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Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Guam Reparations

As always, an issue being trumpeted by the simpletons that make up a large portion of the right side of the cheddarsphere isn’t as simple as they claim. This time, Fred at Real Debate, Wiggy (though his post is more funny) and I’m sure there are others, are up in arms over legislation before Congress to pay reparations of "... about $200 million in compensation and grant programs for Guam residents, including $25,000 payments on behalf of residents who died during the Japanese occupation and smaller payments for injury and forced labor." How dare we pay for atrocities committed by the Japanese occupations forces, they chorus. Oddly enough, according to Fred and Wiggy, our very own one-man travel agency, F. James Sensenbrenner has signed onto this bill.

Sensenbrenner’s support caused me to dig just a little deeper (this is where most of the right-wingers always fall just a bit short) and I found a few additional items.

The reason Guam is seeking these reparations is because the United States unilaterally forgave Japan’s war debt when they signed the official peace reaty in 1951, which precludes any chance of Guam approaching Japan for reparations.

A similar bill made it out of committee during the 109th Congress, a Congress then dominated by Republicans. It never made it to vote because the 109th Congress was adjourned.

The bill apparently has bi-partisan support.

There has been bluster on the right that the only people that should be recognized are the troops that liberated Guam from Japanese occupation. What these simpletons ignore is the Chamarros, the indigenous people of Guam, protected American serviceman after the island was conquered, many forfeiting their lives to keep the location of the hidden troops secret. Additionally, Japanese treatment of the Chamarros was especially brutal, with public executions not unusual.

To argue this bill is just another Democtratic gifting of taxpayer money is a lie … something the right-wing of the cheddarsphere has become all to expert at ... Republicans support this too.

3 Swings of the bat:

Dad29 said...

Yah--when Sensenbrenner backs it, it's usually (99%++)a good thing.

Wiggy's just jealous.

David Casper said...

Could it be that using the word "reperations" just makes the whole thing seem dirty?

And can we please stop with the 'simpletons' stuff? Just a personal request.

Other Side said...

Dave, that's not enough of a reason to go jumping all over Dems for this, especially when there is bi-partisan support. And, if anyone had cared to do just a little more research, like I did, they would have found the issue to be just a little more complicated ... instead of just parroting what others said.

If you notice, I did not use the word "simpleton" as a sweeping condemnation of conservatives ... pretty obvious to me the word applies only to those who own it.

However, I'm sure I can come up with other descriptions ... lol.