I had been following several dialogues regarding the citizenship lawsuit case for the United States Territory of American Samoa. This case brought out several debates and controversies months ago relating to a preserved federal law, that makes American Samoa US nationals instead of US citizens; and the overturned decision made by the Court of Appeals. The results following this case to grant citizenship to the US territory was denied.
A small group of Samoans living in the United States, petitioned this lawsuit case, over the effects of this federal law. These men have been living in the US upon leaving American Samoa. They pursued education to become qualified for careers and opportunities to support their families back in American Samoa. They are the only few who remains under the notion that we are entitled to that right to be natural born citizens.
I also read several disagreements made viral on social media by people, questioning why anyone would want to become a citizen when this is the life of living free. They remain under the impression that these people, who petitioned for the lawsuit, are fiapoto (think they're smart) or ungrateful for the freedom we are currently embracing in American Samoa, as an unincorporated territory.This does not specify directly whether the people chooses to become US citizens like all the United States territories; or if they want to continue enjoying the freedom under a self-governed territory-or to become an independent state instead, since the confidence is to not pursue that right to become natural-born citizens.
This freedom we currently embrace, according to majority of the local citizens and the government, doesn't give restrictions to land ownership that are entitled to those of Samoan ancestry. American Samoa could live free under its very own lands, have a chiefly system practiced in our local government and our own constitution-with the exception that we still get money from the US to fund our chiefly systems and the needs in our territory. They think that if we are granted that right to become citizens, it could undermine Samoan local traditions and practices, change the whole chiefly system and laws in the territory, which at this time, a citizenship lawsuit would be the last thing that needs to be supported by this opposing end.
Personally, I find it hard to weigh the arguments for both sides with the absence of voice of the people. And when I say people, I mean people as in everyone. Not just leaders who speak on behalf of people without propositions in place stating that this is what the people wants-in ballot for citizenship or no citizenship and signatures of the people. There are no speculations in writing whether the people are for, or against the decision made recently. If people want to vote for citizenship, they should immediately advocate to cast that ballot, or if not, let the ballot determine the rest. I think that from dialogues and the fear of the unknown, not many are aware of these effects and how it can affect them and the future.But here's some of my thoughts about it:
HISTORY
The forefathers of American Samoa granted America permission to establish a naval base in exchange for military protection in 1872. And then along the way, there was war when Germany, UK and America fought over the two archipelagos (Western Samoa and Eastern Samoa). Many artifacts and remains of that war still remains and preserved for tourism in several villages in the territory today. Anyway, that Tripartite Convention between the three countries separated the two islands. Another treaty signed, later claimed Western Samoa as a German colony, and Eastern Samoa fell under America in 1899. It was not until 1900 when a Treaty of Cession was signed (Tutuila chiefs & America), which made Eastern Samoa or Tutuila, the United States Territory of American Samoa. Western Samoa, now called Samoa, is now an independent state. American Samoa is still considered an unincorporated and self-governing territory under the US, today.
Western Samoa lives on its own currency, runs its own government and relies upon its trade and independent exports to survive in their own lands. Their remarkable foundation is a phenomena similar to the constitutional and chiefly system practiced by American Samoa. Samoa acknowledges local traditions and practices of the Samoan culture, and have no restrictions on their own lands. There is equilibrium in their facilitated foundation as an independent country.
SINCE THE LAW
With this preserved federal law in place, it makes American Samoan people, US nationals, but not US citizens like those born in US territories of Puerto Rico, US Virgin Island and Guam. When you flip to the last page of an American Samoan passport, it states: THIS BEARER IS A UNITED STATES NATIONAL AND NOT A UNITED STATES CITIZEN.
THE EFFECTS
American Samoa citizens cannot vote in the US Presidential election. That means, everything we bicker about on the news, from public policies and propositions in the US; those do not apply to our territory or us. Moreover in some perception, when a national candidate campaigns and receives more support, he will more than likely, only consider the needs of his supporters in his agenda settings. Idealistically, college students had more votes in the last presidential election.
In order to become a US citizen, an individual must leave the territory and live in a US state for three months to apply for naturalization-nearly the same process immigrants undertake to become citizens.
The inconvenience extends out to many things in this process. Financially, the expenses of the process, cost of traveling (Hawaiian Airline one way fares are $800 and above, or more during holiday seasons),the cost of living and healthcare, prevents people from pursuing citizenship. With healthcare issues inclining and its reform among the US, it contributes to that effect also. Some have to wait three months in the nearest state off-island in order to qualify for a healthcare plan.
