laws of the land).
And, the good news is that he cannot run for office again, and could not proclaim himself emperor, king or anything else no matter what. Our country is not defined by a single administration, and never has been, though it seems people have forgotten this in their hatred of Bush 43.

[newroots]

i think its sad the u.s. military is deciding to put more people on the bases here......... i mean , 20,000 more people?! ... come on now.

as i said before , Guahan is an island. Not a city. I dont think it was meant to hold so much buildings or people. It will look even more messed up then it does now.


A good question is , Why do we want military that The Okinawans are desperately trying to get rid of??

There should have been a vote for the people of weather they wanted this move to take place.



I just think its sad how the u.s. government uses us for their own best interest , and dis-regards the dignity and the indigenous rights of a people...

its just wrong.

[Vanguard]

Guam has snakes.
Hawaii doesnt have snakes.
I'll take Hawaii

Skinner: No problem. We simply unleash wave after wave of mongooses They’ll wipe out the snakes.
Lisa: But aren’t the mongooses even worse?
Skinner: Yes, but we’re prepared for that. We’ve lined up a fabulous type of gorilla that thrives on moongoose meat.
Lisa: But then we’re stuck with gorillas!
Skinner: No, that’s the beautiful part. When wintertime rolls around, the gorillas simply freeze to death.

---

In addition, it seems that Guam has a very high frequency of crime; theft to be exact. I once read a Guam Mini Cooper enthusiast forum, and they had one mini forum devoted entirely to thefts; reporting missing items and theft suspects. I know Hawaii isn't perfect in that way, but Guam seems to have a very serious problem.

[newroots]

yeah theft is a problem on guam. dumb people with no morals lol.

in school i must've had 3 watches stolen. stuff is sad. u cant trust nobody..........

[PoiBoy]

i think its sad the u.s. military is deciding to put more people on the bases here......... i mean , 20,000 more people?! ... come on now.

as i said before , Guahan is an island. Not a city. I dont think it was meant to hold so much buildings or people. It will look even more messed up then it does now.


A good question is , Why do we want military that The Okinawans are desperately trying to get rid of??

There should have been a vote for the people of weather they wanted this move to take place.



I just think its sad how the u.s. government uses us for their own best interest , and dis-regards the dignity and the indigenous rights of a people...

its just wrong.

Are there many other Chamorros who oppose the occupation of the u.s in Guam? Are there any known leaders in the sovereignty movement?

How is the Chamorro cultural revitalization going?

[newroots]

Are there many other Chamorros who oppose the occupation of the u.s in Guam? Are there any known leaders in the sovereignty movement?

How is the Chamorro cultural revitalization going?







Most of the Chamorro i know oppose the u.s. occupation. They agree that it is wrong , but they dont bother doing anything about it. I talk to alot of people my age who are eager to get active. When angel santos was alive.... it was awesome cuz there was alot of protests and things like that.
But ever since he died , everything simmered down. Since then , nobody has stepped up to the plate to be a leader like Angel was.





They're a few Known leaders in the chamorro sovriengty movement.. Like Senator Jesse Andersen Lujan. Dr. Judi Gutherds said indigenous rights was on her political agenda. But the most hopeful leader was Dr. Robert Underwood ... Who was a candidate for governor a year ago. He lost to a very controversial decision that had to be decided by the courts. Robert Underwood is a very good activist. If he was governor , things would be alot better.


But most leaders don't focus on political status.. They are busy with other issues cuz the economy here is pretty bad. in fact , they're talking about a Freeze in the government and also .... Closing down the school system cuz they don't have enough funds.



And as for the revitalization , its going good.. The younger generation is becoming more and more interested in the culture everyday. Years back , it was embarassing or ''stupid'' , to be interested in things like that.
But now , the kids are proud and very interested.

[joshuatree]

But most leaders don't focus on political status.. They are busy with other issues cuz the economy here is pretty bad. in fact , they're talking about a Freeze in the government and also .... Closing down the school system cuz they don't have enough funds.

Do you think the Guam economy would be better or worse without the US military being based there?

[newroots]

Well , i think there are alot of things we could straighten out. If u.s. will use the land for there military bases.. They should pay compensation. Like they do in other places , such as iceland. Another thing we should do is more agriculture. Most of the food here is imported. It would help alot of we would have more home grown products. Theres no reason why we shouldnt have cuz , the weather we have is fit for it. Its crazy becuase , we buy coconut drinks made in Korea. Or coconut made in florida.

