Retirement Fund weighs-in on same-sex issue

Posted: Nov 10, 2009 5:35 PM
Updated: Nov 10, 2009 6:46 PM
by Heather Hauswirth

The board of trustees for the Government of Guam Retirement Fund is the latest to weigh in on the controversial Domestic Partnership Bill. The members believe there will be too many financial strains associated with the passage of such legislation.

While the retirement board maintains it does not hold a position on Bill 185 as a measure with regards to the underlying social issues related to same-sex civil unions, domestic partnerships or designated beneficiary agreements, the board members are clearly concerned about the economic and financial impacts they say the bill will have on the Retirement Fund if same-sex couples can cash in on retiree benefits for married couples.

Joe T. San Agustin, the Retirement Fund board chairman, said, "It is prudent on the Legislature to consider what the impacts going to be. Maybe there are a lot of social benefits; maybe their civil rights might be attended to. But like everything else, there are no more free lunches. And I think this is something we have the responsibility to bring to their attention. What they do with it, that's their business. But if they do something about it, they got to be willing to come up with the cash."

But Vice-Speaker B.J. Cruz, the author of Bill 185, believes the board's estimation is arbitrary. The Retirement Fund estimates a 65 percent marriage probability when it determines overall funding for the Retirement Fund's Defined Benefit Plan. "In the Retirement Fund there is no difference, all the employees make the same contribution, the government makes the same contribution for each one of them. The problem is not the bill, the problem is the Retirement Fund in their actuarial. They claim they figure only 65 percent of people are married, that is not my problem," he said.

The board passed a resolution saying that if bill 185, 138 or 212 are passed into law, the Fund will be required to pay spousal annuities that have not been accounted for or funded. But the vice-speaker isn't buying it, saying, "You all pay the same amount of money to the Retirement Fund. Your deduction is the same as the person next to you, that the fact that you are single, is the same amount as the person next to you who is getting paid the same amount of money as someone married with five children."

Even after making changes to his original Bill 185 that most recently include changing the term "domestic partnership" to "civil partnership", defining marriage as "a relationship between a man and a woman" and stressing that no religious entity is required to solemnize a civil partnership are among the proposed amendments.

With this latest resolution, it's apparent the vice-speaker is left fighting yet another uphill battle until his controversial bill hits session floor possibly next month.

Video Gallery
Board: same-sex bill causes too much financial strain
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Pacific News Center :: Monday, November 9, 2009

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1. Revised Same Sex Bill Still Causing Debate

   Category: Video News Stories/Video News Stories

   Guam - Bill 185 or the same sex civil union bill is back in the public eye again as a new substitute version has been introduced while the new bill changes some key terms and adds ... Monday, 09 November 2009

2. Tim Rohr with Ray Gibson

   Category: K57 Interviews/K57 Interviews

   Interview between Ray Gibson and Tim Rohr about the amendments made to Bill 185 and if those changes will change the stance of the Catholic Church. If player does not work click here to download ... Monday, 09 November 2009

3. Sen B J Cruz with Ray GIbson

   Category: K57 Interviews/K57 Interviews

   Interview between Ray Gibson and Senator B J Cruz about the amendments made to Bill 185. If player does not work click here to download entire podcast. ... Monday, 09 November 2009

Public invited to LGBT rally Saturday at Plaza de España

November 3, 2009

A rally in support of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community is scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday at the Plaza de España in Hagåtña, next to the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica. The event, titled "United in faith, embracing families, invoking love," will be a rally of songs and speeches, according to a news release from a student group at the University of Guam. The event will end with a candlelight vigil. Participants are asked to provide their own candles. The public is invited.

Child sexual abuse is a legal matter

November 3, 2009

By Melani Marquez

Hafa Adai People of Guam! My name is Melani Marquez and I am a former Guam resident currently residing in California.

I am writing to express my concern for more sexual abuse awareness and prevention programs on Guam.

I am a child sexual abuse survivor and feel it would benefit our children if this topic was somehow discussed openly in schools. Perhaps social services facilitators could present the statistics or educate them on appropriate and inappropriate touching so they'll be able to distinguish this behavior if sexual abuse is happening to them.

