Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I would love to see statehood for all of the Territories, I do not understand why Guam and the Northern Mariannas are even seperate entities (though maybe wikipedia will answer that for me in a few minutes) anyway I would gladly welcome sister states along side my beloved state of Nevada. Same for Puerto Rico and for the Virgin Islands.... At the end of the day though it should be a vote of the people of the respective territories that decides the issue, no matter how much i would love to see 51, 52, 53 ... stars on the flag.
To the person suggesting throwing all these islands together...not so fast. These aren't just islands with palm trees and beaches--there are PEOPLE in those island with distinct cultures and visions for themselves and their futures. Guam, for example, has very little in common with those other islands except the CNMI. Yes, there's a somewhat natural affinity because of geography and being island people but your premise is very simplistic and ignores many political realities. I have to give you points for thinking out of the box, though. It's just that forcing political union for the sake of convenience or expediency has been shown to have been a HUGE mistake in the past, and this will be no exception.
^At least Guam, the Marianna islands and Puerto Rico (including the Philippines)were once for around 400 years part of the Spanish empire.
When it comes to culture you do know Guam lost much use of its native language under Spain and the US. But at least under Spain there language was put into a dictionary since
Quote:
Chamorro was used as the language of the Church for teaching catechism
. So when
Quote:
the US tookover Guam the Chamorro population had developed 75% literacy in their native Chamorro language and 50% literacy in Spanish. In the 70's there were not that many Chamorro speakers
The decline of Chamorro in those 70 years was due to the US military imposing english in 1898. Many laws were also passed to push english.
Quote:
The government urged parents to use English in the home. More importantly, the use of Chamorro was degraded. At school, children were told that Chamorro was not really a language but just a dialect. Teachers of Chamorro origin were not hired if they had not taken and passed a training in English. The majority of job opportunities were provided by the government and inaccessible to those who spoke no English. Any language other than English was prohibited in public buildings
Quote:
Normal schools were established in 1904 with basic English skills instruction and sanitation the top priorities. Still, by the early 1920s, Governor Adelbert Althouse noted that “few school children could speak English with any degree of efficiency” and Chamorro remained the predominant language in Chamorro homes. Althouse’s response to the problem was to collect and burn Chamorro-English dictionaries and to institute a “no Chamorro” rule in the classroom and playground.
Same thing happened in the Philippines and Puerto Rico. In the Philippines the plan to implement english worked half way. In Puerto Rico the plan went bust.
Quote:
Almost immediately upon the arrival of the Americans, the
U.S. appointed governor, Eaton-Clarke, established instruction
in English for all levels. This was the beginning of a
tug-of-war between U.S. government's desire for Puerto Ricans to be
English-speakers and the resistance to the use of English in the
schools by teachers, writers, and local politicians.
So Guam with its small population and where english took root plus its high strategic value will make it a good candidate for Statehood. PR. is another different story.
And I must say for Guam or any other territory to become part of the US means instant minority status. Some associated type of Republic with the US would probably be better. That is if they do not want to be minorities on there own island.
CNMI already has a majority non-indigninous population.
--------
To the other poster:
The former trust territory states of Palau, FSM, and RMI (Marshalls) have voted and decided they didn't want to be part of the U.S.
They are now independent countries that have no interest in being part of the U.S.
The U.S. already allows them free access and interence to the American, and already gives them state funded programs and aid.
Actually they are internally self governing protectorates, we still control matters of defense and they still retain US citizenship and access to Social Security, Medicare, etc. I believe we also control foreign affairs as well.
^Palau and the Marshall Islands have Parliamentary democracy which means they each have a Foreign Minister who is responsible for foreign relations. So the US does not really control there foreign relations but they are obligated not to make treaties with foreign nations that are incompatible with the security and defense responsibility of the US. Afterall, the US
Quote:
has full authority and responsibility for security and defense
over those nations.
The Northern Mariana islands are a commonwealth of the US. It has a Governor. Foreign relations and defense is US responsibility
Actually they are internally self governing protectorates, we still control matters of defense and they still retain US citizenship and access to Social Security, Medicare, etc. I believe we also control foreign affairs as well.
Since I live in Palau, and work in the government, I have a pretty good handle on whats going on here
Palau has a seat at the UN. We are an independent country. Palauans have Palaun citizenship, (although many also have American citizenship from the trust territory days.) Palau is a soveriegn state, with a Minististy of State that handles all of its foreign affairs. The U.S. does not control its foreign affairs.
By treaty, (the compact of free association) the U.S. does have to provide security and aid, in exchange for the exclusive right to patrol Palauan waters. (A "protectorate" is not a formal legal status, it simply means a country which has contracted out its defensive rights.)
^Palau and the Marshall Islands have Parliamentary democracy which means they each have a Foreign Minister who is responsible for foreign relations. So the US does not really control there foreign relations but they are obligated not to make treaties with foreign nations that are incompatible with the security and defense responsibility of the US. Afterall, the US over those nations.
The Northern Mariana islands are a commonwealth of the US. It has a Governor. Foreign relations and defense is US responsibility
Close, but not exact.
Palau is not a Parliamentary Democracy. It is a Republic, with 3 branches of government, just like the United States. Rather than a parliament, it has a bicameral legislature, divided into a Senate and a House of Delagates, an Executive and Judicial branch.
The only relationship between Palau and the U.S. is by treaty, called the Compact of Free Association, with side treaties like the Guam accords, etc.
NO!!! As a Tar Heel born and bred (NORTH Carolina native and resident), I know I don't want to "The Carolinas" to be one state.
North and South are different. (North is better! )
If we add Guam, Puerto Rico and the Marianas, we could make a North California and a South California. That would give us 54 ... an EVEN number at least. That would give us 6 rows of 9 stars! Problem solved!!
I agree with the previous speaker, being a Northerner is awsome, In the Dakotas it has been proposed on 3 seperate locations, and rejected each time, besides I like the 6 rows of 9 stars, it makes sense.
I have been to Saipan, which is part of the N. Marianas) a few times. The big advantage there is that as a U.S. Territory any thing manufactured there from U.S materials is "Made In America" and so you pay no duty when shipping it to the U.S. The factories in Saipan are for the most part owned by Chinese or Koreans so foreigners are getting the benefits even though they aren't U.S. citizens. Cheap labor from all over Asia are brought to these islands so in fact the U.S. is supporting the things we most complain about.
I think the Marianas should be given their independence and we can reduce then money we spend there and use it to reduce the deficit.
All of those large garment factories that used to be on Saipan have closed. I believe the last one closed last year.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
North Dakotan
)