But to answer your question... I think the economy will be worse if the u.s. left.

But many people might leave. Alot of things would change. So who knows.
We could get foriegn aid from the U.N.... You see , Less people = Less Cost.
If we had control of immagration policy when we were asking for it back in the 1980s , things would've been alot easier then now.




what about over there? how is your economy , i hear everything is expensive over there. like a gallon of milk is 7 dollars .. LOL

[PoiBoy]

Most of the Chamorro i know oppose the u.s. occupation. They agree that it is wrong , but they dont bother doing anything about it. I talk to alot of people my age who are eager to get active. When angel santos was alive.... it was awesome cuz there was alot of protests and things like that.
But ever since he died , everything simmered down. Since then , nobody has stepped up to the plate to be a leader like Angel was.





They're a few Known leaders in the chamorro sovriengty movement.. Like Senator Jesse Andersen Lujan. Dr. Judi Gutherds said indigenous rights was on her political agenda. But the most hopeful leader was Dr. Robert Underwood ... Who was a candidate for governor a year ago. He lost to a very controversial decision that had to be decided by the courts. Robert Underwood is a very good activist. If he was governor , things would be alot better.


But most leaders don't focus on political status.. They are busy with other issues cuz the economy here is pretty bad. in fact , they're talking about a Freeze in the government and also .... Closing down the school system cuz they don't have enough funds.



And as for the revitalization , its going good.. The younger generation is becoming more and more interested in the culture everyday. Years back , it was embarassing or ''stupid'' , to be interested in things like that.
But now , the kids are proud and very interested.

I don't know the state of affairs in Guam but often it is the "system" itself that is the problem. Politicians are limited to the framework of the system..remember who they really work for and who finances them. It wouldn't surprise me if they were all puppets serving "master".

Make sure you study the history of colonialism around the world.

[joshuatree]

Well , i think there are alot of things we could straighten out. If u.s. will use the land for there military bases.. They should pay compensation. Like they do in other places , such as iceland. Another thing we should do is more agriculture. Most of the food here is imported. It would help alot of we would have more home grown products. Theres no reason why we shouldnt have cuz , the weather we have is fit for it. Its crazy becuase , we buy coconut drinks made in Korea. Or coconut made in florida.

But to answer your question... I think the economy will be worse if the u.s. left.

But many people might leave. Alot of things would change. So who knows.
We could get foriegn aid from the U.N.... You see , Less people = Less Cost.
If we had control of immagration policy when we were asking for it back in the 1980s , things would've been alot easier then now.




what about over there? how is your economy , i hear everything is expensive over there. like a gallon of milk is 7 dollars .. LOL


Considering Guam is a US territory, doesn't it have a right to hold a referendum like the way Puerto Rico did in regards to become a state, go free, or keep status quo?

What you listed is the dilemma. On one hand, US military use of Guam obviously bothers many Chamarros but then again, the presence of the US military does pump in X dollars into the economy. The military doesn't pay rent like they do in Iceland because Iceland is an independent country, Guam is US territory. Not to belittle Guam but the status of territory means it is owned by the US gov't. In return for that, people of Guam don't have things like state taxes, correct me if I'm wrong? So it's a sort of trade off.

Regarding coconuts, it's the whole economy of scale. For instance, leis from Thailand are a lot cheaper than leis from Hawaii yet it doesn't sound right to have leis from Thailand.

Yeah, milk isn't as cheap as places like Cali but again, it's all about economies of scale.

[glossyp]

Considering Guam is a US territory, doesn't it have a right to hold a referendum like the way Puerto Rico did in regards to become a state, go free, or keep status quo?
There have been efforts over the years to hold a referendum on this. The most recent efforts were discouraged by the federal government and from voter polls where the majority of people wanted status quo which served to dissuade those seeking commonwealth or free association from more actively pursuing a vote. Another problem has been the argument over who would be allowed to vote. All residents eligible to vote or descendants of those who resided on Guam when it was ceded to the U.S. after the Spanish-American War?

...people of Guam don't have things like state taxes...Residents of Guam pay income tax according to the current federal levels, but all of the monies are returned to the Govt. of Guam, so that is a form of payment. There is a GRT (gross receipts tax) levelled on most goods and services and property taxes as well.

