A crowd that the OC Register here estimates to be over a hundred gathered yesterday morning across the street from the Asian Village Mall to rally in support of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.
There were several politicians there, but before that let’s talk about a couple of interesting handouts among the dozen or so available. Both are in Vietnamese.
This one is a two-page letter going down the reasons why voting for Barack Obama is a good idea for Viet voters. It reminds people how John McCain had defined the “middle class” as people making between 1 and 5 million a year, apparently as evidence of where McCain’s economic priorities lie.
And this one here is a tri-fold brochure with items show why McCain would be a bad idea because he’s close to the communist government of Vietnam.
Interestingly, the brochure quotes Jerry Kiley, a Vietnam veteran most famous for having splashed red wine on Vietnam’s then-Prime Minister Phan Van Khai when the latter was on a visit to Washington, D.C. At the time, Kiley said the red wine symbolized the blood of POW-MIA.
Kiley belongs to a group of POW-MIA advocates who have long been angry at fellow veterans John McCain and John Kerry for blocking their efforts to punish the Vietnamese government over the POW-MIA issue. He’s got a web site, here, that tells some real horror stories about McCain including this funny one. However, very much unclear how much of it is true; a lot of evidence is highly iffy. Also read this excerpt from North Vietnamese radio broadcast.
Of course, savvy office-seekers came out to shore up support for themselves.
Above, front row from left, are Kim-Oanh NguyenLam, incumbent Trustee of the Garden Grove School District running for re-election; Debbie Cook, Huntington Beach Mayor seeking to unseat U.S. Rep. Rohrabacher; and Garden Grove Councilman Mark Rosen.
In this picture, from left is Phu Nguyen, former UVSA president and one of the organizers; Trung Ta, a member of the Democratic Foundation of Orange County and the president of the newly formed Vietnamese-American Democrats of OC; Ethan Dong-Matsuda, a barely-teen published author who’s the son of North OC College board member Michael Matsuda and Viet activist Xuyen Dong-Matsuda; Linh Ho, candidate for Garden Grove City Council; Q. Bao Nguyen; and Robin Marcario, candidate for Garden Grove City Council.
About Q. Bao Nguyen.
Eight years ago, McCain used the racist term “gook” to call Vietnamese – and he later said he meant the communists only – which would make McCain the only fluent English speaker to misunderstand the term. The Bolsavik actually believes McCain’s intent – as a millionaire senator from Arizona, it is doubtful if McCain has many opportunities to meet and therefore cuss out any Asian-American.
Anyway, so McCain came out to Little Saigon for a rally in 2000, and Q. Bao Nguyen was there to protest. Bao was so visible, author and former Naval fighter pilot Quang X. Pham, who introduced McCain that night, actually saw Bao from the stage and remembered and recognized him eight years later at the OCAPICA candidate forum (this one).
So, McCain was speaking, Q. Bao was heckling, the way all political rallies are and should be, and lo and behold out of nowhere came a handful of former South Vietnamese military officers in fatigues. They started man-handling Bao and his friends, and pushed Bao out onto Bolsa Avenue, into the path of an incoming SUV, almost killing him.
A younger, shorter-haired Q. Bao was one of the central figures in the documentary film Saigon, U.S.A., from which the photo at right was taken.
You forgot to mention that Q. Bao is Linh Ho’s campaign coordinator and advisor.
Q. Bao Nguyen is a thoughtful, intelligent, articulate, and I would assume talented man. I wish him well and I am glad he remains involved in politics and community affairs.
Finally, at the 23rd hour, they are coming out of the woodwork for Obama. Very sad. I hope they get a little sun tan on a Saturday morning. Other than that it’s a pathetic show.
Those old-timers in Little Saigon behaved like thugs when they tried to silence Bao. You know what they says, “You can’t train old dogs new tricks”. In this case, you can’t train these old guys from respecting democracy. Rest assure, Democrats will send them packing in five years.
We’re in the 23rd hour and there are no Vietnamese-Americans anywhere coming out to support me.
What’s wrong with you gooks? Don’t you know I’m about to lose??
The old gooks in Little SG vote for McCain because they are racists like McCain. A real bunch of Gooks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chau Nguyen,
I agree that the Democrats will send them all packing eventually; however, I just think it will take longer than five years. The Republicans are not going to go down without a fight.
losers all like to suk olo haha because hes a faggit
nd bao is super kool haha
Jerry Kiley is stupid.
hey, i was really glad to see these pictures it truly warms my heart and gives me hope for the future.
Would someone please translate his article by Nguyen Tien Hung to educate the author of this blog and our young Vietnamese Americans here?
————
…‘Phó T?ng Th?ng’ Biden và Khi ??ng Minh Tháo Ch?y Kh?i Iraq…
http://www.vietbao.com/?ppid=45&pid=115&nid=135992
(G?n ?ây trên m?ng có nhi?u bàn lu?n v? l?p tr??ng ch?ng ??i c?a Ngh? s? Joe Biden ??i v?i ng??i Vi?t t? n?n. M?t s? ?ã ??t v?n ?? là ph?i có b?ng ch?ng! Chúng tôi xin ghi l?i vài s? ki?n trong cu?n ‘Khi ??ng Minh Tháo Ch?y’ ?? m? r?ng vi?c tham kh?o.)
Lúc ?y ch?a có CNN, nên tin t?c ch? do ba kênh ABC, NBC, CBS phát sóng m?i bu?i chi?u. Vào cu?i tháng Ba ??u tháng T? n?m 1975, hình ?nh gây xúc ??ng nhi?u nh?t là v? hai tình hu?ng ??i ngh?ch: m?t là v? chi?n tr??ng Mi?n Nam, và hai là c?nh T?ng th?ng Ford ch?i gôn ? Palm Spring. ?à N?ng th?t th? r?i mà ông và Ngo?i tr??ng Kissinger c? t?nh b?. Cu?i tu?n, ông còn ??nh cùng v?i phu nhân t?i d? ti?c v?i ca s? n?i danh Frank Sinatra do Kissinger m?i. Nhân viên trong ?oàn tùy tùng ph?i c?n l?i vì ông ?ang b? báo chí ch? trích là ch? vui ch?i trong khuôn viên các nhà tri?u phú ?ang khi Vi?t Nam b?c cháy.
Th? nh?ng ch? m?y ngày sau, ?ã có s? thay ??i rõ r?t v? thái ?? c?a ông T?ng Th?ng: ông ra phi tr??ng San Francisco ?ón ti?p ?ám tr? em m? côi v?a ???c ch? t?i t? Tân S?n Nh?t. Và t? lúc ?ó, ông quy?t ??nh c?u m?t s? ng??i Vi?t t? n?n và xin thêm quân vi?n cho Mi?n Nam. Ông làm nh? v?y dù các c? v?n ?ã khuyên ông là c? l? ?i cho xong. Chính ông vi?t l?i r?ng Kissinger c?ng ?ã so?n s?n cho ông m?t bài di?n v?n vào lo?i ‘cháy nhà bình chân nh? v?i’ (go down with the flag flying) ?? ??c t?i Qu?c H?i, nh?ng ông ?ã không ch?p nh?n.
Y?u t? nào ?ã ??a t?i s? thay ??i quan tr?ng ?y?
Không còn nghi ng? gì n?a v? lý do chính là vì ông ?ã ???c ??c vài lá th? m?t c?a T?ng th?ng Nixon g?i T?ng th?ng Thi?u do T??ng Weyand chuy?n ??t. Weyand ?ã dùng m?u l??c: ông ??n g?p T?ng th?ng n?m phút tr??c khi Kissinger t?i h?p vào sáng ngày n?m Tháng T?. Ông Von Marbod k? l?i cho chúng tôi là ??c xong th?, T?ng th?ng Ford ?ã h?t s?c xúc ??ng vì th?y s? b?t công quá rõ ràng c?a Hoa k? ??i v?i VNCH.
