NO REST FOR THE AWAKE - MINAGAHET CHAMORRO

It is intriguing how quickly things that were once seized upon as exciting and drenched in exciting new possibilities can be forgotten or disavowed. Part of the way this happens in terms of Guam is tied to our colonial position and how we interpret minute gestures that might be faint to others, as being clear indications of our colonizer caring about us and wanting to finally recognize us and take care of us. A perfect example of this came last year when Donald Trump was running for President of the United States. His campaign was barely coherent and very narrowly focused, and the territories of the US, with the exception of Puerto Rico barely factored into his rhetoric. At the time of the Republican primary Trump sent a letter to the people of Guam which wouldn't even count as pandering, since it was so lazily written it could have been sent to any number on constituencies. Hillary Clinton's pandering letter by comparison during the Democratic primary showed a least a modicu

Tantalizing Democratic Experiments by Michael Lujan Bevacqua Guam Sunday Post November 6, 2016 Gof kinenne’ yu’ nu este na botasion, ko’lo’lo’ña i botasion gi sanlagu. Hu såsangan este, achokka’ esta hu gof komprende na mas ki taibali este na botasion nu hita guini giya Guahan, sa’ tåya’ botu-ta gi botasion para i presidente. I have been obsessively following the election for President of the United States for more than a year, and this is something that sometimes surprises people. The drama of it is both repellent and compelling. I cannot turn away from this event that seems to move both in frustrating slow motion, but also at a frenetic Mad Max-like pace, careening at frightening speed toward a possible dystopia. As a local decolonization activist, or someone who is actively advocating for a change in our political status, my obsessing over the U.S. presidential election can seem contradictory. As a distant American colony on the edge of the Western Pacific, w

Estague i ofisiat na tinifong para i "primary" na botasion, ni' masusedi gi diha bente siete, Agusto, Dos Mit Diesi Sais. Manmakuenta gi este na tinifong, i botu siha ginen todu i sasenta saia na distritu. Delegate (Democrats)  Bordallo, Madeleine (i): 8,028 Babauta, Anthony: 4,698 Delegate (Republicans)  Camacho, Felix: 4,627 Metcalfe, Margaret: 3,025 Legislature (Democrats)  Aguon Jr., Frank (i): 9,381  San Nicolas, Michael (i): 9,381  Terlaje, Therese: 9,149 Cruz, Benjamin J. (i): 8,221 Nelson, Telena: 7,985 Rodriguez Jr., Dennis G. (i): 7,736 Ada, Thomas C. (i): 7,270 San Agustin, Joe S.: 7,217 Underwood, Nerissa (i): 7,022  Muna Barnes, Tina (i): 6,869  Won Pat, Judith (i): 6,526 Lee, Regine: 6,281 Respicio, Rory J. (i): 6,278  Bordallo Jr., Fred: 6,014  Alerta, Jermaine: 5,562 Gaza, Victor: 4,462 Dominguez, Armando: 3,649 Legislature (Republicans)  Blas Jr., Frank (i): 5,315 Castro, William : 5,266 Morrison, Thomas (i): 5,2

The conventions for both political parties this year have passed. Because of the time difference on Guam, I wasn't able to watch them as much as I'd hoped, because I was usually in class when people were speaking. I followed the coverage as best as I could, even writing about the Guam delegations for both the DNC and RNC and the way they represented the island in their roll call spotlight moment. I have only attended one political convention in my life and that was in 2008 when I got to be the "Blogger from Guam" to the Democratic National Convention in Denver, where Barrack Obama received the nomination for President. I has wanted to go back to another convention or two, and toyed with the idea of attending this year, but my teaching schedule made it impossible. While reflecting on this year's convention and my own experience 8 years ago, I sifted through my digital files and came across this article this article that I written fro AAJA or the Asian American

