WHAT is naive about it? Guam is still a colony no matter what way you look at it. Nobody can say that Guam was given a shot at self determination after it rejected to reunite with the NMI after NMI voters wanted to reunite back in the day.
I am not saying that all would agree to reunite. There are still those that hold grudges against their fellow Chamorros and there are also those that fear the unknown. They fail to realize that the Taotaomonas, the first people of the Marianas, were united as one and lived in peace and harmony. Taotaomonas died fighting off the Spanish. They died defending their culture, beliefs, and way of life. Many fail to realize that the division of the Marianas was brought about by outsiders.
The Spanish, Germans, Japanese, and Americans all played a role in separating the Marianas. I attended a decolonization update on Guam earlier this month and heard about the concerns that Guam faces. The speakers were well educated and many who are fighting for self determination attended. Many of them agree that if all Chamorros united, the stronger we would be.
Most of them believe that the key is to reunite with the NMI. In the CNMI, the military has to pay to use land for bases. I have heard from people in Guam that the military just takes the land and the people do not have a say on the increased military buildup.
The NMI and Guam could help each other out. Times have changed. It is not 1963 anymore. All I’m saying is that Guam could join the NMI and try out being a commonwealth. Take it for a test drive. If Guam doesn’t like it, they could always change their status and become a territory again. At least Guam won’t be a colony anymore. The NMI could use the help of Guam’s stronger economy and the NMI could always benefit from having a delegate.
I am not saying that the NMI will use Guam or vice versa, I am saying that the whole Marianas could help each other. We could also compete more effectively against other destinations for tourists, instead of compete against each other. We all know that tourism is the bloodline of our economy. There are many other benefits that could take place if we were one again.
It is time for Chamorros to reunite and put aside all the B.S. that separates us. One government, one flag, one Marianas. Ta fan da’nia talo sa taiguennao gi tituhun. Fanhogue Chamorro! Biba Marianas!

JESSE TORRES
Kagman, Saipan