Von Marbod là ?? nh?t Phó Ph? tá T?ng tr??ng Qu?c phòng, cùng ?i v?i T??ng Weyand sang Vi?t Nam. Ông c?ng là ng??i ?ã giúp chúng tôi trong vi?c bí m?t chuy?n ??t hai lá th? cho T?ng th?ng Ford sau khi thuy?t ph?c ???c s? ??ng ý c?a T?ng th?ng Thi?u. Marbod ?ã có m?t khi Weyand ??a th?. Sau này khi ph?ng v?n chính T?ng th?ng Ford thì chúng tôi l?i càng th?y rõ h?n v? vi?c này. Khi ??a cho ông xem l?i tài li?u, ông v?n còn bùi ngùi. Ông ký t?ng chúng tôi cu?n H?i ký ‘A Time to Heal’ (Th?i gian ?? hàn g?n) v?i m?y ch?: To Greg Hung, with warmest best wishes – Gerald R. Ford (Gregory là tên Thánh c?a chúng tôi).
V? nhà m? ra ??c, chúng tôi m?i bi?t r?ng ?úng ngày T?ng th?ng Thi?u ch? th? cho chúng tôi ?i Washington ?? s?p x?p thì ?y Ban Ngo?i Giao Th??ng Vi?n ?ã t? ??ng yêu c?u và ??n Tòa B?ch Cung g?p T?ng th?ng ?? b?y t? v? l?p tr??ng d?t khoát ch?m d?t vi?n tr?. H? còn ti?n xa h?n n?a là ?ã bác b? c? v?n ?? di t?n m?t s? ng??i Vi?t. M?t ?i?u h?i l? v?i chúng tôi khi ??c cu?n sách là th?y trong ?y Ban này, có m?t ngh? s? ch?a bao gi? chúng tôi nghe ??n tên. Các v? khác nh? Frank Church, Jacob Javits, Clifford Case thì ?ã quá quen thu?c. Trong bu?i h?p v?i T?ng th?ng, ngh? s? này ?ã m?nh m? ch?ng ??i vi?c di t?n ng??i Vi?t Nam. Nghiên c?u thêm chúng tôi m?i bi?t là ông này r?t tr?, v?a m?i 30 tu?i ?ã ???c b?u vào Th??ng Vi?n (tháng Giêng, 1973 – c?ng là th?i ?i?m ký k?t Hi?p ??nh Paris).
?ó là Ngh? s? Joseph Biden thu?c ti?u bang Delaware. Ngôn t? c?a ông trong bu?i h?p th?t là thi?u nhân h?u, n?u không ph?i là tàn nh?n.
Trong cu?n h?i ký, T?ng th?ng Ford ?ã k? l?i vi?c này. Sau ?ây là vài ?o?n trích d?ch (trang 253-256): “Chúng tôi c?m th?y r?ng m?t cu?c di t?n v?i vã s? có nh?ng h?u qu? tr?m tr?ng. M?t tình tr?ng ho?ng h?t l?n t?i th? ?ô Mi?n Nam s? có th? phát sinh, và trong s? chua cay là ?ã b? ‘ph?n b?i,’ quân ??i mi?n Nam có th? quay súng vào ng??i M?” …
“Ngày 14 tháng 4, ?y Ban Ngo?i Giao Th??ng Vi?n yêu c?u g?p tôi ?? th?o lu?n v? tình hình ?ông Nam Á. ?ây là s? vi?c hãn h?u ít khi x?y ra – l?n cu?i cùng ?y Ban này h?p v?i T?ng Th?ng là th?i Wilson (Woodrow Wilson, 1913 – 1921, l?i tác gi?) – v?y nên tôi g?i c? Kissinger (Ngo?i Tr??ng), Schlesinger (B? Tr??ng Qu?c Phòng) và Scowcroft (C? V?n An Ninh) cùng t?i d?.
“Bu?i h?p di?n ra trong b?u không khí h?t s?c c?ng th?ng. Tôi yêu c?u Kissinger và Schlesinger trình bày v? tình hình chính tr? và quân s? t?i Mi?n Nam, r?i tôi tham kh?o ý ki?n c?a quý v? Ngh? s?. Thông ?i?p c?a h? ?ã th?t rõ ràng: hãy ra ?i ngay, và ?i cho nhanh (The message was clear: get out, fast)… “Chúng tôi b?ng lòng ch?p thu?n m?t ngân kho?n l?n ?? di t?n,” Ngh? s? New York là Jacob Javits nói, “nh?ng vi?n tr? quân s? thì m?t c?c c?ng không” … Ngh? s? ti?u bang Idaho là Frank Church thì cho r?ng s? có v?n ?? l?n ‘có th? lôi cu?n chúng tà vào m?t cu?c chi?n lâu dài’ n?u chúng ta di t?n t?t c? nh?ng ng??i Vi?t Nam ?ã trung thành v?i chúng ta.
“Ngh? s? ti?u bang Delaware là Joseph Biden d?i l?i ?i?p khúc: “Tôi s? b? phi?u thu?n ?? c?p b?t c? ngân kho?n nào cho vi?c di t?n ng??i M? ra kh?i Vi?t Nam, nh?ng tôi không mu?n s? ti?n ?ó dính líu gì t?i vi?c di t?n ng??i Vi?t.”
Trong c??ng v? là T?ng th?ng vi?t h?i ký, có l? ông Ford ?ã vi?t nh? nhàng h?n là nh?ng gì th?c s? ?ã x?y ra t?i cu?c h?p. Sau này khi ??c ???c cu?n h?i ký c?a Ron Nessen, Ph? tá Báo chí và là ng??i r?t thân c?n v?i T?ng th?ng Ford, chúng tôi th?y l?i l? c?a Ngh? s? Biden v? ng??i Vi?t t? n?n ?ã n?ng n? h?n nhi?u ch? không ph?i ch? là v?n ?? ‘dính líu.’ Trong cu?n It Sure Looks Different From the Inside (Nh?ng gì ? h?u tr??ng thì th?c là khác), Nessen thu?t l?i rõ ràng h?n, tóm t?t nh? sau (trang 104-106): “Kissinger b?t ??u cu?c h?p qua vi?c ti?t l? là trên m?t tri?u ng??i có liên h? v?i M? s? b? nguy hi?m v?i C?ng S?n sau cu?c chi?n. Trong s? này, có 174.000 ng??i là b? nguy c? ??c bi?t nên M? ph?i cho di t?n n?u có th? ???c… ”
“T?ng Th?ng Ford c?nh cáo: “N?u quý v? tuyên b? ‘không di t?n ng??i Vi?t Nam,’ quý v? s? có khó kh?n l?n trong vi?c di t?n 6,000 ng??i M? ra kh?i Vi?t Nam.”
“Kissinger, v?i v? m?t m?t m?i và phi?n mu?n, nói thêm r?ng m?t quan ch?c Sàigòn (có th? là ??i s? Tr?n Kim Ph??ng – l?i tác gi?) ?ã nói v?i ông: “N?u các Ngài rút ng??i M? ra và b? r?i chúng tôi trong ho?n n?n, các Ngài có th? s? ph?i ?ánh nhau v?i m?t s? ?oàn quân ??i Mi?n Nam ?? có l?i ra”…
“T?i ?ây, v?n ?? an toàn c?a s? ng??i M? còn l?i ? Vi?t Nam tr? nên m?i lo ng?i l?n cho ?y Ban… “Chúng tôi không mu?n ng??i M? b? b?t làm con tin,” (?? ph?i di t?n ng??i Vi?t), Ngh? s? Charles Percy bình lu?n.
