Bolsavik.com

Surfed over to the Viet Weekly web site, and found an interview by that publication of Trong Doan, one of the most ardent protesters against Nguoi Viet Daily News. Doan is also sued by Nguoi Viet for defamation etc., and he’s also being prosecuted for an alleged assault and battery on a Nguoi Viet reporter.

Right now, a late-night talk show host is giving Doan and his cohorts plenty of free air time. But it’s at night. And it’s radio. Radio is not permanent.

Doan’s problem is, none of the regular print publications would give him the time of day. Nguoi Viet has recently instituted an express policy not to give any ink to the protesters or their supporters. Other Vietnamese publications – Viet Bao, Vien Dong, Little Saigon News, the Bolsavik can go on and on — nobody is giving Trong Doan and his kind any space.

So, after being slammed by the Reg’s Frank Mickadeit (Twice! Here and here), Doan went looking for sympathy, and found none. No print publication would touch this hot potato.

Except Viet Weekly, which gave him not just an interview but cover page exposure.

The irony is, Doan was also one of the most ardent protesters against Viet Weekly, swearing not to stop until the publication was shut down.

If he had succeeded, who’d be interviewing him now?

There’s a quote that’s one of the Bolsavik’s favorite, commonly attributed to Voltaire but actually said by Evelyn Beatrice Hall (1868-1919): “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

That’s the lesson here. The only way to ensure that your voice will be heard tomorrow is to ensure that your opponent’s voice is heard today.

Only a free and robust press can ensure a medium for all opinions — maybe even yours.

The Bolsavik’s friend Ky-Phong Tran once wrote on Nguoi Viet: “Freedom of speech is not just being able to say what you want and speaking your mind. That dear friends, is the easy part. TRUE Freedom of speech is that AND more so: listening to someone yap about something you disagree with, something you might morally or politically abhor, and grinning and bearing it.”

The rest of Doan’s mob squad may want to ponder that.

And some of their opponents too.

The Oklahoman’s Bryan Painter has this story about a Vietnamese-American who was the first among the six toddlers who survived the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City 13 years ago to graduate high school.

The Bolsavik thought the section about giving back was a little too over the top, but other than that the story is nice and sweet.

Little Christopher Nguyen (pictured) was 4 1/2 at the time of the bombing. He had some scars but they had healed. There were five other kids from the same America’s Kids day care center in the building who survived the blast, all younger than Christopher. The story has a sidebar showing where all the kids are now.

Christopher “plans to go to the University of Oklahoma and study to become a consultant.”