They'll also know what measures to take or who to confide in like mandated reporters, or how to help others if they know of someone else it's happening to. I know this is a sensitive topic to discuss but I've realized that child sexual abuse prevention initiatives or outreach programs are not commonplace on island -- at least not visibly especially in my day and age.

Can't depend just on parents

It's also a topic that we can no longer depend on parents to talk openly about with their children because many just don't know how to approach the issue.

With Senator Benjamin Cruz coming forth recently to share his past experiences with sexual abuse, it further validates the need to press the issue even more because most victims don't reveal their abuse until many years have past. He courageously helped to put a face to this societal problem and proved that sexual abuse does not discriminate against gender or social class. It can literally happen to anyone.

I know from my personal experiences that silence only allows sexual abuse to perpetuate. After many years I finally had the courage to confront the issue with my family only to find that it's been going on for two generations possibly even more.

Swept under the carpet

Nobody talked to anybody and when a few of my younger relatives confided in either a parent or trusted relative about their abuse or witnessing sexual abuse, it was basically swept under the carpet to protect the family name. No actual jail time was served nor was there any intervention to ensure it did not happen again.

Parents and guardians need to know that they are in violation of the law in doing this because sexual abuse is not a family matter, it's a legal matter. In my opinion, enough is enough -- we need to let our children know that our No. 1 concern as a community is for their physical, emotional and mental well-being. They need to trust that we're here for their protection and that we are willing to do whatever is necessary to protect them.

Have zero tolerance

Lastly, we need to create a zero-tolerance society for child sexual abuse.

The only way we are going to accomplish this is through awareness, education, community and collective action. These perpetrators have to know that we will no longer keep quiet and that we are watching and empowering our children with the power of "No!"

Although I am off island, I am willing to do whatever I can to help create more awareness for child sexual abuse.

It should also be noted that just coming forth with this, I have already endured endless criticism and harassment from some of my family members who refuse to acknowledge this issue. While it has been hurtful to me to not have their support, it is nonetheless necessary for me to do this so there will be one less child victimized by sexual abuse.

I am sharing my story to be a voice for those who have none.

My fellow sexual abuse survivors should no longer have to suffer in silence and by the grace of God, talking about it instead of suppressing the memories may very well bring them the closure and healing they need.

Whether we realize the connection or not, we as a society do benefit in this process. In closing, I'd like to thank you for your time and consideration in reading this and I look forward to hearing from others who are in support of this initiative.

Youths support ‘coming out’

Tuesday, 03 November 2009 04:36
by Zita Y. Taitano | Varietey News Staff

WHILE everyone was getting ready for Halloween last Saturday, the Guam Youth Congress adopted a resolution supporting the federal repeal of the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy in the military service.

According to GYC Speaker Derek Hills, Resolution 52 received nine “yes” votes and only one “no” vote.

A copy of the adopted resolution, introduced by Hills, will be forwarded to President Barrack Obama, who is in support of the repealing the law, as well as the U.S. Congress.

The 10-member youth congress voted on the resolution after debating for 35 minutes.

“Don't ask, don't tell” is the common term for the policy regarding gays and lesbians serving openly in the U.S. military mandated by federal statute Public Law 103-160. The policy prohibits anyone who "demonstrates a propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts" from serving in the U.S. armed forces of the United States, based on a presumption that "it would create an unacceptable risk to the high standards of morale, good order and discipline, and unit cohesion that are the essence of military capability."

The act prohibits any homosexual or bisexual person from disclosing his or her sexual orientation or from speaking about any homosexual relationships, including marriages or other familial attributes, while serving in the United States armed forces.

Meanwhile, a student-organized group from the University of Guam will be holding a rally in support of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community at 7 p.m. in the Plaza de España (beside the Cathedral) on Saturday.

The event titled "United in Faith, Embracing Families, Invoking Love," will be a rally of songs and speeches.

The event will end with a candle light vigil in remembrance of those LGBT throughout the world, who have suffered at the hands of hate. Participants are asked to provide their own candles.