[glossyp]

Legendary boy band creator/manager, Lou Perlman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lou_Pearlman), who has been on the run for several months, is in federal custody on Guam. Once again, Guam's geography leads to an odd news story. My friend Josie at Latitude 13 (http://www.latitude13.com) encourages aspiring young artists to use whatever means possible to slip him a CD. Pacific Daily News story (http://guampdn.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070616/NEWS01/706160313).

[808shooter]

Glossyp, i was just in Guam last weekend. Beautiful island, beautiful weather and beaches and best of all a bright economic outlook due to those 17,000 marines and dependants.

While I was there I got to check out Leo Palace - a resort that would match up well against the most opulent Vegas hotels. The other hotels in Tumon were also nice being on the beach but Leo Palace was very impressive.

The development at Gun Beach will also be amazing. I got to see a few of the conceptual plans for the development, you folks are in for quite in influx of affulent folks. That South Korean company is making a big big bet on it.

As for me, I am not sure if I'll be back but I did make a decent sized bet that things turn out ok for Guam. If you're not a homeowner already, it may be a good idea to become one in the next few years - before things get out of hand like they are here in Hawaii.

and joshua, the folks on Guam won't be getting statehood anytime soon. with a population base of 170,000 they really depend of our subsidies for basic infrastructure and government.

[Kittrick]

Hey all,

I'm a Chamorro born on Guam, raised on the mainland, and living in Honolulu. I read a lot of posts in this thread, and maybe can clear some things up based on my own experience.

I went to school in a school that was 80% caucasian. My parents never taught me the Chamorro language, and I was accepted in school more than those who had accents. The kids who knew Chamorro/had an accent/perceived as different were teased and tended to not do so well in school.

By not teaching me Chamorro, my parents weren't denying me my culture, as it's in my blood that runs through my heart, and in how my parents taught me to see the world as a Chamorro. It's unfortunate though that the by-product of what defines success is that a whole generation of kids like me grew up not speaking a language mostly spoken by our parents.

Besides, who doesn't want their kid to succeed? School is in English, so it'd be better to play the game to win versus make up your own rules and roll the dice. You can still keep your culture but attempt to be successful in life, and that's what you guys see when people are supposedly "haolefied".

I still eat red rice, kelaguin, finideni and all the good stuff but work in a very high thinking environment. I'm actually seeking a Chamorro language teacher if someone is around the Honolulu area, because I'd very much like to learn!

[Pua'i Mana'o]

Guam Confronts Americanisation 7/7/07 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ym6yDJcb_v8&mode=user&search=)

worth the 2.5 minutes. Further, it is interesting to watch AlJazeera English News as I don't get their channel (can anyone here in Hawaii get their channel?)

[Caliguy]

Guam is capable of handling 20,000 people or more and the Island is capable of handling more buildings,but the Island needs better Infrastructure and better planning to accomodate this growth.

Look at Singapore,it's roughly the same size as Guam,but yet it has a population of over 4 million people and isn't experiencing the problems facing Guam.

With Guam's current economic situation,the Island seriously needs the Military Growth and most people in Guam agree.

When I was living in Guam,I never had any problems with the U.S Military.

i think its sad the u.s. military is deciding to put more people on the bases here......... i mean , 20,000 more people?! ... come on now.

as i said before , Guahan is an island. Not a city. I dont think it was meant to hold so much buildings or people. It will look even more messed up then it does now.


A good question is , Why do we want military that The Okinawans are desperately trying to get rid of??

There should have been a vote for the people of weather they wanted this move to take place.



I just think its sad how the u.s. government uses us for their own best interest , and dis-regards the dignity and the indigenous rights of a people...

its just wrong.

[Caliguy]

LOL..Most people in Guam are not against Americanisation and the Majority do welcome the U.S Military Growth on the Island.

Guam Confronts Americanisation 7/7/07 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ym6yDJcb_v8&mode=user&search=)

worth the 2.5 minutes. Further, it is interesting to watch AlJazeera English News as I don't get their channel (can anyone here in Hawaii get their channel?)

[Royce]

Guam is capable of handling 20,000 people or more and the Island is capable of handling more buildings,but the Island needs better Infrastructure and better planning to accomodate this growth.

Look at Singapore,it's roughly the same size as Guam,but yet it has a population of over 4 million people and isn't experiencing the problems facing Guam.

With Guam's current economic situation,the Island seriously needs the Military Growth and most people in Guam agree.

When I was living in Guam,I never had any problems with the U.S Military.