“T?ng th?ng Ford c?nh cáo thêm… “N?u ta rút h?u h?t ng??i M? ra cùng m?t lúc thì s? làm cho ng??i Vi?t Nam ngh? r?ng M? ?ang tháo ch?y nên có th? gây ho?ng h?t, d?n t?i nh?ng cu?c t?n công vào s? ng??i M? còn l?i”…
“Ngh? s? Joseph Biden nói to?c móng heo: “Tôi không mu?n tr? b?t c? món nào ?? ??a ng??i Vi?t Nam ?i, ch? tr? khi ta không th? mang ???c ng??i M? nào ra mà không ph?i mua 174.000 ng??i Vi?t Nam. Trong tr??ng h?p ?ó, tôi s?n sàng mua 174.000 ng??i Vi?t Nam” (dùng ch? nghiêng là do tác gi?): “I am not willing to pay any money to get the Vietnamese out unless we can’t get any Americans without buying 174.000 Vietnamese. In that case, I’m willing to buy the 174.000 Vietnamese” (??c gi? l?u ý là ông dùng ch? ‘buy’ hai l?n).
Bên ngoài Tòa B?ch ?c, Ngh? s? McGovern, ng??i ra tranh c? v?i TT Nixon n?m 1972 l?i ?? thêm d?u vào l?a: “Tôi cho r?ng ng??i Vi?t Nam s? ???c sung s??ng h?n n?u h? ? l?i Vi?t Nam, k? c? l? tr? con m? côi kia n?a,” tu?n báo Time ?ã ghi l?i (trong s? ngày 12 tháng N?m, 1975, trang 26).
Nessen vi?t thêm: “Sau cu?c h?p, T?ng th?ng Ford còn d?n các ngh? s? ch? ?? cho báo chí bi?t là t?t c? phiên h?p ch? ?? bàn b?c v? chuy?n di t?n. Quý v? hãy nói: “Chúng tôi ch? bàn chuy?n làm th? nào ?? ?n ??nh tình hình.”
***
Dù sao, chúng tôi c?ng hy v?ng r?ng n?u th?ng c?, Phó T?ng th?ng Joseph Biden s? thay ??i thái ?? và l?p tr??ng ??i v?i ?oàn ng??i t? n?n ch?c ch?n s? t? Iraq ch?y ??n v?i N? th?n T? do. N?u không th?ng c?, ông c?ng v?n còn ng?i l?i ch?c Ch? t?ch ?y Ban Ngo?i Giao Th??ng Vi?n trong m?t vài n?m t?i.
S? d? hy v?ng ông s? thay ??i l?p tr??ng là vì ba lý do: th? nh?t, trong c??ng v? Ch? t?ch c?a ?y Ban này, ông Biden ?ã h?c h?i ???c thêm ki?n th?c và kinh nghi?m v? ngo?i giao; th? hai, ? tu?i 66 thì ch?c là t? duy c?a ông c?ng ph?i khác lúc m?i 33 tu?i (khi h?p v?i T?ng th?ng Ford); th? ba, và quan tr?ng h?n h?t là trong 33 n?m qua ông ?ã ch?ng ki?n s? thành công v? m?i m?t c?ng nh? s? ?óng góp ?áng k? cho qu?c gia Hoa K? do c?ng ??ng ng??i Vi?t t? n?n. Nh? v?y ch?c ông ?ã ph?i nh?n th?c ???c s? sai l?m l?n lao c?a mình h?i 1975.
Ta hãy ch? ??i xem sao.
NGUY?N TI?N H?NG
Let’s try again.
———–
…‘Phó Tổng Thống’ Biden và Khi Đồng Minh Tháo Chạy Khỏi Iraq…
(Gần đây trên mạng có nhiều bàn luận về lập trường chống đối của Nghị sĩ Joe Biden đối với người Việt tỵ nạn. Một số đã đặt vấn đề là phải có bằng chứng! Chúng tôi xin ghi lại vài sự kiện trong cuốn ‘Khi Đồng Minh Tháo Chạy’ để mở rộng việc tham khảo.)
Lúc ấy chưa có CNN, nên tin tức chỉ do ba kênh ABC, NBC, CBS phát sóng mỗi buổi chiều. Vào cuối tháng Ba đầu tháng Tư năm 1975, hình ảnh gây xúc động nhiều nhất là về hai tình huống đối nghịch: một là về chiến trường Miền Nam, và hai là cảnh Tổng thống Ford chơi gôn ở Palm Spring. Đà Nẵng thất thủ rồi mà ông và Ngoại trưởng Kissinger cứ tỉnh bơ. Cuối tuần, ông còn định cùng với phu nhân tới dự tiệc với ca sĩ nổi danh Frank Sinatra do Kissinger mời. Nhân viên trong đoàn tùy tùng phải cản lại vì ông đang bị báo chí chỉ trích là chỉ vui chơi trong khuôn viên các nhà triệu phú đang khi Việt Nam bốc cháy.
Thế nhưng chỉ mấy ngày sau, đã có sự thay đổi rõ rệt về thái độ của ông Tổng Thống: ông ra phi trường San Francisco đón tiếp đám trẻ em mồ côi vừa được chở tới từ Tân Sơn Nhất. Và từ lúc đó, ông quyết định cứu một số người Việt tỵ nạn và xin thêm quân viện cho Miền Nam. Ông làm như vậy dù các cố vấn đã khuyên ông là cứ lờ đi cho xong. Chính ông viết lại rằng Kissinger cũng đã soạn sẵn cho ông một bài diễn văn vào loại ‘cháy nhà bình chân như vại’ (go down with the flag flying) để đọc tại Quốc Hội, nhưng ông đã không chấp nhận.
Yếu tố nào đã đưa tới sự thay đổi quan trọng ấy?
Không còn nghi ngờ gì nữa về lý do chính là vì ông đã được đọc vài lá thư mật của Tổng thống Nixon gửi Tổng thống Thiệu do Tướng Weyand chuyển đạt. Weyand đã dùng mưu lược: ông đến gặp Tổng thống năm phút trước khi Kissinger tới họp vào sáng ngày năm Tháng Tư. Ông Von Marbod kể lại cho chúng tôi là đọc xong thư, Tổng thống Ford đã hết sức xúc động vì thấy sự bất công quá rõ ràng của Hoa kỳ đối với VNCH.
Von Marbod là Đệ nhất Phó Phụ tá Tổng trưởng Quốc phòng, cùng đi với Tướng Weyand sang Việt Nam. Ông cũng là người đã giúp chúng tôi trong việc bí mật chuyển đạt hai lá thư cho Tổng thống Ford sau khi thuyết phục được sự đồng ý của Tổng thống Thiệu. Marbod đã có mặt khi Weyand đưa thư. Sau này khi phỏng vấn chính Tổng thống Ford thì chúng tôi lại càng thấy rõ hơn về việc này. Khi đưa cho ông xem lại tài liệu, ông vẫn còn bùi ngùi. Ông ký tặng chúng tôi cuốn Hồi ký ‘A Time to Heal’ (Thời gian để hàn gắn) với mấy chữ: To Greg Hung, with warmest best wishes – Gerald R. Ford (Gregory là tên Thánh của chúng tôi).
Về nhà mở ra đọc, chúng tôi mới biết rằng đúng ngày Tổng thống Thiệu chỉ thị cho chúng tôi đi Washington để sắp xếp thì Ủy Ban Ngoại Giao Thượng Viện đã tự động yêu cầu và đến Tòa Bạch Cung gặp Tổng thống để bầy tỏ về lập trường dứt khoát chấm dứt viện trợ. Họ còn tiến xa hơn nữa là đã bác bỏ cả vấn đề di tản một số người Việt. Một điều hơi lạ với chúng tôi khi đọc cuốn sách là thấy trong Ủy Ban này, có một nghị sĩ chưa bao giờ chúng tôi nghe đến tên. Các vị khác như Frank Church, Jacob Javits, Clifford Case thì đã quá quen thuộc. Trong buổi họp với Tổng thống, nghị sĩ này đã mạnh mẽ chống đối việc di tản người Việt Nam. Nghiên cứu thêm chúng tôi mới biết là ông này rất trẻ, vừa mới 30 tuổi đã được bầu vào Thượng Viện (tháng Giêng, 1973 – cũng là thời điểm ký kết Hiệp định Paris).