Archbishop apologizes to community: he needs to do more

Posted: Nov 02, 2009 2:16 PM
Updated: Nov 02, 2009 2:16 PM
by Jess Lujan


In general, I subscribe to President Obama's constant refrain that we should disagree with each other without being disagreeable. Unfortunately Bill 185, a Bill to allow civil unions on Guam, has brought out long simmering discontent and tensions in our society that must be aired, debated and exorcised from our small community.

This is the only way we can live in peace and harmony with each other. Lending my efforts to promoting this laudable goal, I want to address some of the contentious points raised by both sides in the debate over Bill 185.

On the one side, Senator B.J. Cruz, advocating for the Bill, disclosed that he had been molested, for years, in his early teens, by a Catholic priest in Los Angeles. And, a self-described, 30 year veteran of the Guam police force, who called into my radio show, stated that he had arrested a Catholic priest who molested a young alter boy on Guam. He stated that after his arrest, the priest admitted to molesting multiple victims on Guam.

According to the retired police officer, this entire incident was covered up by former Archbishop Flores. The alleged offending priest was, according to the retired officer, promptly shipped off-island shortly after his arrest, and never faced justice on Guam. These examples of molestation by Catholic clergy were publicized, we were told, to expose the hypocrisy of the Catholic Church in tolerating child sexual abuse while simultaneously victimizing homosexuals. The double standard was presented to our community to undermine the moral authority of the Catholic Church's leadership to speak out against homosexuality and Bill 185.

Any person who has been molested, especially by a Catholic priest, should come forward and make a formal accusation. Thereafter, our judicial system should prosecute any credible allegations to the fullest extent of the law, especially if the alleged perpetrators are Catholic priests, who are held in positions of trust and confidence by our community. Archbishop Apuron recently released a statement expressing the position of the Church that allegations of molestation against priests should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

The Archbishop reaffirmed that the Church has put in place procedures to ensure prompt investigation and prosecution of allegations of abuse made against any Catholic clergy. Chief of Police Paul Suba also confirmed that his officers will pursue allegations of sexual abuse to the fullest extent of the law. I believe this sets the stage to ensure that victims of molestation will receive full support from our community when making formal accusations against any person, including Catholic priests.

While much effort has been spent to ensure that allegations of molestation be addressed outside a climate of fear, there is more to be done regarding statements made by Archbishop Apuron while arguing against Bill 185. The Archbishop, twice, apologized for any hurt he may have caused to members in our community by some of his statements in support of Bill 185. However, there are some parts of the Archbishop's statements made in support of 185 that still disturb me, and the Archbishop still needs to more specifically and forcefully refute them.

Here is what I mean. Archbishop Anthony Apuron made the following statement as part of a comment supporting the Church's opposition to Bill 185.



"Islamic fundamentalists clearly understand the damage that homosexual behavior inflicts on a culture. That is why they repress such behavior by death. Their culture is anything but one of self-absorption. It may be brutal at times, but any culture that is able to produce wave after wave of suicide bombers (women as well as men) is a culture that at least knows how to value self-sacrifice. Terrorism as a way to oppose the degeneration of the culture is to be rejected completely since such violence is itself another form of degeneracy. One, however, does not have to agree with the gruesome ways that the fundamentalists use to curb the forces that undermine their culture to admit that the Islamic fundamentalists charge that Western Civilization in general and the U.S.A. in particular is the "Great Satan" is not without an element of truth. It makes no sense for the U.S. Government to send our boys to fight Al Qaida and the Taliban in Afghanistan, while at the same time it embraces the social policies embodied in Bill 185 (as President Obama has done). Such policies only furnish further arguments for the fundamentalists in their efforts to gain more recruits for the war against the ‘Great Satan.'"


In the heat of an argument about deeply held beliefs, we sometimes say and do things that we later regret. I am sure that the above statement falls into that category for the Archbishop.

The above statement seems to excuse, or perhaps even advocate, violence against homosexuals, because they are homosexuals. This incitement to violence can be inferred from the Archbishop's seeming endorsement of the Muslim Fundamentalists' practice of murdering homosexuals. This is wrong.