I'm not sure if it was around 20,000 but a large military population on Guam is nothing new to the island except for those too young to know. The problems that will come with this troop influx is also nothing new. The infrastructure now needing improvement and rebuilding in order to handle increased population was originally, for the most part, built and maintained by the military since the post-war (WWII) days and its lack of maintenance and upkeep has been at the hands of GovGuam since its turnover from the military. Maybe the only way to keep it maintained and have funding and foresight to improving is to let the military/feds have a vested interest in it.

[Caliguy]

The Military or The Federal Government does a much better job in handling things in Guam than The Local Government.

Guam definately needs the Military Presence and the eyes of The Federal Government on it.

I'm not sure if it was around 20,000 but a large military population on Guam is nothing new to the island except for those too young to know. The problems that will come with this troop influx is also nothing new. The infrastructure now needing improvement and rebuilding in order to handle increased population was originally, for the most part, built and maintained by the military since the post-war (WWII) days and its lack of maintenance and upkeep has been at the hands of GovGuam since its turnover from the military. Maybe the only way to keep it maintained and have funding and foresight to improving is to let the military/feds have a vested interest in it.

[genepark]

I just thought I'd chime in, since I was born and raised on Guam, studied its history and have many friends, some very close, who are also members of I Nasion Chamoru (or The Chamorro Nation).

According to polls by the Gannett-owned Pacific Daily News and the Guam Chamber of Commerce (both linked very closely to each other), a good majority of Guam residents welcome military expansionism on Guam.

There is an undercurrent of resentment, and there are a loud vocal handful who speak out against it. However, the ones with the loudest voices wholeheartedly embrace the thousands of Marines, because of the impact it will have on a still-fledgling economy.

Activism did indeed die along with influential senator Angel Santos died. Activism only consists of a small group of about five to a dozen people standing outside with signs and waving.

Me personally, as much as I admire those people and as close as I was to them, I have a hard time taking that seriously, especially when they go home to drink Miller Lite and smoke Marlboro cigarettes.

The people you mentioned, Jesse Lujan and Judi Guthertz, are people I respect. However they are not true leaders of any sovereignty movement. Jesse, who once presented himself as a thoracic surgeon and doctor when he clearly isn't, only pays lip service. However his involvement in a subdivision designed to take advantage of poor Micronesians who are only looking for a place to stay clearly demonstrates the lack of heart needed to represent a courageous people.

Guthertz is a smart woman, and a smart politician, but she has no ties to the local culture. However she does indeed know her audience, especially with the group of Democrats she mingles with.

If there is strong activism in the community, I have yet to see it. Or it has been otherwise ignored by the mainstream media. The island's main newspaper has touted the Marines move as a boon for the island. The island's main TV station is owned by the most powerful and richest family on the island, who also owns the most properties outside of the Catholic Church, and countless businesses, including retail, insurance and other services.

What kittreck said is very telling. I have no idea what school he went to that had 80 percent haoles, but there is a lot of unspoken pressure to become more mainstream in Western capitalism. This confusion and cultural insecurity is, no doubt, the result of an indigenous population that has been colonized and invaded three times in a relatively short span of time. And this insecurity is reflected in how the government operates.

Just to add: My stepgrandfather at birth is Chamorro, and I was raised by him and his family growing up.

[Royce]

In addition, it seems that Guam has a very high frequency of crime; theft to be exact. I once read a Guam Mini Cooper enthusiast forum, and they had one mini forum devoted entirely to thefts; reporting missing items and theft suspects. I know Hawaii isn't perfect in that way, but Guam seems to have a very serious problem.

Having been born and raised on Guam and also having spent over two decades in Honolulu, I don't see much difference in the crime (theft and burglaries). None at all. It just doesn't seem as bad on Oahu because it is a much bigger place and the statistics don't hit home with everyone as frequently. If one is a high nosed Kahala resident, he/she likely has little to no connection to the people involved/affected by a rash of burglaries in Waipahu. He/she only perks up if it's closer to home. On Guam it's all close to home. You either know the victim, know the perpetrator, know someone who does know them, or, depending on your circle of acquaintances, know where the stolen merchadise is or is going. :cool:

[genepark]

Having been born and raised on Guam and also having spent over two decades in Honolulu, I don't see much difference in the crime (theft and burglaries). None at all. It just doesn't seem as bad on Oahu because it is a much bigger place and the statistics don't hit home with everyone as frequently. If one is a high nosed Kahala resident, he/she likely has little to no connection to the people involved/affected by a rash of burglaries in Waipahu. He/she only perks up if it's closer to home. On Guam it's all close to home. You either know the victim, know the perpetrator, know someone who does know them, or, depending on your circle of acquaintances, know where the stolen merchadise is or is going. :cool:

An observation that really hits it on the head. That is why car wrecks often make it on the front page of the newspaper on Guam, where it usually gets delegated to blurbs in larger cities: Because there are way less than six degrees of separation between you and the person who died.