Đó là Nghị sĩ Joseph Biden thuộc tiểu bang Delaware. Ngôn từ của ông trong buổi họp thật là thiếu nhân hậu, nếu không phải là tàn nhẫn.
Trong cuốn hồi ký, Tổng thống Ford đã kể lại việc này. Sau đây là vài đoạn trích dịch (trang 253-256): “Chúng tôi cảm thấy rằng một cuộc di tản vội vã sẽ có những hậu quả trầm trọng. Một tình trạng hoảng hốt lớn tại thủ đô Miền Nam sẽ có thể phát sinh, và trong sự chua cay là đã bị ‘phản bội,’ quân đội miền Nam có thể quay súng vào người Mỹ” …
“Ngày 14 tháng 4, Ủy Ban Ngoại Giao Thượng Viện yêu cầu gặp tôi để thảo luận về tình hình Đông Nam Á. Đây là sự việc hãn hữu ít khi xẩy ra – lần cuối cùng Ủy Ban này họp với Tổng Thống là thời Wilson (Woodrow Wilson, 1913 – 1921, lời tác giả) – vậy nên tôi gọi cả Kissinger (Ngoại Trưởng), Schlesinger (Bộ Trưởng Quốc Phòng) và Scowcroft (Cố Vấn An Ninh) cùng tới dự.
“Buổi họp diễn ra trong bầu không khí hết sức căng thẳng. Tôi yêu cầu Kissinger và Schlesinger trình bày về tình hình chính trị và quân sự tại Miền Nam, rồi tôi tham khảo ý kiến của quý vị Nghị sĩ. Thông điệp của họ đã thật rõ ràng: hãy ra đi ngay, và đi cho nhanh (The message was clear: get out, fast)… “Chúng tôi bằng lòng chấp thuận một ngân khoản lớn để di tản,” Nghị sĩ New York là Jacob Javits nói, “nhưng viện trợ quân sự thì một cắc cũng không” … Nghị sĩ tiểu bang Idaho là Frank Church thì cho rằng sẽ có vấn đề lớn ‘có thể lôi cuốn chúng tà vào một cuộc chiến lâu dài’ nếu chúng ta di tản tất cả những người Việt Nam đã trung thành với chúng ta.
“Nghị sĩ tiểu bang Delaware là Joseph Biden dội lại điệp khúc: “Tôi sẽ bỏ phiếu thuận để cấp bất cứ ngân khoản nào cho việc di tản người Mỹ ra khỏi Việt Nam, nhưng tôi không muốn số tiền đó dính líu gì tới việc di tản người Việt.”
Trong cương vị là Tổng thống viết hồi ký, có lẽ ông Ford đã viết nhẹ nhàng hơn là những gì thực sự đã xảy ra tại cuộc họp. Sau này khi đọc được cuốn hồi ký của Ron Nessen, Phụ tá Báo chí và là người rất thân cận với Tổng thống Ford, chúng tôi thấy lời lẽ của Nghị sĩ Biden về người Việt tỵ nạn đã nặng nề hơn nhiều chứ không phải chỉ là vấn đề ‘dính líu.’ Trong cuốn It Sure Looks Different From the Inside (Những gì ở hậu trường thì thực là khác), Nessen thuật lại rõ ràng hơn, tóm tắt như sau (trang 104-106): “Kissinger bắt đầu cuộc họp qua việc tiết lộ là trên một triệu người có liên hệ với Mỹ sẽ bị nguy hiểm với Cộng Sản sau cuộc chiến. Trong số này, có 174.000 người là bị nguy cơ đặc biệt nên Mỹ phải cho di tản nếu có thể được… ”
“Tổng Thống Ford cảnh cáo: “Nếu quý vị tuyên bố ‘không di tản người Việt Nam,’ quý vị sẽ có khó khăn lớn trong việc di tản 6,000 người Mỹ ra khỏi Việt Nam.”
“Kissinger, với vẻ mặt mệt mỏi và phiền muộn, nói thêm rằng một quan chức Sàigòn (có thể là Đại sứ Trần Kim Phượng – lời tác giả) đã nói với ông: “Nếu các Ngài rút người Mỹ ra và bỏ rơi chúng tôi trong hoạn nạn, các Ngài có thể sẽ phải đánh nhau với một sư đoàn quân đội Miền Nam để có lối ra”…
“Tới đây, vấn đề an toàn của số người Mỹ còn lại ở Việt Nam trở nên mối lo ngại lớn cho Ủy Ban… “Chúng tôi không muốn người Mỹ bị bắt làm con tin,” (để phải di tản người Việt), Nghị sĩ Charles Percy bình luận.
“Tổng thống Ford cảnh cáo thêm… “Nếu ta rút hầu hết người Mỹ ra cùng một lúc thì sẽ làm cho người Việt Nam nghĩ rằng Mỹ đang tháo chạy nên có thể gây hoảng hốt, dẫn tới những cuộc tấn công vào số người Mỹ còn lại”…
“Nghị sĩ Joseph Biden nói toạc móng heo: “Tôi không muốn trả bất cứ món nào để đưa người Việt Nam đi, chỉ trừ khi ta không thể mang được người Mỹ nào ra mà không phải mua 174.000 người Việt Nam. Trong trường hợp đó, tôi sẵn sàng mua 174.000 người Việt Nam” (dùng chữ nghiêng là do tác giả): “I am not willing to pay any money to get the Vietnamese out unless we can’t get any Americans without buying 174.000 Vietnamese. In that case, I’m willing to buy the 174.000 Vietnamese” (độc giả lưu ý là ông dùng chữ ‘buy’ hai lần).
Bên ngoài Tòa Bạch Ốc, Nghị sĩ McGovern, người ra tranh cử với TT Nixon năm 1972 lại đổ thêm dầu vào lửa: “Tôi cho rằng người Việt Nam sẽ được sung sướng hơn nếu họ ở lại Việt Nam, kể cả lũ trẻ con mồ côi kia nữa,” tuần báo Time đã ghi lại (trong số ngày 12 tháng Năm, 1975, trang 26).
Nessen viết thêm: “Sau cuộc họp, Tổng thống Ford còn dặn các nghị sĩ chớ để cho báo chí biết là tất cả phiên họp chỉ để bàn bạc về chuyện di tản. Quý vị hãy nói: “Chúng tôi chỉ bàn chuyện làm thế nào để ổn định tình hình.”
***
Dù sao, chúng tôi cũng hy vọng rằng nếu thắng cử, Phó Tổng thống Joseph Biden sẽ thay đổi thái độ và lập trường đối với đoàn người tỵ nạn chắc chắn sẽ từ Iraq chạy đến với Nữ thần Tự do. Nếu không thắng cử, ông cũng vẫn còn ngồi lại chức Chủ tịch Ủy Ban Ngoại Giao Thượng Viện trong một vài năm tới.
Sở dĩ hy vọng ông sẽ thay đổi lập trường là vì ba lý do: thứ nhất, trong cương vị Chủ tịch của Ủy Ban này, ông Biden đã học hỏi được thêm kiến thức và kinh nghiệm về ngoại giao; thứ hai, ở tuổi 66 thì chắc là tư duy của ông cũng phải khác lúc mới 33 tuổi (khi họp với Tổng thống Ford); thứ ba, và quan trọng hơn hết là trong 33 năm qua ông đã chứng kiến sự thành công về mọi mặt cũng như sự đóng góp đáng kể cho quốc gia Hoa Kỳ do cộng đồng người Việt tỵ nạn. Như vậy chắc ông đã phải nhận thức được sự sai lầm lớn lao của mình hồi 1975.
Ta hãy chờ đợi xem sao.
