Comments on: Reparations For Guam http://www.thepiratescove.us/2007/05/08/reparations-for-guam/ If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all Sat, 11 Feb 2012 21:47:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Patrick Sablan http://www.thepiratescove.us/2007/05/08/reparations-for-guam/comment-page-1/#comment-105235 Patrick Sablan Wed, 04 Jul 2007 04:18:11 +0000 http://www.thepiratescove.us/?p=3856#comment-105235 There are two major misconceptions concerning the proposed reparations to the people of Guam that need to be addressed. Objectors believe that (1) the United States rescued the people of Guam from the Japanese and ,therefore, (2) asking Americans to pay reparations is obsured. (1) After the Spanish-American War, Guam was seeded to the United States. The people of the island had never persued territorialism (or colonialism for that matter). During WWII, U.S. forces had already began to pull out of Guam (leaving the local people) before Japan moved to seize her. When American forces eventually moved to reclaim the island, it was not to save the people that were suffering enslavement, beatings, rape, mutalation, dismemberment, and murder. It was because Guam's value (to the U.S.) lied in its strategic location for military operations. (2) The treaty that the United States signed with Japan absolved the Japanese of any wrong-doing. In effect, America's then-leaders assumed responsibility for the attrocities on behalf the country. You worry that $125 million is a lot of money to pay out for something that happened a half-century ago but you don't put things in context. Schools and jails overflow, homeless people shiver in the cold of night, sick people suffer without treatment... but we spend billions on a "war" that has no merit. To this day, the people of Guam are still affected by what happened during WWII. Loved ones lost are still mourned, phsycological scars have not healed, and we, the people of this island, are still waiting to be acknowledged for enduring the savage brutality of a war that was not ours. Reparations do not change what happened in the past, but will award us an opportunity to build toward a better future. There are two major misconceptions concerning the proposed reparations to the people of Guam that need to be addressed. Objectors believe that (1) the United States rescued the people of Guam from the Japanese and ,therefore, (2) asking Americans to pay reparations is obsured.
(1) After the Spanish-American War, Guam was seeded to the United States. The people of the island had never persued territorialism (or colonialism for that matter). During WWII, U.S. forces had already began to pull out of Guam (leaving the local people) before Japan moved to seize her. When American forces eventually moved to reclaim the island, it was not to save the people that were suffering enslavement, beatings, rape, mutalation, dismemberment, and murder. It was because Guam’s value (to the U.S.) lied in its strategic location for military operations.
(2) The treaty that the United States signed with Japan absolved the Japanese of any wrong-doing. In effect, America’s then-leaders assumed responsibility for the attrocities on behalf the country.
You worry that $125 million is a lot of money to pay out for something that happened a half-century ago but you don’t put things in context. Schools and jails overflow, homeless people shiver in the cold of night, sick people suffer without treatment… but we spend billions on a “war” that has no merit.
To this day, the people of Guam are still affected by what happened during WWII. Loved ones lost are still mourned, phsycological scars have not healed, and we, the people of this island, are still waiting to be acknowledged for enduring the savage brutality of a war that was not ours. Reparations do not change what happened in the past, but will award us an opportunity to build toward a better future.

]]> By: Guam guy http://www.thepiratescove.us/2007/05/08/reparations-for-guam/comment-page-1/#comment-103683 Guam guy Thu, 17 May 2007 05:21:27 +0000 http://www.thepiratescove.us/?p=3856#comment-103683 Regardless of your opinion on the idiocy of this proposal itself, the fact that you fail to note that Guam was and is an American territory is a crime in itself. It is not that "Americans" pay to assuage the suffering of "Guamanians," it is Americans looking for justice for their fellow Americans. Guamanians served disproportionately in Vietnam (as my dad did) and serve and die disproportionately in Iraq. Whether you agree with the use of funds is your own business. But, your ignorance with regard to your fellow Americans is just plain dumb. Regardless of your opinion on the idiocy of this proposal itself, the fact that you fail to note that Guam was and is an American territory is a crime in itself. It is not that “Americans” pay to assuage the suffering of “Guamanians,” it is Americans looking for justice for their fellow Americans. Guamanians served disproportionately in Vietnam (as my dad did) and serve and die disproportionately in Iraq.

Whether you agree with the use of funds is your own business. But, your ignorance with regard to your fellow Americans is just plain dumb.

]]> By: Pirate’s Cove » Blog Archive » Surrender Today: Democrats Make New Pitch http://www.thepiratescove.us/2007/05/08/reparations-for-guam/comment-page-1/#comment-103435 Pirate’s Cove » Blog Archive » Surrender Today: Democrats Make New Pitch Wed, 09 May 2007 00:02:15 +0000 http://www.thepiratescove.us/?p=3856#comment-103435 [...] for the democrats to "regroup for another round of "cut and run" legislation" a little earlier. I had no idea it would come so [...] [...] for the democrats to "regroup for another round of "cut and run" legislation" a little earlier. I had no idea it would come so [...]

]]> By: darthcrUSAderworldtour2007 http://www.thepiratescove.us/2007/05/08/reparations-for-guam/comment-page-1/#comment-103427 darthcrUSAderworldtour2007 Tue, 08 May 2007 18:02:20 +0000 http://www.thepiratescove.us/?p=3856#comment-103427 Since when did lefty loonies ever recall the Spanish-American War (1898) and the American - Filippino War, and the U.S. territories we acquired for our Great White Fleet? Thank-You Teddy Roosevelt! Since when did lefty loonies ever recall the Spanish-American War (1898) and the American – Filippino War, and the U.S. territories we acquired for our Great White Fleet? Thank-You Teddy Roosevelt!

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