NO REST FOR THE AWAKE - MINAGAHET CHAMORRO

The issue of FAS citizens, people from the FSM primarily, is something that brings together so many divergent and divisive discourses in Guam. It is something that is not easily unpacked and not easily resolved because of the many ideological contact points, overlaps and contradictions. It is easy for some to make a blanket statement one way or another, but those voices tend to consider very little. They don't account for much of the overall nebulous ideological structure that gives meaning to this issue.  When talking about the issue of FAS citizens and their impact on Guam, so many things end up being touched upon and most people only want to admit to the relevance of one or two of those many possible discourses. We see multiculturalism giving the impression that all people are just people. We see immigrant stories, the way they play essential and often undervalued roles in sustaining economies. We see expressions of racism and expressions of anti-racism. People who shriek if

Gi este na tinige' para ta bisita iya Kansas ta'lo ya faisen hafa i prublema-na? Gof matungo' Si Thomas Frank put este na finaisen. Gi este ha bisita lokkue' i orihinat na hinasso-na put i pulitikat "conservative" yan "liberal" giya Kansas, ya hafa i otro na estados siha sina ma eyak put i kosas pulitikat giya i US pa'go. ******************* Sunday, Nov 2, 2014 10:00 PM CST Righteous rage, impotent fury: Thomas Frank returns to Kansas to hunt the last days of Sam Brownback and Pat Roberts On eve of a possible GOP rout, Frank goes home to rediscover the matter with Kansas and all American politics Thomas Frank Salon.com   PRAIRIE VILLAGE, KANSAS – One of the treasured vanities of my home state of Kansas is the idea that, although we are the nation’s laggards and

It is finally here. Put fin mafatto gui'. Election Day for Guam and the CNMI. I Ha'anin Botasion para todu i Islas Marianas. I have so much to do today but I am hoping to post some of my thoughts on the election before the polls close. Meggaigai na bai hu cho'gue pa'go, lao hu diseseha mohon na sina hu tuge' magi i hinasso-ku put i botasion pa'go antes di machuom i sagan mambota siha. Most importantly, who I plan to give my votes to. Put hemplo, hayi i gayu-hu siha ni' bai hu bobota pa'go. Here are some thoughts from my male' Victoria Leon Guerrero on how to pick a good candidate for you and for this island. Estague i hinasso-na i male-ku Si Victoria LG, put taimanu sina manayek hao maolek na gayu para Hagu yan para i isla.  ****************** FROM VICTORIA LEON GUERRERO: When I vote for a person, I ask myself some important questions. 1. Can I trust this person? 2. If I approach this person with ideas or concerns, will I

I liveblogged for most of the Great Debate held last week at the UOG Field House. I’ve been to most of the Great Debates over the past decade and a half and it is a highlight of the election year. This time there was no primary debates, just the general election debate. The drama was heightened because it was circling in the media and the tilifon alaihai that Calvo was dodging Gutierrez by cancelling his appearance for a debate. Gutierrez with far less money and far less infrastructure was pushing out several different lines of attack against Calvo and this would be the chance for Calvo to push back and defend himself, his administration and his family. Alas, the debate wasn’t that great. Gutierrez needed a crushing win and in truth, by my calculations Calvo came out ahead in the debate. There was definitely a contrast between the two candidates, but for most people they would have seen it as Calvo being prepared, composed and on message, while Gutierrez was off-beat, strugglin

Bota Fino’ Chamoru! Michael Lujan Bevacqua The Marianas Variety 10/29/14 During the summer, the Hurao Language Camp at the Chamorro Village in Hagatna held several waves along Marine Drive. This is un såkkan botasion, an election year and so waves are about as common as Japanese tourists, with candidates sometimes standing in the early morning and the twilight hours, hoping to make eye contact with you as you speed by. Hurao’s wave was somewhat different. It wasn’t for any particular candidate, instead it was for “Fino’ Chamoru” or the Chamorro language. Children held up signs with “Håyi hao?” and “Hu tungo’ håyi yu’” on them, and shouted out “Bota Fino’ Chamoru!” to those driving by. Johnny’s Sablan’s immortal classic “Mungga Yu’ Mafino’ Inglesi” or “Don’t Speak English to Me” blared in the background. It is that time of the year, when young 18, 19 and 20 year old in my classes, who will be voting for the first time start to wonder about this new ri

I want to write about these two statements, but I don't have much time today. Too many things to do. For now, I'll just leave them here for you to read and analyze and draw your own, hopefully critical conclusions. ***************** Statement of Governor Eddie Calvo "We Support the Buildup" I want there to be a clear message from Guam about the military buildup: we welcome it and we are at the table with the Navy to iron out the details. The military buildup is a program we support for many reasons. Among the countless economic benefits to the quality of life of our people is the honor of hosting the Marines during this dynamic period in world history. Is it a perfect proposal? No. That's why it's critical to maintain a professional and healthy dialogue fit for negotiation. We were respectful, yet strong when negotiating with Navy and federal officials when we came to office. The result of those negotiations was the Four Pillars. Wh

Para todus ni' ya-niha umeyak fumino' Chamoru. Taitai i tinige'-na gi gaseta Si Pedro Onedera. Mamange' gui' put meggai na diferentes na kosas, lao ha na'sesetbe i lenguahi-ta. I meggaina na Chamorro siha, ma usa i lenguahi para "na'magof" na kosas yan gi didide' ha' na lugat. Lao para Si Onedera ha u'usa fino' Chamoru para u diskuti yan kubre maseha hafa malago'-na.  Fihu ilek-hu na todu i manggaige giya Guahan pa'go ilek-niniha na ma onra i fino' Chamoru yan gaibali gui'. Lao puru ha' kuentos ayu, yan i kuentos gi fino' Ingles, pues hafa i mismo bali-na? Lao Si Onedera ha na'annok na para Guiya i bali mas ki kuentos taibali. Ha gof guaiya i lenguahi-ta yan ha na'sesetbe todu tiempo. Gi este na tinige'-na ginnen i PDN, mannge' gui' put hinasso-na put i botasion 2012 yan i mamaila na botasion gi 2014.  ************************ Ta Atan i Ileksion Liheslatibu gi 2014