Achokka' tåya' botasion para Gubetnon Guahan gi på'go na såkkan, humuyhuyong un interesånta na botasion gi bandan Kongresu. Ayu na pusision fihu mafa'na'an "Kongresu" lao gi minagahet i titilu-ña "Ti mambobota na Kongresu." Gaige este na ofisina sen chågo' guatu giya Washington D.C. Ya para este na cho'cho', kuatro ha' na taotao ma go'te gui' desde ki mababa i pusision gi 1972: Si Tony Won Pat, Si Ben Blaz, Si Robert Underwood, ya i gumo'go'te gui' på'go si Madeleine Bordallo. På'go na såkkan mandesnik kuatro na gayu: Dos gi bandan Republican: Si Margaret Metcalfe, un komesetiante, ya ha chagi tumague si Bordallo gi ma'pos'ña na såkkan. Gof hihot gui' gi as Calvo, i Maga'låhen Guahan på'go. Si Felix Camacho, eståba na senådot yan Maga'låhen Guahan. Si tatå-ña i uttimo na ma'apunta yan i fine'nina na ma'ilihi na Maga'låhen Guahan. Si Camacho yan i familia

Anai humålom si Trump gi botasion para President gi ma'pos na sakkan, i meggai ma po'lo na eskareng gui'. Tåya' chanså-ña. Ti "serious" na gåyu gui'. Anggen un ekungok gui', kalang kaduku gui' nigap, taklalalo' gui' på'go yan agupa' taitiningo'. Achokka' mitbotleha yan masumai ni' tinaimamahlao i sinangan-ña, i otro na gayun Republican ti ma gof fåna' pat kontra gui', sa' pine'lo-ñiha na ti magåhet na kadidåtu gui'. Sen ma'lak i danges-ña på'go, lao para u malachai chaddek siempre. Mansen lachi siha nu ayu. Gi ma'pos na simåna, tumunnok si Ted Cruz yan si John Kasitch. Si Trump i uttimo na gåyu tumotohge gi Republican påtida na bånda. Guiya humahatsa på'go i babaon Republican. Lao kao anggokuyon este na guerrero? Taitai este na halacha' na tinige' siha ni' hu hokkayi guini. ********************** The GOP's 24-hour meltdown by Nolan McCaskill May 6, 2016 Polit

Chelsea Clinton: Why Guam Should Choose My Mom Letter to the Editor Pacific Daily News May 4, 2016 I’ve spent the last few months on the road doing everything I can to make sure that my mom, Hillary Clinton, is elected our next president because I believe this is the most important presidential election of my lifetime. I feel that way for two fundamental and interconnected reasons that I think many in Guam share. First is a deeply personal one. This is the first presidential election I voted in as a mom — on April 19 in New York. I didn’t know I could care any more about the issues that I already cared about until I became a mother. As many parents I’ve talked to this campaign cycle have shared with me and I’ve shared in turn, everything feels much more personal once we have children in the world. Whomever we elect our next president will play a fundamental role in shaping the country, the world and the future that all our children will grow up in. The second rea

Gi Botasion 2016 gi sanlagu todu manatlibas esta. Anggen ilek-hu gi ma'pos na sakkan na siempre para fangganna' si Trump giya New Hampshire yan giya South Carolina, siempre "bileng hao!" "taihinasso hao!" i ineppen-miyu. Lao atan ha' i botasion pa'go. I taotao ni' todu sumangan na ti sina mangganna' gi patidan Republican, sigi ha' mangganna' gui'. Gi ma'pos na sakkan, meggai sumangan na si Jeb! i mas takhilo' na gayu. Machuchuda' i kaha-na salape'. Gof matungo' gui' yan i familia-na. Lao atan ha' pa'go. Tumunok gui'. Malagu gui' tatte para i familia-na, taya' gi kannai-na fuera di i mala'et na lago'-na siha. ***************** What Donald Trump's Win in South Carolina says about the Republican Party "Time for a Reality check" by Igor Bobic and Ryan Grim The Huffington Post 2/22/2016 WASHINGTON -- Donald Trump comfortably defeated his Repub