95 percent true

Jesus Taisague’s letter in the Saipan Tribune, June 23, is 95 percent spot on. I love Chamorro culture. It’s the inflexibility of Chamorro traditions that are at the heart of what Mr. Taisague so correctly points out. Its “my family first, last, and only” after “we” (the Tenorios, Camachos, Sablans, Aldans or whatever tribe you belong to) is set up as “king of the hill” do you start including other “tribes,” all Chamorro of course.

I just want to say here that Carolinians, other islanders, Filipinos, haoles, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Bangladeshis, Indians and other “interlopers” are, at best, considered a nuisance to most Chamorros over 50 for some reason, even though 20 percent or so of you are married to someone in these nuisance groups. The under-25 Chamorros don’t seem to share their elders’ prejudices though and that’s good.

Tradition or no tradition, Article 12 is not necessary in 2014. Go to the courthouse and look at the property transfer records for the last 15 years. The same names keep coming up, sometimes monthly. No one screws a people like their own people. Do you really believe that Chamorros and Carolinians are incapable of handling their own affairs in 2014? That’s sad. So, while I totally agree with you that it was greed, corruption, family jealousies, and the incompetent nincompoops the Chamorros kept electing that let all these opportunities slip by, I still don’t think Article 12 is necessary, needed, or even wanted by the younger Chamorros in 2014. You obviously grew up during the “shudupboyislapu” age. No backtalk, no discussion, no trying to understand the younger generation; just obey me, boy, end of discussion.

Do you really think a 14-year-old today just loves to go to a novena, christening, baptismal, 1-year-old birthday party or other “event” every night of the week? If you do it’s because the older generation doesn’t know how to talk “to” kids; they only know how to talk at or down to them. It’s 2014 and your grandkids are not like you were. Sorry!

PSS is half the problem, inflexible old people are the other half. Ask a 17-year-old to explain the difference between “culture” and “tradition” and listen to all the answers you get, if they even have one. Your FB page is almost blank but I notice you were at PSS. I friended you and hope you will accept because I have 2014 solutions to the mess at PSS I would like to share with you, and anyone else that is interested.

Gary DuBrall
Chalan Piao, Saipan