Will Guam Capsize?
BY Herschel Smith
14 years, 8 months ago
Will the Marines’ relocation to Guam cause it to capsize? “We don’t anticipate that … !”
UPDATE: So, the story line now is that Hank meant these words figuratively. So how many readers think that Hank knows what the word figurative means?
UPDATE #2: This response from Hank Johnson’s office.
“I wasn’t suggesting that the island of Guam would literally tip over I was using a metaphor to say that with the addition of 8,000 Marines and their dependents – an additional 80,000 people during peak construction on the tiny island with a population of 180,000 – could be a tipping point which could adversely affect the island’s fragile ecosystem and could overburden its stressed infrastructure. Having traveled to Guam last year, I saw firsthand how this beautiful – but vulnerable island – could easily become overburdened, and I was simply voicing my concerns that the addition of that many people could tip the delicate balance and do permanent harm to Guam.”
So we’re faced with the same question as earlier. Does Hank really know what the word metaphor means? Did he really author this response?
Jonah Goldberg remarks, from a reader:
My son is stationed on Guam, I just sent him the video and told him to run to the other side of the island. He said one of his shipmates showed up to work with a life vest on!
Run to the other side of the island. You know, that whole center of gravity thing? Maybe that will keep Guam from capsizing into the sea. Or did Hank mean sink rather than capsize? We’re faced with a whole new set of problems if Guam sinks!
On April 1, 2010 at 8:00 am, Warbucks said:
The exact details escape me; it’s been many years. A friend of mine opened a real estate loan office on Guam, specializing in FHA loans. He noted the population of heads of households were extraordinary when compared, percentage-wise, with any other demographic group he had ever encountered.
“We have a lot of vets from WWII living on Guam,” he said. As a group, they are the most decorated collection of vets he has every encountered.
“I am always staggered when they bring in their discharge papers for loan processing. They have more distinguishing campaign and combat ribbons than any group I’ve every seen.”
This comment is interesting because it illustrates a character which is missing from the local west-coast-America where I live, as to nearly all our elected officials.
Victor Davis Hanson discusses the character of the individual and make-up of the US demographics in a worthwhile video posted here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VdaOUBoZ3E&feature=player_embedded#
The point being, our character and values are shaped by our experiences.