[Hot Dog]

As someone who was Born and Raised in Hawai'i, who now resides on Guam, I would honestly leave that opinion to Chamoro's (Guamanian's).

I say those who really know this place should speak up (as has alraedy been done). Even though I've been here almost 2 years, I STILL DONT KNOW THIS PLACE as well as someone who's been here ALL THERE LIFE.

..and besides...I dont think it's my buisness.......
..now, Politics of Hawai'i.....thats my forte.

and...just for da Hawai'ian's here....My best description on Guam would be:
"Kinda like the outer-islands, but hotter and more humid" (also WAY MO' EXPENSIVE TO FLY TO) a.k.a. "Same but Different"

2 all the Guamanians on the boards, I'd like to hear you thoughts on the Politics here in Guam, seems to be all I EVER hear back here.

AloJahZ!
-S-

[glossyp]

A moment of gratitious promotion for our very first web-to-print effort Let's Eat! A Guide to Dining on Guam, 2007 (http://www.guampdn.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070906/LIFESTYLE/709060320). That's our partner on the cover and it's been a long haul since the site launched in June 2001. In all that time we never missed a weekly newsletter despite typhoons, power outages and assorted disasters, natural and manmade. It's a happy day for us.

[newroots]

well.... its part of International Law that non-governing Indigenous peoplez have the right to decolonize themselves if they choose to.

Its on the United Nations law. I think 10,000 marines + 1 child and 1 spouse = maybe 20,000 people at least. But the military influx will bring more money into Guam.


I don't think the united states would invest 10 billion dollars if they had any intention of Giving the Chamorro people a chance to 'de-colonize' themselves.

When this movement happens... It will improve the economy on Guam.. But it will make the plight of the chamorro and their ancestors already more difficult then it is now.

My people and our ancestors only want whats right.. Which is Indigenous Rights. The same rights that my ancestors died trying to preserve for me.
The same Indigenous Rights that made Spain nearly succeed in a genocidal campaign on a peace loving people from a small harmless island in the pacific.

The same Indigenous rights that the great noble country of the United states wrongfully denies to let us obtain.


I think the Founding Fathers' idea of the United States is great. ''one nation under god with liberty and justice for all....'' But the men who made that whole 'Manifest Destiny' Crap is bullsh*t!!! :mad:

Like the First americans who fought against ''British Colonialsm..'' All we want is freedom... True Freedom ... The freedom for my people to have complete control of our Destiny , our Land , and our way of life.

[Te Poutiki a Tai]

Kia Ora tātou i roto i te aroha nui o tō tātou Atua,

E whakaae katoa ana au ki te whakaaro kia riro anō i te iwi Kuwami te mana whakahaere o tō ratou motu.

I completely agree that the Guam should be independent

Arā, kia ora ana te mana Kuwami.

That the Guam can retain their pride as a people

Otirā, mā rātou e whakatakoto te wā e matenuitia ana e rātou te wehe atu i Ngā Whakahononga o Amerika. Kei a rātou te tikanga ki te whiriwhiri.

However, it is up to them to set the time when they want to separate from the USA. It is up to them to decide

Noho ora mai rā

[genepark]

2 all the Guamanians on the boards, I'd like to hear you thoughts on the Politics here in Guam, seems to be all I EVER hear back here.

AloJahZ!
-S-

What about the politics? There's a lot of things to mention, but off the top of the head:

1) There is no difference between Democrats and Republicans.

2) There are two incredibly divided groups of Democrats.

3) It's all about who you know and how well you treat them.

4) It's all about who you're related to (a cliche, but still relevant).

5) There are some in seats of power whom are not the ones in control.

That's about all I can say publicly without revealing too much, especially since it's my name on the handle.

I know Ken Stewart. He's worked closely with my father. When I first started working on Guam, Ken recognized me instantly because I look so much like my dad.