My wife, Lyn, and I wish to thank the people of Guam for the outpouring of support for our latest book, a historical novel, “An American Shame: The Abandonment of an Entire American Population.”
Never, did we think, or plan, for a sell-out of near 400 books in just over two weeks. More have been ordered to arrive at Frank Blas Jr.'s insurance agency in Barrigada. More will be ordered as necessary for anyone who wants a book to get a book.
The support, generosity and friendship emanating from the people of Guam have pleased and also overwhelmed us. As a result of our book signings, we have been placed in contact with an enormous cross-section of citizens, from bank clerks, family gatherings, church congregations, café owners, to include the governor of Guam himself. And each, in their own way, has rewarded us for our effort in telling the story of Guam and its people.
It is a remarkable story about a remarkable people we have been so proud, yet humbled, to tell. It is a story of a brave, cunning, loyal, dedicated, bodacious group of men and women who defied, confused, confounded and rejected their imperial Japanese captors, not only directly under their noses, but under the penalty of death. Indeed, some did die, murdered, simply for being loyal to the United States of America. They were Americans who wore no uniform of authority, but instead, wore a cloak of honor, proud to be an American and proud of their unwavering support of the county who had abandoned them in their darkest hour.
These men and women are no longer the majority people of Guam, but remain a significant majority of victims of that war, or the direct descendants of victims of that war on this small island. However, we noted there is a small, noticeable, but significant movement away from that unbridled loyalty to America, American ideals and American heritage of yesteryear that has perhaps been generated by our own American government indifference.
It could be the infamous “behind the fence” mentality which may exist, real or imagined, creating two divergent societies on this island. The rejection, by silence, of this book by U.S. government institutions and facilities, while being embraced and lauded by the local population, is symptomatic of the gulf slowly seeping into minds and hearts, as sabers rattle in their sheaths in this region of the world. If those swords are drawn, it is best to have a cast of Guamanians, as they did before, substantially supporting the U.S. government, rather than standing idle, or worse, rejecting America’s forces in readiness on this bastion of America’s defense, in these trying times.
We have tried to approach these government agents, only to be met with elusive silence or arrogance. We have even reverted the flag of distress on the cover. Though no one has complained to us, we felt these government people may have found the use of Section 8 of the U.S. Flag Code offensive, or un-American. So, as a gesture of hopeful compromise, we changed the cover. We will continue to reach out to these silent, obstinate, U.S. government employees in an attempt, through various means of communication, to have them actually read and support the book.
The Gerald Ford administration addressed these issues confronting us now back in the 1970s, only to have the results gathered and hidden in the dustbin of history, until recently discovered. It is time to dust off that study, often called “The Secret Guam Study” and revisit the issue before it is too late — before the U.S. government, mostly through its military and other U.S. government agencies, hides not only a book cover, but the contents of this book from its brave men and women serving this great nation, who have never be afraid of the truth. That would be another American shame.
As of this writing, certain U.S. government decision-makers have decided (soldiers, sailors, Marines and Air Force personnel) should be shielded from the truth about Guam, by refusing to allow this book to be distributed from within their government facilities. That too is an American shame. Time will tell. We shall continue the march.
Thanks, to the people of Guam, for supporting your book.
Ralph Stoney Bates Sr. is a retired Marine major and author of “An American Shame: The Abandonment of an Entire American Population.”
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