'Political destiny': Guam Gov. Leon Guerrero calls on President Biden for support on decolonization

[TexasTowelie]

Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero called on the United Nations and President Joe Biden to support the CHamoru people's right to self-determination in her testimony to the U.N. Special Committee on Decolonization on June 15, according to a release by the Guam Commission on Decolonization.

The governor's testimony was delivered by Anthony Babauta, her former chief of staff.

"Under the Biden administration, the United States has been proactive in recognizing the inequity of the relationship between themselves and their territories," Gov. Leon Guerrero said in her testimony. "While the recognition of the historical harms and injustices caused by the Insular cases and the lack of national suffrage has been a long time coming and must continue to be pursued, our administering power is presented with yet another chance to rectify its colonial past and resolve Guam's political status."

Leon Guerrero's direct appeal to Biden follows on the heels of the historic decision made by the U.N. to send a letter to Biden that denounced the U.S. government's actions on Guam.

The letter, written by three U.N. Special Rapporteurs, was sent to the president on Jan. 29. It detailed how the continued militarization of the island indicates the U.S. government's "failure to protect the indigenous Chamorro people from the loss of their traditional lands, territories, and resources."

Read more: https://www.guampdn.com/story/news/local/2021/06/18/gov-leon-guerrero-calls-pres-biden-support-decolonization/7722485002/
(Guam Pacific Daily News)

[jimfields33]

1. I hope president Biden releases all the territories the U.S. has

and allows them to be their own countries. It’s the right thing to do and what they want.

[Bayard]

2. I would think it would be more beneficial to become a U.S. state

The statehoods of Guam, Samoa, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico. Stop treating them like quasi-citizens, and give them the benefits.

Territories are ridiculous in this day and age.

[DAMANgoldberg]

3. My thoughts on this:

I would allow each territory to become a state/province equivalent, such as Yukon, NW, and Nunavut in Canada. Or allow Guam and Samoa to become part of Hawaii; Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands to be it's own state (Think Rhode Island and Providence Plantations - I know it's not called that anymore, but...) and DC becomes a full state excluding the actual capital district.

I would also make an offer to Britain to acquire their Virgin Islands for unification, if that is what the people want.