"Airmen warned against possible harassment"
By Mar-Vic Cagurangan Variety News Staff
AN Air Force official advised airmen to report any possible harassment by anti-military bases protestors holding rallies across from the main gate of Andersen Air Force Base.
"If the protestor attempts to cross the road and enter the base, displays vulgar language or rude gestures please report this to the T&W contract guards while entering or directly to the SFS Investigator x-7098," stated the memo from USAF MSgt Wesley H. Willand.
Chamorro activist Howard Hemsing, a resident of Yigo, occasionally holds a one-man protest rally in front of AAFB bearing a "Yankee Go Home" placard.
Hemsing said in an earlier interview that the presence of military bases on Guam puts the community in danger, and that he would not let up on his campaign against the U.S. troops.
In a brief telephone interview, Willand said anyone who gets harassed by protestors may write a full statement of complaint for submission to the AAFB guards."
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR
In response to the Variety's 3/11/08 article on airmen being warned against possible harassment - while I do not always agree with the statements or placard displays by fellow activist Senot Howard Hemsing (Maga'Lahi Aniti), nor do I espouse his political status choice, I will stand to defend his right to do so.
The entire complement of the United States Air Force, Navy, Marines, Army - and their associated reservists; Coast Guard; clandestine intelligence operatives; transplanted neopolitical subversives; nuclear powered ships and attack submarines - whether crashing into our undersea mountains or washing their contaminations into our ocean; stealth and other assorted bombers flying overhead and crashing onto our lands - whether armed or maybe not with weapons of mass destruction or just returning from air shows; the U.S. military industrial complex playing a heavy hand, not only toward the impending so-called "peacetime" invasion of my homeland, but also inviting further invasion and population explosion onto this small island under the guise of "business and other economic opportunities"... yeah, with all your power and might, USAF MSgt Wesley H. Willand, let's start taking notes and making reports about harassment.
Take this note Master Sgt: Learn about the history and relationship between the United States and Guam - not just your yes sir, no sir, military indoctrination but our federal-territorial relationship. Learn about what my people went through here during WWII, and that even today there is still so much the United States has, as a sacred trust and obligation, to accomplish and continues to fail us. Try to see past the muzzle of your M16 and frightening WMD's, that we are not the enemy as you may perceive. In fact, you have just re-inforced the resistance we are fighting... THAT your presence is a detriment to our peace and political destiny, our very freedom as indigenous people in our own homeland.
So, go ahead Master Sgt. and tell your people to file their complaints to your AAFB guards, for you see, we have no place to go do the same, save my voice - and Senot Hemsing's and those of our activist brethren - voices and signs, however disturbing they may seem to you, but we will not be silenced. You, sir, must realize you are guests in my homeland, and yes, even the very base you are occupying is Chamorro land!
Welcome to Guam Master Sgt., the land of the Chamorro people, colonized by the United States of America! By the way, why don't you tell your own people to restrict their own one-finger salutes to each other. I carry no weapons and I wish you peace, even as I struggle most non-violently for my own. When you see me next, I would just love it if you'd wave back, but, uh, no guns or bad language or rude gestures, OK? Nilibre!
Patty Garrido
Harmon Cliffline (Naton, Guahan)
688-8038
In response to the Variety's 3/11/08 article on airmen being warned against possible harassment - while I do not always agree with the statements or placard displays by fellow activist Senot Howard Hemsing (Maga'Lahi Aniti), nor do I espouse his political status choice, I will stand to defend his right to do so.
The entire complement of the United States Air Force, Navy, Marines, Army - and their associated reservists; Coast Guard; clandestine intelligence operatives; transplanted neopolitical subversives; nuclear powered ships and attack submarines - whether crashing into our undersea mountains or washing their contaminations into our ocean; stealth and other assorted bombers flying overhead and crashing onto our lands - whether armed or maybe not with weapons of mass destruction or just returning from air shows; the U.S. military industrial complex playing a heavy hand, not only toward the impending so-called "peacetime" invasion of my homeland, but also inviting further invasion and population explosion onto this small island under the guise of "business and other economic opportunities"... yeah, with all your power and might, USAF MSgt Wesley H. Willand, let's start taking notes and making reports about harassment.
Take this note Master Sgt: Learn about the history and relationship between the United States and Guam - not just your yes sir, no sir, military indoctrination but our federal-territorial relationship. Learn about what my people went through here during WWII, and that even today there is still so much the United States has, as a sacred trust and obligation, to accomplish and continues to fail us. Try to see past the muzzle of your M16 and frightening WMD's, that we are not the enemy as you may perceive. In fact, you have just re-inforced the resistance we are fighting... THAT your presence is a detriment to our peace and political destiny, our very freedom as indigenous people in our own homeland.
So, go ahead Master Sgt. and tell your people to file their complaints to your AAFB guards, for you see, we have no place to go do the same, save my voice - and Senot Hemsing's and those of our activist brethren - voices and signs, however disturbing they may seem to you, but we will not be silenced. You, sir, must realize you are guests in my homeland, and yes, even the very base you are occupying is Chamorro land!
Welcome to Guam Master Sgt., the land of the Chamorro people, colonized by the United States of America! By the way, why don't you tell your own people to restrict their own one-finger salutes to each other. I carry no weapons and I wish you peace, even as I struggle most non-violently for my own. When you see me next, I would just love it if you'd wave back, but, uh, no guns or bad language or rude gestures, OK? Nilibre!
Patty Garrido
Harmon Cliffline (Naton, Guahan)
688-8038
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