Okay, I didn’t want to have to do this because my gut instinct was to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, but from what I’ve read during the recent string of comments, it looks like I’ll have to.

Don and I started this blog because after the whole movie thing, we realized that a lot of great things were possible - not just speaking about the two of us, but for Chamorros altogether. We also realized that we were finally in a rare position to help other Chamorros to realize their potential in whatever it is that they wanted to achieve by providing the encouragement and help that we never got in the past. We wanted to scrap our meaningless selfish personal blogs and come together to form one blog that had substance - someplace where we can share what little knowledge we had with others. We knew that if we were to help the majority future of Guam, which is today’s younger Chamorros, we’d have to make it modern and entertaining so we can at least compete for their attention. So, we put up Guamology.

THIS BLOG IS ABOUT THE ARTISTRY OF OUR READERS AND OF GUAM. THIS BLOG IS ABOUT INSPIRING OTHERS, ENCOURAGING OTHERS’ EFFORTS, BEING POSITIVE TOWARDS OTHERS AND HELPING OTHERS NO MATTER WHAT OUR OPINIONS ARE. THIS BLOG ISN’T ABOUT YOU OR ME OR DON, IT’S ABOUT HELPING AND INSPIRING THE PEOPLE THAT NEED IT BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT WE SEE IS LACKING ON GUAM AND EVEN MORE SADLY FROM CHAMORRO TO CHAMORRO.

But it’s hard to see the light when you’re swimming in bullshit.

We are very lucky to have people stroll by and read our posts and we are very grateful for that. We are very lucky and grateful to have our regular readers come through on a regular basis. We are very lucky and grateful to have contributing writers that want to share their knowledge on our blog. We are very lucky and grateful to have such passionate comments from passionate people with their own thoughts to share. We value all of what you have to share.

But what I will not stand for on this blog (and I believe I can speak on Don’s behalf on this) is when any one of us begins to make it a point to limit the horizons, goals or efforts of our readers. If any of you have your own thoughts about the way things should/shouldn’t be done and do not want to be supportive of or at the very least courteous to others’ opinions or efforts, then post it somewhere else. This isn’t the place for one-track minds. This is a place for those that want to soar, think outside the box and feel limitless in their ideas. This is a safe-haven for those that feel the need for one.

I am a firm believer in healthy discussions and debates. But only if they’re followed up by action. Knowledge isn’t power. It’s what you do with that knowledge that counts. Guamology celebrates the doers, not the talkers. So don’t talk about it - be about it.

So instead of creating a string of 40+ comments about which way of Chamorro is good/better/best, it would be more help to our readers if we take that effort, and as a contributing writer, write your own post and share your own ways of speaking Chamorro without having to negate the ideas and efforts of others. That way, they can learn from the best of what you have to offer instead of just learning about the worst from others.

I will not single out anyone because I have respect for all of you and the reasoning behind the ping-pong string of comments. And I don’t want this to be like a “scolding” session, or anything like that. I just want us all to be clear about the purpose of this site. This just means that you’re all very passionate and want the best for your fellow Chamorros. But what we have to get over is ourselves and our differences and keep focused on the end result which is to me, keeping the Chamorro culture alive - however way you do it is how you do it, but we’re at a crucial point in time where we need it and we need it all. Whether it takes the form of a movie, a blog, music, woodworking arts and crafts or whatever. And from what I’ve seen since I’ve been living back home on Guam, our culture is becoming scarce in every way, shape and form and I think that’s one thing that we can all agree on.

So please - let’s all stay in tune collectively, while looking at the big picture (in the way that the Federal Government has their own big picture for Guam) and continue to POSITIVELY CONTRIBUTE AND INSPIRE. Anything else will undermine the purpose of Guamology and if it continues I’ll have to start moderating and I would like to believe that we are all bigger than that. Let’s support each other and our fellow Chamorros in all of their positive efforts, no matter what it looks like.

Thank you all for your attention and kindness.

Si Yu’us Ma’ase,
Kel