But I was more surprised to hear that Speaker Judith Won Pat and other Democrats who claimed that if you cannot trust one portion of the draft study, you cannot trust any of it.
On second thought, I am not too surprised by such comments. Speaker Won Pat and some of her Democratic and Republican colleagues came to the draft study with a preconceived notion that the Department of Defense will lie to get their way. Plus, she has her children involved in the “We are Guahan” movement on the grass-roots side to gin up the base. This is why I have a difficult time believing if this is really a truly grass-roots organization like the Chamoru Nation (and there will be some overlaps) or if it is just an astroturf organization sort of like the Tea Party types who are doing the bidding of the disenchanted conservatives.
“We are Guahan” emerged as a reaction to the draft impact study and the military move unlike the Chamoru Nation whose position on various issues such as decolonization has always been crystal clear. See if you can find out where “We are Guahan” stands on decolonization and which option they prefer. Which makes me wonder if the former is not doing the bidding of political machines gearing up for the election season and which are trying to frame the debate on the military buildup on their terms.
But that is not what the polls show consistently and that is most support the military buildup even if they have concerns.
And the governor’s reaction to this group, such as changing the name of Guam to Guahan, makes me believe even more so that this whole thing is driven by local politics more so than any real concern for the environment or anything else. This is especially so since the governor has been absent on the decolonization issue for eight years, a cause near and dear to a truly grass-roots organization such as the Chamoru Nation and others like them.
Finally, I would like to make the point that my disdain for the military-industrial complex pales in comparison to my disdain for the political machines that run and have run Guam over the years, and into the ground, I might add.
And those who cajole, condone and promote them to cause division and confusion among the people.
MATT PHILIPS
Mangilao, Guam