Because of the Archbishop's moral leadership, and because of the respect he commands in our community, any ambiguity about this statement can cause misguided Catholics to inflict violence on homosexuals, believing their actions are sanctioned by the Archbishop and the Church. The Archbishop must clearly retract this statement, and inform Catholics in the community that neither he, nor the Church, advocate violence against homosexuals, even thought the Church may strongly disagree with homosexuality.

Secondly, the Archbishop seems to have commented approvingly or admiringly about the Muslim Fundamentalists' practice of suicide bombing. This is wrong. I disagree with the Archbishop's position that Muslim Fundamentalist suicide bombers are engaging in an act of self-sacrifice. Their act of homicidal suicide is the ultimate act of selfishness, and represents the culmination of a depraved set of beliefs and ideals, much like the Nazis who willing killed and died for Adolf Hitler's Nazi ideology.

Most Muslim Fundamentalists blow themselves up believing they will go directly to heaven and live in eternal bliss, serviced by 72 virgins. For this "reward", they are willing to murder thousands of innocent people. Some of these murdered innocents were killed on September 11th in New York City. Their act of suicide bombing cannot be construed as an act of genuine self-sacrifice as the Archbishop suggests.

The Archbishop's comment also disrespects our men and women in uniform who have been murdered by suicide bombers. These men and women in uniform, who put their lives on the line for love of country, love of family, and love of liberty, are true examples of self-sacrifice - not the "self-sacrifice" of suicide bombers, who kill innocents out of hate for our love of liberty, and hate for our love of tolerance and democracy. The Archbishop must retract this statement seeming to approve suicide bombers and suicide bombings.

Thirdly, the Archbishop's sympathy for the Muslim Fundamentalists' notion that the U.S.A. is the "Great Satan" is personally offensive to me. While I am the first to admit that our country has many imperfections, it nevertheless respects human dignity consistent with Christian principles far more than the system the Muslim Fundamentalists established in Afghanistan under the Taliban, or anywhere else where they have held sway.

I often disagree with the things my country does, but the very fact that I can disagree with those in power, and with our religious leaders, without being imprisoned or killed is exactly why I am a proud American. Many of our men and women, including many homosexuals, have died in defense of these ideals. That is the kind of self-sacrifice I admire, and I believe, so does our community.

Finally, the Archbishop seems to be advocating a strategy of appeasement towards Muslim Fundamentalists to deter them from attacking us. This is wrong. The notion that we should become more like Muslim Fundamentalists to escape their wrath is misguided. How far should we go? Do we begin stoning women to death for relatively minor infractions? Do we implement Sharia law? Do we convert to Islam?

Our beliefs in tolerance, democracy and liberty, are, in my opinion, superior to Muslim Fundamentalists' beliefs of intolerance, dictatorship and hate, and therefore, our superior beliefs are worth defending against attacks on them by Muslim Fundamentalists. We must do this with all our power, even if it means confronting and defeating fanatical suicide bombers.

The views and opinions expressed in KUAM Columns do not necessarily reflect those of Pacific Telestations, Inc. or its advertisers

Session Begins Without Bill 185

Wednesday, 28 October 2009

Guam - The legislature began session today and while the highly controversial bill 185 or same sex bill is not on the agenda there are some other bills of note.

Today senators began with discussions on bill 95 which would mandate the continued operation of the F.Q.. Sanchez elementary school in Umatac. Residents from that southern village showed up with signs in support of the meaure. They also discussed bill 101 which would ban smoking within 20 feet of an entrance to any public place where smoking is already prohibited.

The only thing senators voted on today was the confirmation of 10 individuals to various commissions and boards. The individuals confirmed today include: Ansito Walter - Guam Academy Charter School Council, James Mason - Guam Academy of Charter School Council, William Leon Guerrero - University of Guam Board of Regents, John Edwards II - Guam Unarmed Combat Commission, Norma Flores - Guam Housing and Urban Renewal Authority Board, Peter Valdez - Guam Housing Corporation Board, Antonia Camacho - Guam Banking and Insurance Board, Andrew Park - Guam Land Use Commission, Roland Certeza - Guam Land Use Commission, Belinda Mejia - Alcohol Beverage Control Board,

Written by : Clynt Ridgell