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Uninvited guest
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Posted on Feb 01 2005
In the dispute between Ms. Ruth Tighe and Dr. Jesus Camacho, I must side with Ms. Tighe because I know without a doubt in my mind that her heart is in our islands and the welfare of our people. We may not always necessarily agree with what she writes or says, but we can trust that she cares more about our islands, our people and culture than Dr. Camacho does. Let me give an example.
Last summer, my godson and his bride held their wedding in San Diego, California. Dr. Camacho attended the wedding despite the fact that his name was never on the list of the bride and groom’s registry of invitees. In essence, he crashed the party.
To make matters worse, Galvin Guerrero’s wife, children, mother, grandparents, sister, aunts and cousins, nieces and nephews, who have all witnessed Dr. Camacho’s repeated harsh public criticism of Galvin Guerrero, were all there. His presence ruined a once in a lifetime event for some who spent tens of thousands of long and hard saved dollars and flew thousands of miles, including the groom’s grandfather who is partly disabled, to attend the wedding of a beloved family member. In our true island custom, Dr. Camacho, without an invitation from the bride and groom, would never have shown up. He would know well enough that the groom’s family wouldn’t have welcomed him. But true to our nature, no one showed disrespect to Dr. Camacho despite the pain and suffering that he caused.
Our family was not just deeply pained by Dr. Camacho’s presence; we were also hurt by the thoughtlessness of that person who invited Dr. Camacho to a function that included Galvin Guerrero and his family. For some, Dr. Camacho brought suffering and painful memories to an otherwise perfect wedding event.
Unlike Ruth Tighe, Dr. Camacho, true to his self-serving nature, took a seat next to Galvin, discussed his qualifications and lobbied hard for the job of president of NMC. He, fortunately, never got it. I hope he at least enjoyed himself at a party to which neither the bride nor groom had invited him. I know Ruth Tighe would never do such a thing.
Gregorio C. Sablan
Garapan, Saipan