NGUYỄN TIẾN HƯNG
JB,
I take back my 5 year estimate because right now, I believe Democrats will take over Little Saigon in January next year. The moment President Obama is inaugurated, all the old Viet Republicans will puke blood and drop dead.
Chau Nguyen,
Well, if what you say is true, the old guard Viet Republicans should start preparing themselves for the transition to the next world.
The question now is whether the election of President Obama will be a decisive victory or a landslide victory.
The election of the McCain- Palin ticket is a mathmatical and statistical impossibility.
A strong case can be made that the Republicans are on their way out in Little Saigon and will join the rest of the wider central OC community which has already turned Democratic.
JB and Chau Nguyen,
Where you’d get the weed? The problem with all of you Liberals and Democrats is that you think everything happens automatically and that you are entitled. It doesn’t matter that you’re Viet or not, you all think alike, which is very scary.
Look around, how’d you think the Viet community 2-1 GOP over the Dems.? Did not happen over night or automatically. Really, get a life and get real.
Every single vote is so important in this election so hopefully all the US citizens will select carefully before casting their votes. We need to get ourselves educated & understand the facts & not the fictions. We need to remember that this nation is where it is now not because of the contributions of the people that are living off the welfare system but from all the big corporations, small business owners & all the working tax payers. The economy is where it is now not because of the Bush administration but because of all the greedy, irresponsible people who went out and got the loan which they knew they couldn’t afford to pay back; and the mortgage brokers who were willing to make false income tax returns to qualify the borrowers so they could get a big commission check when the loan was approved; and all the investors who went out & bought several properties at the same time then foreclosure them all when they realized they weren’t going to make any money out of it; and all the doctors who billed the Medicare for all the service they didn’t even provide for their patients and then turn around and compensate a small portion back to their patients so they could keep quiet . . . We have a responsibility to ourselves and to our actions and we should not go blaming someone else when things go bad. I don’t believe hearing anyone blaming the Bush Administration when they were making millions a few years ago.
Chi Ba,
Actually, I am a registered Republican who sometimes votes for Democratic candidates. I cannot speak for Chau Nguyen nor have I ever stated that I intend to vote for Sen. Obama. In fact, Chau Nguyen and I have publically disagreed on several points; nevertheless, I value Chau Nguyen’s insights and welcome the exchange of views.
Objectively speaking, however, John McCain cannot win enough popular votes in the remaining battleground/swing states to reach the magic number of 270 electoral votes to win the U.S. Presidency. The polls in these states show Barack Obama enough percentage points ahead, even allowing for a 3% margin of error, to win these races and therefore garner 300+ electoral votes to be elected President of the U.S.
Chau Nguyen and others (not just Bolsavik, et al.), have correctly identified a demographic shift which is occuring in the OC Viet community. The younger generation is increasingly registering and voting Democratic whereas the older generation is registered Republican and votes accordingly. Eventually, therefore, the Democrats will outnumber the Republicans demographically speaking. Where Chau Nguyen and I disagree is on the timetable of the shift – I think it will take much more than five years. For one thing, the Viet Democrats will need to develop a comparable “political infrastructure” to that of the Viet Republicans to develop candidates, fund and wage effective political campaigns, and actually WIN elections. This will take time and patience. And yes, they will fail in the beginning I suspect.
The reason, I believe, that so many young Viets are looking to the Democrats is that the OC Viet Republican establishment is frozen in time. They peddle the same old thing to the same constituency, regardless of what office they are running for, year after year. Very little actually gets accomplished yet we, including this writer, continue to vote for these candidates because there are rarely any other viable candidates. Do these elected Republican Viet politicans ever really do anything for the Viet community unless by the “community” one means certain real estate developers. What about good jobs? What about public health? What about affordable housing? What about at-risk youth? What about immigrant concerns and rights? The list goes on and on. Perhaps some Viet Democrats can get elected and start addressing these and other issues. It is worth a try. And, believe me, I do not think they would do any worse. And realistically, any Viet politican, Republican or Democrat, elected to any office, will continue to advocate for human rights and religious freedom in Vietnam since this issue trancends local OC, state, and national American partisan Rep./Dem. politics.
I think we need to move any from labels, try to do what is best for all the members of the community, and by so doing we will, in your words “get a life and get real.”
Thank you for your posts and your critique of my writings.
Chau Nguyen, do you care to comment or respond?
JB,
….. And Democratic politicians provide new and novel ideas? Please don’t go back to the old tired days of Jimmy Carter. Remember him?
I hear a lot of whining and complaining in your posts, but no real solutions. But that’s okay. We live in America and you are entitled to a lot of whining. I remember someone writing a book referring to America as a nation of whiners.
The numbers don’t support your contention when it comes to voter registration in the Viet community. The LA Times and OC Register publicized these numbers which show that this community is still a Republican community. Let the facts do the talking, instead of feelings and unsupported predictions.
As for the young people between 18-25, numbers show again and again that they don’t come out to vote, or even register to vote. This is true even with the non-Viets.
Again, the only shift, in my opinion, is in your head, which is not reflected in the numbers and public data.
As for McCain winning or losing, let’s wait until Nov. 4. It’s still two weeks away and you, as a self-proclaim Republican, should not write off McCain until the American voters have their say.
BTW JB,
There are at least six Viet elected Democrats in California:
1) San Jose Councilwoman Madison Nguyen (being recalled)
2) Evergreen School Bd Member Buu Thoai
3) Eastside Union (?) School District Bd Member Lan Nguyen
4) Rosemead Mayor John Tran
5) GG School Dist Bd. Kim Oanh Lam Nguyen
6) Westminster School Bd Member Andrew Nguyen
Please go ahead and pick your best paragon of virtues in the Dem lot. And yes, ALL of them can do alot better to advocate for human rights and freedom in VN.
Have you ever heard of Kim Oanh Lam Nguyen publicly advocating for human rights and freedom in VN, ever? She has been a total AWOL on this issue.
Let’s try to have a little balance and fairness here. Now you know why I detect alot of unsubstantiated whining in your posts.
Chi Ba,
I concede the point that Kim Oanh Lam Nguyen has not been focused on Human rights in Vietman. Since I do not live in the GGUSD, I really do not know what she has done as a Trustee.
As far as Andrew Nguyen is concerned, he has played a role in moving the WSB away from divisive politics and towards academic improvement of all schools within the district. I suppose I would have to select Andrew Nguyen as my “best paragon of vitures in the Dem lot” since I can prove his track record. Check the facts.
I stand by my comment that certain OC Viet Republican political figures are more interested in advancing the agenda of certain real estate developers rather than the community at large.
With all due respect, advocating for jobs, public health, at-risk youth, affordable housing, needs of immigrants, etc. does not constitute “whining.” For example, many, if not most, of the Viet households comprised of more recent immigrants are not dual income but multi-income, i.e. several family members need to work outside the home to make end meet. We need local jobs so that people can be closer to and therefore more able to coordinate child care and other domestic responsibilities.
I do not know where you live but I live in GG, minutes from Bolsa. There still is a gang problem here and youth are still at risk. Community programs need to be developed to address this issue. The list goes on.
There is no comparision between Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama. For one thing, in terms of policy and political philosophy, Jimmy Carter was a conservative Southern Democrat.
Chi Ba, again with all due respect, barring an unforseen event(s), John S. McCain cannot win this election. This opinion is shared by many prominent national Republican strategists. There views have been widely publicized in the LA Times and OC Register, two sources you cite in your posts.
I do not care for John S. McCain but I am voting for him because he is the nominee of the political party of which I am a member. There are certain stances and policy positions in the Republican platform to which I adhere and for this reason I am voting for the McCain- Palin ticket. This, however, does not mean Sen. McCain will win.
