Rhymes With Right - It Breaks My Heart To Say This
Google
 
Web rhymeswithright.mu.nu

May 14, 2007

It Breaks My Heart To Say This

I grew up in a military family. While every duty station has a place in my heart, one of those that is particularly special is Guam. I think that it is fair to say that those two years, from 1974 to 1976, may be among those closest to my heart. I loved Guam, and even thought about returning there to teach at one time. And it goes without saying that I loved the people there.

That is why it is really hard to oppose the Guam World War II Loyalty Recognition Act.

Recognizes the suffering and the loyalty of the people of Guam during the Japanese occupation of Guam in World War II.

Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to make specified payments to: (1) living Guam residents who were killed, injured, interned, or subjected to forced labor or marches resulting from, or incident to, such occupation and subsequent liberation; and (2) survivors of compensable residents who died in war or survivors of compensable injured residents (such payments to be made after payments have been made to surviving Guam residents).

Defines "compensable Guam decedent" and "compensable Guam victim."
Directs the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission to specify injuries that would constitute a severe personal injury or a personal injury. Authorizes the Commission to adjudicate claims and determine payment eligibility.

Requires: (1) claims to be filed within one year after the Commission publishes public notice of the filing period in the Federal Register; and (2) the Commission to make filing period information available to the public through the media in Guam.

Directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish a grant program for research, educational, and media activities that memorialize the events surrounding the occupation of Guam during World War II, honor the loyalty of the people of Guam during such occupation, or both.

There is some good stuff in there, but the reparations program is out of the question. The harm suffered came at the hands of the Empire of Japan over 60 years ago, and reparations, if any, should come (or should have come) from the Japanese, not the United States. Furthermore, the precedent of paying reparations to the descendants of those harmed opens up a whole new can of worms – one which makes it impossible for the United States to ever deny any claim for reparations by any group, no matter how remote the ancestral claim.

Memorializing the heroism of the people of Guam during the war, however, is quite important and appropriate. I heard those stories from some of those who survived the occupation. I actually found 30-year-old bullets under my school building, and knew a girl who found a 30 year old Japanese hand grenade in the woods. And I am still moved by the story of the torture and execution (dare I say martyrdom) of Father Jesus Baza Duenas. Let that be done – but the time for US-funded financial reparations for the crimes of Japan has long since passed, if it was ever appropriate.





|| Greg, 05:44 PM || Permalink || Comments (2) || Comments || TrackBacks (0) ||

Trackback Information for It Breaks My Heart To Say This

TrackBack URL for this entry: http://blog2.mu.nu/cgi/trackback.cgi/212784
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference 'It Breaks My Heart To Say This'.

Comments on It Breaks My Heart To Say This

In another sense however, it cheapens people's sacrifice, by putting a monetary reward on them. Do people really believe justice can be achieved or the dead brought back through money? Thought folks didn't like America's focus on materialism over spirituality and things of importance...

|| Posted by Ymarsakar, May 18, 2007 01:17 PM ||

FREE ADULT STORIES
[url=http://groups.yahoo.com/group/qgnnqdh770]FREE ADULT STORIES[/url]
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/qgnnqdh770 FREE ADULT STORIES
ADULT CIRCUMCISION
[url=http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nbnxcwv173]ADULT CIRCUMCISION[/url]
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nbnxcwv173 ADULT CIRCUMCISION
ADULT PARTY GAMES
[url=http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nsljcvx758]ADULT PARTY GAMES[/url]
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nsljcvx758 ADULT PARTY GAMES
ADULT PUMPKIN CARVINGS
[url=http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kxhpwdq909]ADULT PUMPKIN CARVINGS[/url]
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kxhpwdq909 ADULT PUMPKIN CARVINGS
ADULT BLOGS
[url=http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kjczrsk623]ADULT BLOGS[/url]
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kjczrsk623 ADULT BLOGS

|| Posted by Zapa, November 7, 2008 01:02 AM ||
Post a comment

Remember personal info?


 

 





AnotherMunublogSmall.jpg





Winner - 2010 Fabulous 50 Blog Awards

Posts by Category

Announcements (posts: 13)
Blogging (posts: 155)
Border Issues & Immigration (posts: 371)
deferred (posts: 4)
Education (posts: 584)
Entertainment & Sports (posts: 415)
History (posts: 301)
Humor (posts: 72)
Israel/Middle East (posts: 13)
Medical News (posts: 51)
Military (posts: 256)
News (posts: 1416)
Paid Advertising (posts: 138)
Personal (posts: 90)
Politics (posts: 3990)
Race & Racism (posts: 189)
Religion (posts: 708)
Terrorism (posts: 795)
The Courts (posts: 278)
Watcher's Council (posts: 325)
World Affairs (posts: 308)

Archives

January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004
September 2004
August 2004
July 2004
June 2004
December 0000



MuNuviana



Licensing

Creative Commons License
This weblog is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Powered By

Powered by
Movable Type 2.64
AnotherMunublogSmall.jpg

Administrative Stuff

Email Me
Syndicate this site (XML)

Advertising Disclosure

adpolicy.gif

About Me

NAME: Greg
AGE: 40-Something
SEX: Male
MARITAL STATUS: Married
OCCUPATION: Social Studies Teacher
LOCATION: Seabrook, TX
DISCLAIMER: All posts reflect my views alone, and not the view of my wife, my dogs, my employer, or anyone else. All comments reflect the view of the commenter, and permitting a comment to remain on this site in no way indicates my support for the ideas expressed in the comment.

Search This Site


Support This Site



Recent Entries

Houston Texans Battle Baltimore Ravens For AFC Championship Bid
Watcher's Council Results
Romney Shows Christian Charity
In Which I Argue That Scott Brown And Elizabeth Warren Don't Understand The First Amendment
Obama Loathes The Military More Than Clinton Did
What A Way To Go
Priorities
Dirty Dem Lawman Indicted
Warren Buffett Admits He Does Not Believe He Is Under-Taxed, Is No Patriot
Obama Bastards?

Blogroll


Watchers Council
  • Bookroom Room
  • The Colossus of Rhodey
  • The Glittering Eye
  • GrEaT sAtAn"S gIrLfRiEnD
  • JoshuaPundit
  • The Mellow Jihadi
  • New Zeal
  • The Noisy Room
  • The Political Commentator
  • The Razor
  • Rhymes With Right
  • The Right Planet
  • Right Truth
  • Simply Jews
  • Virginia Right!
  • Watcher Of Weasels

  • Political & Religious Blogs