Community advocacy group Prutehi Guåhan is pushing back against Senator Shelly Calvo’s recent remarks describing protesters’ behavior during last week’s legislative session, calling her statements “inaccurate and misrepresentative.” The group said Calvo’s effort to define “respect” distorts Indigenous CHamoru values and unfairly vilifies community members exercising their right to dissent.
“Respect, within the context of CHamoru culture, includes bravery and the willingness to do and say what is true regardless of what is popular,” Prutehi Guåhan said in its statement. The group argued that what legislators described as a lack of decorum was instead a form of civic engagement rooted in accountability. “Constituents do not owe composure when island resources are in jeopardy,” the release added.
Prutehi Guåhan also disputed claims that demonstrators threatened or assaulted lawmakers, emphasizing that no foul language or threats were made. The group clarified that chants such as “shame on you” and criticism directed at Calvo’s committee leadership were expressions of opinion and judgment, not hostility. “Senators are not victims of hearing constituents’ anger and disappointment,” the organization said.
The statement further criticized the framing of recent legislation as “affordable housing bills,” asserting that the measures instead open CHamoru Land Trust Commission lands for mining tied to military construction. The group urged lawmakers to act with “honesty and integrity” and to stop using rhetoric that misleads the public or marginalizes dissenting voices.