Guam

What is there to say about Guam? Well the first thing people generally ask me is "Where is Guam?" I am here and I am not exactly sure! Go look it up.

Guam is an interesting place of sorts. A smallish island, lush with vegetation, but mixed with a strong blend of poverty and wealth. The difference between the tourist area of the beach, filled with Louie Vitton, Coach, gold, jewelry, and resorts against the rest of the island is striking. Even there, strewn between the bastions of excess are strip clubs and massage parlors complete with there resplendent neon signs. It is a testament to the state of the islands economy. Gucchi for those that have it and a seedy massage parlor for those that don't. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of other small businesses, but these two in such stark contrast tell a story all on their own.

I have had the opportunity to travel a fair bit the situation here is the same I have seen in other places. Yep, this is my social commentary moment. Here you have a long time domestic population that was colonized and subjugated. First by the Spaniards a few hundred years ago, and then ceded to the US in the late 1800's. It is a place that has been used with little concern for what happened to the area or native population. In WW2 nearly all American citizens (translated whites) were evacuated prior to the Japanese invasion. Everyone else was left to fend for themselves and when the Japanese invaded they were treated as an occupied enemy.

Today it would be generous to say people are left to fend for themselves. if that were the case I believe they would be much better off. Rather, it is an island that scraps by on tourism and handouts with unrealistic expectations placed on it. The real money goes to those that already have it and the scraps go to those barely getting by. What's the solution? Got me, but I think full autonomy would be a good start. I know, that is just crazy talk. What would people do with out the US Govt in their life? How would anyone survive?