I still maintain that a gradual demographic shift in voter registration patterns will occur in the Viet community over time. While it is true that the registration and voting numbers of the 18-25 age bracket, Viet and non-Viet, are low eventually this demographic will grow older and will view issues differently than their elders. If this is in my head, I must be endowed with powers of mental telepathy because many others, not only Chau Nguyen, have observed this trend.
I am an avid supporter of Andrew Do (Republican) for GG City Council. Why? Because Andrew Do has made jobs the centerpiece of his campaign. This is not a Republican or Democratic isssue, this is a community issue. Is Andrew Do, therefore, a “whiner” as well? (And no, I am not a Janet Nguyen partisan or detractor; I take no position in the Little Saigon Republican schism. Frankly, I am not that personally involved in politics.)
I also concede the point that I may need to do more reading on the subject of Viet voter registration statistics; I may, in fact, be misinformed.
One observation: Why is that whenever I even question, not to mention openly challenge, OC Viet Republican “orthodoxy,” I am villified and subject to ad hominen attacks. I have been called arrogant, hypocritical, a liar, and now a whiner.
In closing, Chi Ba, I thank you most sincerely for your insightful comments.
Really? Did you say there are Californians who cast their support for McCain.
That One/Biden 08.
EDUCATED YOURSELF !
The Bush tax cuts are going to expire. What are the Pre-Bush tax numbers and why do they apply to you? Well, under Obama there will be no Bush tax cuts applied & this is what you will pay :
*Single making 30K will be paying 8,400 / under McCain 4,500
*Single making 50K ” 14,000 / ” 12,500
*Single making 75K ” 23,250 / ” 18,750
*Married making 60K ” 16,800 / ” 9,000
*Married making 75K ” 21,000 / ” 18,000
*Married making 125K ” 38,750/ ” 31,250
Under Obamas plan your taxes will be more than DOUBLE & small business profit tax will be DOUBLE. Listen, Obama is playing games with words & using lying by ommission. He tells you what you want to hear. The fact is he will let the Bush Tax cuts expire & of course, he’s not raising your taxes, he’s just letting the tax cuts already in place go dormant. It’s very much like a store putting its merchandises on sale for 20% off tomorrow but the night before they raised them up 20%. THEY ARE NOT LYING, THEY ARE JUST MANIPULATING THE NUMBERS TO THINK YOU ARE GETTING A BARGAIN.
VERY WISE WORDS:
Read the following, and ask how does Obama’s plan fit for each line:
*You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
*You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
*You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
*You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.
*You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
*You cannot build character and courage by taking away men’s initiative and independence.,
*You cannot help men permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.
–Abraham Lincoln
At least 3 of the democrats you mentioned have stood together with the Viet elected republicans in OC (minus Janet Nguyen):
1) San Jose Councilwoman Madison Nguyen (being recalled)
4) Rosemead Mayor John Tran
6) Westminster School Bd Member Andrew Nguyen
Don’t believe me? check out their public announcements, press releases and photos that they took together. Also, when Madison ran for office, Trung Nguyen, Andy Quach, and Van Tran flew up north several times to shore up support for her.
Well, one might ask why how come Janet and Kim Oanh (I don’t know about the other 2 democrats as I don’t live in the San Jose area) are not with them? because they are divisive. The 1st moral lesson here is that no matter you are democrats or republicans, if you are willing to cooperate to work toward a common cause, you can still work together, or be in the same team, or on the same press release.
Now, talking about youth, Madison, a democrat is young. Tri Ta, a republican of about the same age, is also young. Younger than both of them are John Nguyen, a democrat, and Janet Nguyen, a republican, both are of the same age. And much younger than all of them is Truong Diep, a republican. Andy Quach, a republican less than 40 is also young. So, both elected Viet republicans and democrats factions have young people. And the republicans tend to have more younger ones.
On the other hand, KimOanh Nguyen is not young, she may be older than Trung Nguyen, Lan Quoc Nguyen and Van Tran. She may be the oldest. So, the 2nd moral lesson here is don’t generalize that democrats are young, are the future of the community while republicans are not. And don’t play the game of age racism here.
If you are thinking of Phu Trong Nguyen, Thien Tam and Linh Ho as “young” potentials, they are of the same age or older than Janet Nguyen and Truong Diep. So they are not that young. By the time they win an elected position (which is several years from now) they are not young any more. They will be at the same age as Tri Ta, Madison Nguyen now.
And you know that the Viet elected republican machine, they tend to produce more and more candidates and elected officials every election and who knows if they will produce more young and younger officials. I don’t know about that from the democrats side yet.
I’m a Republican who will be voting for Obama, after listening to Gen. Colin Powell this weekend confirm my worries and concerns about McCain. Mirroring what the Gen. l noted in his interview, I’m voting for Obama for these reasons:
1) The Republican Party has steered too far to the right.
2) McCain exhibited limited grasp of the economic crisis, and his suspension of his campaign was an embarrassing sham.
3) McCain’s recent strategy of going almost completely negative. The campaign is really breeding a high level of intolerance in our country.
4) The choice of Sarah Palin made me question McCain’s decision making and whether he’s actually putting country first. As Gen. Powell said, Palin is not ready to be president.
All this supposed fuss in the Vietnamese community about Sen. Biden’s alleged statements and actions more than 30 years ago is ridiculous. Our country is in an economic crisis in which 170,000 jobs were lost in September and have a $10 trillion debt, and we’re talking about statements supposedly made 30 years ago?
Anti-communism and human rights in Vietnam are important issues, but should not be the only and primary factor. We in the Viet community need to think beyond our little community, and need to think about the future generations. I want to make sure my job is stable, and my children to have a good future. We need to think about jobs, education, health care, national security etc. Talking about whether Biden likes or did enough for Vietnamese people is just plain stupid, and keeps our community stuck in thinking that anti-communism is the most important thing. I’m not going to be fighting for human rights when I don’t have job.
JB,
I want to dissect your comments para by para., which I have copied down and pasted here. It’s easier to respond to your extensive comments.
YOU SAID: I concede the point that Kim Oanh Lam Nguyen has not been focused on Human rights in Vietman. Since I do not live in the GGUSD, I really do not know what she has done as a Trustee.
I SAY: You are being overly kind and generous towards KO Lam-Nguyen. I said that this woman has been AWOL on this issue. In fact, most if not all Viet Dems are quite weak on issues of VN human rights and democracy. Just look at their record and see when and how often (or few times) they even get active, speak out on this issue.
YOU SAID: As far as Andrew Nguyen is concerned, he has played a role in moving the WSB away from divisive politics and towards academic improvement of all schools within the district. I suppose I would have to select Andrew Nguyen as my “best paragon of vitures in the Dem lot” since I can prove his track record. Check the facts.
I SAY: In your opinion, this guy may be the best of the Dem lot. It’s very arguable. But the point I am trying to make is, few, if any of these Dems has addressed any of the issues you brought up. Let’s try to be consistent here when you apply one standard to the Reps, but seem to ignore he same standard with the Dems.
YOU SAID: I stand by my comment that certain OC Viet Republican political figures are more interested in advancing the agenda of certain real estate developers rather than the community at large.
I SAY: Very weak, generalized accusation that could apply to anybody, Reps and Dems. Frankly, it’s more like character assasination.
YOU SAID: With all due respect, advocating for jobs, public health, at-risk youth, affordable housing, needs of immigrants, etc. does not constitute “whining.” For example, many, if not most, of the Viet households comprised of more recent immigrants are not dual income but multi-income, i.e. several family members need to work outside the home to make end meet. We need local jobs so that people can be closer to and therefore more able to coordinate child care and other domestic responsibilities.
I SAY: It is whining when you come up with and offer no solutions, other than complaints, and then try to put the onus on certain electeds that you don’t like.
YOU SAID: I do not know where you live but I live in GG, minutes from Bolsa. There still is a gang problem here and youth are still at risk. Community programs need to be developed to address this issue. The list goes on.