American Samoa still ranks #1 as the highest recruiting station in the United States Army. Majority of the soldiers who are recruited from the US territory are waived as US Nationals when they join the military. So,even though American Samoa is denied US citizenship to its people, more of its sons and daughters makes up the biggest and strongest Army in the world. American Samoa is one tiny dot on the map but it contributes largely to peacekeeping and wartime operations for America. Compared to Native American tribes, American Samoan soldiers in the days of Civil War were also used in code missions. Meaning, their language were used to send different codes or messages from one company to another on military radios. Today, American Samoa,the heart of the Pacific, has the highest death rate out of all US states and territories, since the war began in Iraq and Afghanistan.
There are students who graduated from off-island universities and colleges and in JROTC programs in the territory; whose goals are to become commissioned officers in the military. The dreadful effects for this process is; in order to become a commissioned officer in any branch of the Armed Forces, a candidate has to be a US citizen.
Students who graduate from universities and colleges in Hawaii, usually return home to join the military from the home station in American Samoa.The station any recruit joins the military from, is their home of record.
For cadets in military academies, they condition under the terms to await the process to become citizens. Once they receive their citizenship certificate, they can graduate as commissioned officers. The effects of this law impedes the process of commissioning for some cadets and candidates. If a cadet does not receive his or her citizenship in a specified time, their contracts are terminated. This also affects a scholarship they received before venturing off island to a military academy, and that student is sent into the needs of the Army to serve time. Furthermore, those who applied for financial aid just to pursue their dreams in a college or a university has to unfortunately pay back everything. I know that the US Army has a Student Loan Repayment Program for soldiers, but such program is limited based on fiscal year funding and barely guaranteed. With the low financial wages for parents, they still try their very best to ensure that their children meets the requirements for military academies.
This applies in other levels of government in the US, too. If anyone looks up USAJobs.gov, most of these positions requires candidates to be US citizens. This does not only apply for federal positions. Some individuals who want to become law enforcements are facing the same problem. For a lateral entry police officer process, one has to be at least 21 years of age, have a high school diploma, good character, moral background, a state driver's license; and lastly, be a US citizen.
For elections, people from American Samoa are denied the right to vote in every state in the US. Also, only those who are US citizens are able to run for government positions anywhere they relocate to as long as this candidate is a resident and a US citizen. For someone born in American Samoa, they don't have a chance to that right. They cannot vote in the US, they cannot run, but they are entitled to send absentee ballots home- where laws, policies and fiscal year fundings does not benefit them in the US. On the immigration side, someone from American Samoa has to be a US citizen in order to sponsor anyone from other foreign countries.
American Samoa is considered an unincorporated territory, self-governed under its own laws and constitution. The constitution anchors under or evolves around the chiefly or the matai system. I remember when retired veterans returned back to American Samoa and took positions in the American Samoa Government. They now hold matai or chief titles upon taking director positions in the territory. I also remember election days. Candidates will run for elections using their birth certificate names. Months later, they began to carry chief titles.
The beauty of the Samoan culture is having matai's or chiefs. Compared to Israel, Samoa is very prestige and honored in this Fa'asamoa practice of having chiefs in each family and villages. The respect and love is always there for our treasured practices. My father is a chief in Western Samoa and American Samoa. Mom is a chief in her family too. I have a matai title too, Seugaali'i is a beautiful name granted by my elders in Falealili. However, I think it is also beautiful to recognize the potential of the new generation and enforce a moral practice in the work environment balanced across with those with credentials.
Several dialogues about the matai system and its effect on the US territory and the governmental jobs had given me a view on why people continue to contest to ongoing crisis or corruption lingering around sectors in my homeland.
I sometimes wonder while reading through some of the comments by people about how the government is so corrupted and how people only hire according to connections and chief titles. The comments I would normally see are: So corrupted! Exploitation! Ua uma tupe o le malo (Territory money is finished/gone!)
Connections on the other hand, for example: When someone starts working in the Fono, their whole family are all of a sudden hired to work there too. Even though they orally express in the beginning that people must apply for positions, you can walk into any department today and easily recognize that some cubicles and offices has at least 4 or 5 people from the same household, same village or related to one another.
Have you looked around your office, your department, your hospital in American Samoa yet? Are the instigations from dialogues of people correct? Is it fair that you went through school and paid tuition for a job in the hospital, but years later, someone who never went to school all of a sudden shows up with scrubs? Do you think it's fair that you pursued a Master's Degree from an accredited institution but returned home to work under someone with only a matai title?
These are the concerns of the people.People must also know, this is an incorporated practice chosen from the beginning. And the effects of this preserved federal law getting approve may inhibit its continuance.
THE RIGHTS
The citizenship clause in the 14th Amendment does state that, "All persons born or naturalized in the United States and its territories are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside." According to the Appeals court, this amendment does not apply to American Samoa, which makes us just a possession.
