America needs to live up to its motto

BY TONY ARTERO • SEPTEMBER 10, 2009

After World War II, America's elected representatives did a "professional misconduct," a crime that had resulted in a horrific miscarriage of justice and started spendthrift. That legal fiasco destroyed democracy on U.S. soil and caused a people who were without a voice then, and still without a voice today, to be grossly mistreated.

The issues are:


The forceful land takings after World War II, under the guise of "national security." That action only transformed Guam from self-sufficiency into dependency. America has gained neither "advantage in global trade" nor "national security" by denying Americans on Guam fundamental economic freedoms and justice. Damn the deficit, full speed ahead. The founding fathers would roll over in their graves if they knew what was going on today.

The long-awaited war reparations from the havoc of a war the natives of Guam were thrown into, occupied by a totally without conscience and extremely brutal enemy for three years. The people of Guam faced, among other cruelty, such treatment as torture, rape and gruesome death. But the people of Guam remained loyal to America throughout the entire horrific ordeal because they believed then, as we believe today, that nothing can replace freedom and justice on earth, which is what we were made to believe America is all about.

The humiliating handout existence under the 1950 Organic Act of Guam ever since. People on Guam are constantly being assaulted psychologically and financially day and night, which is its own unthinkable kind of terrorist violence. It adversely affects lives, which limits what people will become. Peoples' future has been compromised for five generations.

America is a federal Constitutional republic with 50 states united, "one nation under God with liberty and justice for all." America also possesses several territories in the Caribbean and Pacific. The symbol and motto is "E Pluribus Unum" -- to represent hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

Foreigners come to America for freedom and justice. America's elected representatives took an oath to uphold its Constitution and laws, but something went crazy.

The nature of man took hold. America started drifting away from the mission of "unity, freedoms, and justice" and the symbol of unity began to fade. Protecting the rights and freedoms of all shifted to protecting those who are in power.

The reason for the staggering federal deficit is because America has lost the balance between wealth generated and consumed. The career politicians made a mockery of the oath of office and paralyzed the Department of Justice.

As opposed to the immigrants, America came to Guam in 1898 and suppresses the economic freedoms of the people of Guam and denies justice to this day. America's counterproductive colonial powers remain the status quo on Guam in the new millennium.

America has become a threat unto itself and must reform to rediscover its symbol and motto.

Tony Artero is principal broker for Artero Realty, a retired Navy submariner, and a resident of Agana Heights.