I SAY: I agree with you on these many issues, but instead of casting a wide net of blame, you should get involved yourself. These issues are chronic and will not be resolved by one or two Viet electeds. Have the non-Viet, American establishment solve these problems, yet? Again, don’t play the double standard game with Viet and non-Viet electeds. Have you lodge your complaints with people representing your city like Mayor Bill Dalton, Lou Correa, Loretta Sanchez, Steve Jones, and dozens of others? Have they solve the problems you listed yet?
YOU SAID: There is no comparision between Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama. For one thing, in terms of policy and political philosophy, Jimmy Carter was a conservative Southern Democrat.
I SAY: They’re both Dems who believe in raising taxes, big government spending, and getting the government involved in almnost every aspect of citizens’ lives. On top of that, they endorse each other. Enough said.
YOU SAID: Chi Ba, again with all due respect, barring an unforseen event(s), John S. McCain cannot win this election. This opinion is shared by many prominent national Republican strategists. There views have been widely publicized in the LA Times and OC Register, two sources you cite in your posts.
I SAY: I love the pundits. They also gave up on McCain for politically dead this time last year. Guess what happened?
YOU SAID: I do not care for John S. McCain but I am voting for him because he is the nominee of the political party of which I am a member. There are certain stances and policy positions in the Republican platform to which I adhere and for this reason I am voting for the McCain- Palin ticket. This, however, does not mean Sen. McCain will win.
I SAY: THere you go again.
YOU SAID: I still maintain that a gradual demographic shift in voter registration patterns will occur in the Viet community over time. While it is true that the registration and voting numbers of the 18-25 age bracket, Viet and non-Viet, are low eventually this demographic will grow older and will view issues differently than their elders. If this is in my head, I must be endowed with powers of mental telepathy because many others, not only Chau Nguyen, have observed this trend.
I SAY: These so-called young Dems will become Reps when they start to get a job, get salary increases, have a family, and pay taxes. The trend is not as seimic as you think. Fact of the matter is, the Dems talk a lot have done very little, if anything in the Viet community. It’s been going on for years now.
OU SAID: I am an avid supporter of Andrew Do (Republican) for GG City Council. Why? Because Andrew Do has made jobs the centerpiece of his campaign. This is not a Republican or Democratic isssue, this is a community issue. Is Andrew Do, therefore, a “whiner” as well? (And no, I am not a Janet Nguyen partisan or detractor; I take no position in the Little Saigon Republican schism. Frankly, I am not that personally involved in politics.)
I SAY: I feel sorry for you for your naivete. Andrew is no Republican. Talk is cheap during campaigns. Question is: Where has Andrew been with the Viet community through all these years and what accomplishments does he possess in the community? Andrew Do has been out of sight and out of mind with very little to show. I can’t support Andrew Do, someone who has very little community track record. How is Andrew Do bringing in jobs, NOW, as a senior OC government appointee? I’ve seen none, other than having himself employed.
YOU SAID: I also concede the point that I may need to do more reading on the subject of Viet voter registration statistics; I may, in fact, be misinformed.
I SAY: Good self assessment.
YOU SAID: One observation: Why is that whenever I even question, not to mention openly challenge, OC Viet Republican “orthodoxy,” I am villified and subject to ad hominen attacks. I have been called arrogant, hypocritical, a liar, and now a whiner.
I SAY: You’re not being villified. People call you out for the tone of your arrogant (I know all) blogs, hypocritcal (double standard) arguments, misleading or even non existent (just feelings and assumptuions) information, and your whining ways because you complain a lot but really have no answers or even provide constructive input. You should not take it personally.
If we need to think beyond our little community, and need to think about the future generations then we having more reasons NOT to vote for Obama ! ! !
At least 3 of the democrats you mentioned have stood together with the Viet elected republicans in OC (minus Janet Nguyen):
1) San Jose Councilwoman Madison Nguyen (being recalled)
4) Rosemead Mayor John Tran
6) Westminster School Bd Member Andrew Nguyen
Don’t believe me? check out their public announcements, press releases and photos that they took together. Also, when Madison ran for office, Trung Nguyen, Andy Quach, and Van Tran flew up north several times to shore up support for her.
Well, one might ask why how come Janet and Kim Oanh (I don’t know about the other 2 democrats as I don’t live in the San Jose area) are not with them? because they are divisive. The 1st moral lesson here is that no matter you are democrats or republicans, if you are willing to cooperate to work toward a common cause, you can still work together, or be in the same team, or on the same press release.
Now, talking about youth, Madison, a democrat is young. Tri Ta, a republican of about the same age, is also young. Younger than both of them are John Nguyen, a democrat, and Janet Nguyen, a republican, both are of the same age. And much younger than all of them is Truong Diep, a republican. Andy Quach, a republican less than 40 is also young. So, both elected Viet republicans and democrats factions have young people. And the republicans tend to have more younger ones.
On the other hand, KimOanh Nguyen is not young, she may be older than Trung Nguyen, Lan Quoc Nguyen and Van Tran. She may be the oldest. So, the 2nd moral lesson here is don’t generalize that democrats are young, are the future of the community while republicans are not. And don’t play the game of age racism here.
If you are thinking of Phu Trong Nguyen, Thien Tam and Linh Ho as “young” potentials, they are of the same age or older than Janet Nguyen and Truong Diep. So they are not that young. By the time they win an elected position (which is several years from now) they are not young any more. They will be at the same age as Tri Ta, Madison Nguyen now.
And you know that the Viet elected republican machine, they tend to produce more and more candidates and elected officials every election and who knows if they will produce more young and younger officials. I don’t know about that from the democrats side yet.
Chi Ba,
I need to respond to your posting.
1) The reason I did not reference the non-Viet American political establishment is that, to the best of my knowledge and personal experience, they have not shown any interest in these issues aside from making general statements about combating crime and curtailing gang violence. Frankly, I do not hold out any hope that Bill Dalton, Steve Jones, Loretta Sanchez, et al. will take up these issues. I should have clarified this on my previous posting.
2) It is my understanding that since Andrew Nguyen and other new members were elected to the WSB test scores and other measures of academic achievement have improved. Improved schools always help any community. This is what I meant.
3) If I had solutions for any of the problems I mentioned, I would be in communication with elected officials and I would be attending city council meetings. Just because I do not, to use your words, offer constructive imput and offer solutions does not mean that the problems do not exist and cannot be identified.
4) You are incorrect to infer from my postings that I purport to know it all; if you have this impression, it is not my intention.
5) The purpose of blogs is to express opinions and opinions are based partly on feelings.
6) I wish I had answers but a lack thereof does not undermine the questions themselves.
7) I have many reasons for supporting Andrew Do. Job creation is first on the list, however.
Thank you for your thoughtful responses to my previous post.
JB,
Let me clarify a few things you wrote that give readers a definitive impression, even if they were unintended on your part.
1) With your continuing, and undue, focus on (some would say bias against) the Viet electeds, you give the readers a clear two-fold impression a) The Viet electeds, alone, can resolve or address all of your, and society’s concerns, regardless of your intention; b) you apply a harsher standard against the Viets while giving the non-Viets a pass, by assuming that these non Viet electeds don’t care about the issues that you raised. Issues that you brought up such as jobs, helath care, gang crimes, etc. transcend ethnicity and actually plague all communities. Let’s try to be fair, complete, and balance.
2) Not only test scores in Westminster have improved, but I also heard that in many school districts in the area have also improved, including Garden Grove, where there are THREE Viet school board members. Let’s try to be fair, complete, and balance. If you are to pass credits around, then give them where they are due, not only to butress your own selective argument.
3) Societal problems will ALWAYS exist, whether you bring them up or not. They will continue to exist even when you and I are long gone from this earth, despite the government’s best effort to resolve them. The past is prologue. But for you to selectively blame one group, while giving a pass for another, is really being intelectually dishonest. Again, let’s try to be fair, honest, and balance.