In broader definition, we are a possession far out past Hawaii. Like Turkey, US has an air strip where they could land airstrikes from in that country anytime. Like the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, it is used as a nuclear testing base and still operates today. American Samoa, an overseas territory, since the days of colonialism and does not fall under that citizenship clause.
Do you remember the last time a president visited American Samoa? His name is written on the only hospital in the territory, LBJ-another sector undergoing several financial issues in the territory. It was a long time ago on October 1966 when Lyndon B.Johnson visited American Samoa. His presidential speech in Tafuna shared so much about inclusion.
A few of his words upon arrival were, "For no other corner of the world can be left untidy or ignored today. The time is fast coming as there will be no such thing as the far corner of the Earth. So I think this is the way that God intended it. I cannot believe He wanted man to be isolated, ever, from his neighbor. He did not seek that distance or race or religion or creed ever separate us from one another. At the table of need, we all find our place, and the greatest need of all today, I think, is for human fellowship and a sense of what each of us can do for the rest of us." (Johnson, L., 1998: Remarks Upon Arrival at TIA.)
This federal law would never be approved until there is oneness from the people of American Samoa. As much as I agree with the freedom embodied in our territory, public policies in the US are evolving subjects which continues to change with different presidents and their new insights about government and public policies. That change may one day affect our status as a territory, as long as we are an unincorporated state. Recently, the US reopened its embassy in Cuba after many years. When that opened, it brought a lot of tourism into the country.This inflated Puerto Rico's number in travel and tourism tremendously to no escape. Puerto Rico hangs on a thread as long as US continues to face issues with budget deficit.
Same sex marriage has been legalized in some states. American Samoa is not entitled to other rights, yet the US still needs an explanation from the territory if they'll allow same sex marriage in the territory. The changes in policy continues to make what was once impossible possible.
If the board of judges in the Court of Appeals can easily say that the 14th Amendment which subjects anyone born in a US state or a territory to become a natural born citizen, does not apply to American Samoa; then let us think about the military protection under which the Treaty of Cession was signed in 1900. Are we protected today?
As long as we are under this preserved federal law, we will always have pitfalls here and there concerning minimum wage. As Lyndon B. Johnson stated when he visited American Samoa, "Samoan children are learning twice as fast as they once did, and retaining what they learn. Surely from among them, one day, will come scientists and writers to give their talents to Samoa, to America, and to the world."
By considering the potential of our future leaders who are returning to American Samoa with higher education and experience, more creative thinking, knowledge and ideas can contribute to mitigating financial issues in the territory today, like the minimum wage in Starkist and our one and only hospital in Fagaalu.
I was fascinated about Guam's history when it came from an unincorporated territory to winning support in self-governing and citizenship for its people. Guam had its own group of representatives, similar to the chiefs of Samoa. They voiced concerns to the navy governor at the time and set their policies in the island. When the governor didn't support the voice of the people, the group walked out of the session, with no care in the world as to what America will do to them.
Guam did not listen or follow any demands from the governor. What's unique about this story is, it rallied full support for Guam by the attitude and courage of its people to stand up to the governor. From that time, Guam was able to vote for their own governor and when they asked for citizenship, it was granted. Guam still owns their lands, considers tourism and travel for growth-and are able to voice and advocate for its rights.
I love my Samoan culture. I also know that we can practice our Samoan culture, but distinguish our culture from government affairs especially in hiring and budget departments. I am sure that there are people who are not familiar with this topic and may believe other sources that intentionally instill fear for the people of becoming US citizens.
I also think that people are knowledgeable of the circumstances, but refrain from speaking up. When people really see rational stance on support for this lawsuit case, they'll clearly understand or narrow down why this seems to always have a bipolar effect between culture and corruption. In the end, some people will realize that the support for this lawsuit case just might be about self-governing, and was never about land restrictions.
I think it's necessary for the people of American Samoa to formulate and advocate on its own without a representative towards this law. I also think that the voice of the people should also be heard towards other areas of the government more than just this federal law that denies us citizenship. Can American Samoa become an independent state like Samoa? I don't know but it's the voice of the people that makes a difference. Once there is legitimacy, there is hope for any policy the people brings to DC as long as there is a voice from the people of American Samoa. A successful policy is approved as long as it is supported by the local government and the people. The local government and its leaders works for the people of American Samoa. In the end, the people's voice will determine if there is public trust.
Lyndon B. Johnson: "Remarks Upon Arrival at Tafuna International Airport, Pago Pago, American Samoa.," October 18, 1966. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=27945.
Constitution of the United States. S.PUB.103-21 (1994), prepared by the Office of the Secretary of the Senate with the assistance of Johnny H. Killian of the Library of Congress,
Agency, C. (2012). American Samoa. Retrieved from http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/171791
No comments:
Post a Comment