I’m seriously not down for the military build-up on Guahan. If the move happens, Guahan will be overpopulated, our resources will diminish and the people native to this island will become the minority. Guahan needs to restore our heritage, culture and language. This build-up will only worsen the decrease and make it harder to help it grow.
Is it not enough that the military holds a third of our island, as small as it is? Is it not enough that our people have already been robbed of their land, with a promise of return that never came? Is it not enough that our youth are sold this dream of seeing the world and having a better life, as a U.S. soldier? Explain this better life to the families of our locals that have their faces hanging in Guam’s airport ‘in remembrance’. Is it not enough that our language and culture has been run over and watered down? Apparently not. Here comes tens of thousands of military families, personnel and active duty soldiers themselves. The U.S. government will not stop until there is no native Chamoru on this land. And that is what is about to happen.
I already hear it among the folks I am around. Some are doing what they can to stop this build-up, a small amount. The thing I hear most and what hurts the most is “No way, if that build -up happens, we’re outta here”.
TO GO WHERE?!?!?! This is our home. This is our land. Who the fuck are these assholes to make us feel WE have to leave our sacred island because they want to move MORE military here. Who the fuck are they to just make this happen without say so from the indigenous people? It’s like “Hey Guammies, bend over a lil more so we can ram our shit in harder and faster, with no lube.”
Japan wants them out for a reason. I mean think about it. The U.S. is supposed to pay Japan reparations, so we (America) owe them money. But they want the military out of their country so bad they are paying us to do so. Doesn’t that sound odd?
Think of it in a more personal way. Say your homeboy asks you to store some shit at your crib. After time goes by, he adds more here and more there, so eventually his shit is taking up more space and you are forced to cram all your shit around his. His shit gets infested with rats and cockroaches, becomes moldy, smelly and has become a hazard to your living space. Would you pay your homeboy to get his shit out? HELL NAW! You’d throw that shit out yourself; it’s up to him to take responsibility and move his shit to his own place.
So Japan wants them out, and instead of taking the base back to the U.S. mainland, where there is hella room for them, they want to move them to Guahan.
Back to the homie situation. The homeboy has a big ass house, but was cluttering your 2 bedroom apartment with his shit. Instead of moving it all to his own home, he decides he wants to move it the homegirl’s crib, which is a studio apartment that definitely has no room for any of it. AND the homegirl can’t do or say shit about it. He’s just gonna do it, assuming it’s what’s best for all parties involved.
FUCK THAT. We are being played as if we are pawns, good lil soldiers, but most definitely expendable.
What we say matters. Our concerns for our island and its people are important and should be heard.
So Obama listen up! We don’t want to become the minority in our own home. We don’t want to give up more land to your military for their housing, their offices and their war games. This is OUR jungle and we should be able to play in it ourselves, not be barricaded behind a fence that has “NO TRESPASSING-MILITARY ACCESS ONLY” signs plastered every hundred feet. We don’t want our children growing up in a military culture, we want them to be raised in our own culture, with our own roots. We want our island back. We want our Guahan soldiers back. They should be here fighting for their island not fighting your war.
GUAHAN RISE UP!!
Man metgot hit na taotao sat man metgot hit na familia.