4) Okay. I am incorrect in reading your REAL intention, but that’s the impression you give off to this reader, correctly or incorrectly. That is THE point.
5) Opinions and feelings are only worth the value of their contents. In other words, let’s try to be fair, complete, and balance with your opinions. If your opinions are unfair, incomplete, and off-balanced, then they don’t worth much despite your best effort to be nice and civil in your presentation.
6) You are right that it is fine to have questions. Just don’t ask them for rhetorical reasons while having already assumed that people you don’t support don’t care, even tried, or can’t do anything about it. Again, let’s try to be fair, complete and balance.
7) I am glad you may have “many reasons” to support Andrew Do (whatever they are, which is not listed). At least the one reason, job creation, that you publicly cited, for supporting Andrew Do, is not tenable because Do creates neither jobs nor has he a track record of doing so. Precisely, because of Do’s lack of job creation nor a real plan for doing so, a much stronger argument could be made that the voters in Garden Grove can completely disregard him for just making unreal claims and talking big.
Chi Ba,
1) Regarding Andrew Do and his platform of job creation for ALL Garden Grove residents, non-Viet as well as Viet: Simply posing the question in the context of the political debate has value. It is a start. He himself may not have a comprehensive strategy in place to date but I am sure he is working on one. Otherwise, why would he raise the issue and possibly undermine his credibility with voters? This does not make any sense, politically or logically.
2) I am not asking questions for rhetorical reasons. You for some reason presume this. Your presumption is unfounded. These questions are valid and apply to our local community, Viet and non-Viet, and to American society as a whole.
3) While it is true that societal problems have existed at all times and all places in the course of human history, I have never categorically stated that government alone, or even primarily, solve them. You are incorrect to infer this from my postings. Local government may be able to contribute to alleviating societal difficulties in the entire community, Viet or non-Viet. In addition, I think it is obvious to any thinking person that issues relating to job creation, health care, gangs, etc., etc. of course transcend ethnicity, race, culture, etc. I just hope that all the candidates, Viet and non-Viet, Rep. and Dem., will continue to ask them and seek input from clergy of all faiths, educators, business leaders, etc. to seek to address them.
4) It was never my intention to convey the impression that any double standard, whether positive or negative, should be applied to the performance evaluation of any public servant, Viet or non-Viet. Please bear in mind that the original topic had to do with age demographics and voter registration patterns within the Viet community and the development of candidates, Rep. and Dem, from within the Viet community.
5) As I have stated, I live within the Westminster School District. Frankly, I do not follow the affairs of GGUSD so to be fair, complete and balanced, how can I comment on the performance, or lack thereof, of the Board’s trustees. You provided a list of Viet Democratic elected officials containing the name of Andrew Nguyen. I follow the affairs of the WSD and sometimes volunteer at one of our local schools. Andrew Nguyen, together with Sergio Contreras, Jo-Anne Purcell (sp?), et al. deserve credit for improved test scores, etc. If this has happened in GGUSD as you state (remember I have no data on this subject; I do not reside in the district.), credit is due to the entire GG Board of Trustees. I take you word for it that what you have heard is from reliable sources and therefore probably correct because I cannot prove anything to the contrary.
6) I have not assigned “selective blame” to any person, group, or institution. This is a figment of your imagination.
7) FYI, I have asked some pointed questions in the past at Garden Grove City Hall of appointed officials, who happened to be white not that it matters, and was politely rebuffed.
9) All feelings are subjective by nature; they should not be construed as facts. The Blogosphere is an appropriate venue for expressing opinions, founded or unfounded as well as feelings. You or anyone else are free to critique my or any other posting. This is the purpose of a blog site. If I were, say, writing a comprehensive article on post-World War II Orange County local politics for Wikipedia I would conduct exhaustive research, consult primary and secondary sources, check and re-check all facts, and fully document and footnote everything.
But that is not the task at hand here.
10) Do you view a nice and civil presentation as something negative? If so, why?
JB,
I really don’t want to have a marathon debate and monopolize this blog with you. At least one good thing that comes out of all this back-and-forth is that you seem to be more balanced and moderated in your answers. Just read your original post and see the difference.
But here it is again:
1) Andrew Do or any other candidates in your city can champion any issues they deem important to the residents. That’s not the issue. The issue is how credible and how realistic is the claim, the position sought, the track record of the candidate making the claim, and the feasibility of the claim. Since you brought up this Do candidate and not I, then we will critique him on his claims.
The biggest problem with many candidates, and you see it on TV everyday, is that they over-reach. Andrew Do is overreaching with his claims about job creation and promotion in Garden Grove when his track record and experience do not back that up. You are not making a persuasive case for Do at all other than to say that you support him. That’s one vote.
2) I am making presumtions? Hardly. I’ll let you read your own words and let they speak for themselves. Now, are you having selctive amnesia, too?
YOU SAID: Do these elected Republican Viet politicans ever really do anything for the Viet community unless by the “community” one means certain real estate developers. What about good jobs? What about public health? What about affordable housing? What about at-risk youth? What about immigrant concerns and rights? The list goes on and on. Perhaps some Viet Democrats can get elected and start addressing these and other issues. It is worth a try. And, believe me, I do not think they would do any worse. And realistically, any Viet politican, Republican or Democrat, elected to any office, will continue to advocate for human rights and religious freedom in Vietnam since this issue trancends local OC, state, and national American partisan Rep./Dem. politics.
3) Finally, you see the bigger picture and have a more balanced view, instead of blaming everything on the Viets. Just re-read your first post and see how “fair” it really is (not).
4) It may not be your intention, but it certainly came out as a double standard, at least to this reader. Again, just re-read your original post and see how off-keelter it really is. As for the original topic, I did not pick it. I am just responding to some of your objectionable assertions.
5) Well stated. Better to give credit where it’s due rather than spreading blame, right?
6) This is not a “figment of my imagination”. I am not that creative. Please don’t give me the credit that I don’t deserve. Again, you need to re-read your original post and see how biased, unfair, partial, and incomplete it really is. Really.
7) Well, at least you can talk to those fellow Vietnamese officials and get a response in your native language.
9) For a response, please read point #5 from my last post. It still stands.
10) No.
Chi Ba,
I concede the point that I am only hopeful that Andrew Do can create jobs and promote employment. I have no hard evidence, however, that this can be accomplished. I, and other voters of all backgrounds, am very focused on this issue. Truthfully, the real reason that I am supporting him is that he is a lawyer, and, I believe, quite intelligent, and yes, I rather like him. A legal education provides a candidate with a certain “educational and intellectual tool kit” to confront issues facing the city of Garden Grove or any municipality for that matter.
On #6 I will concede that I may have been incomplete and therefore appeared bias.
On #7 I quess I need to follow through on that.
On #9 I suppose we have to agree to disagree.
P.S. Have you considered running for public office? Judging from your discursive and analytical skills, you certainly have the requisite mental agility.
JB,
Thanks for your comments and your willingness to do a self assessment.
There are plenty of good people out there who should and could run for public office. I am doing just fine staying put.
JB and Chi Ba,
Get a room already! Nobody else is going to read your long-ass love letters to each other.
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Bolsa Chick,
Actually, it was a good conversation b/w them.
N??c m? c?n ph?i m?nh v? quân s? …. và vai trò qu?c t? ….khi ?ó kinh t? m?i b?n v?ng … lo kinh t? mà m?t ?i th? ??ng trên tr??ng qu?c t? thì kinh t? là b?t gi?y …. tan biên r?t nhanh dù có tài gi?i bao nhiêu ?i ch?ng n?a ….chúng ta c?n dân ch? và t? do h?n c?n kinh t? … s?c m?nh toàn c?u c?a M? s? làm kinh t? phát tri?n và ng??c l?i .. kinh t? không bao gi? m?nh lên khi th? ??ng c?a M? t? s?c m?nh toan c?u b? y?u ?i ….!
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