Some readers asked the question: Who were the people who used the South Vietanemse flag to disrupt the Hung Vuong ceremony two weeks ago on April 5 in Westminster?
Asking the question on Bolsavik.com (see here and here) is just the right place, because OC Vietnamese-language media would not give you the answer. They would rather pretend none of it ever happened.
And why is that?
Because not too long ago they were singing high praises of the people doing the disruption.
The woman who was interfering with the ceremony and trying to plant the yellow South Vietnamese flag on the altar while people were carrying out the respect ritual, is Bùi Kim Thành, a land protestor from Vietnam who was allowed to immigrate to the U.S. after negotiations between the two countries. Read here.
Until recently, Bùi Kim Thành had been hailed as a hero, and Nguoi Viet was her head cheerleader, worshipping the grounds she walked on even after it had become obvious to everyone else reading her interviews on Nguoi Viet that she’s, well, not all there.
The disruption of the Hung Vuong ceremony arose because it had been reported – rightly or wrongly - that the headquarters of the Hung Vuong society (in Vietnamese: Hội Đền Hùng) failed to display the South Vietnamese and/or failed to give the South Vietnamese flag its proper position of prominence and respect. (The story differs depending on who you talk to.)
The president of the society Neil Nguyen (Vietnamese name Nguyễn Xuân Nghĩa) also caught flak because he allegedly was marching in the Tet Parade without carrying the South Vietnamese flag. Some people went so far as to blame his alleged “commie-ness” on, get this, his marriage to a citizen of Vietnam. (Click here if you read Vietnamese.) Read more about Neil Nguyen here.
The Bolsavik first mentioned Bùi Kim Thành in a story about her brief involvement with the Nguoi Viet brouhaha here.
According to Vietnamese legends, Hung Vuong are the first kings of ancient Vietnam.
This problem is easily remedied. Have Immigration ship back all the flag wavers and embracers who feel that VietNam is their country, including that fat swine in office, so they can spend the rest of their days admiring that flag. Obviously this is not their home.
I embrace the SVN flag for my family loss, but my home is the United States because the current VietNam is not the same as the old.
Bitch (Bùi Kim Thành), I hope other people do the same to you when you and your group hold an event. You’re a piece of crap for trying to sabotage an event like an urban terrorist. Too bad the commies in VietNam have not taught you the meaning of respect!
Billy Jack Ass needs to be cooked in the sand…that’s the best way to prepare a goat meat and alike.
His bones can be buried next to a commie flag covered with other trash.
This idiot can not appreciate our freedom heritage.
For years, people have been brainwashed into a concept of loyalty and dying for the flag’s color and the uniform. “Trung thành và bảo vệ màu cờ sắc áo.” And people simply accept that concept without any reservation. This concept has been enhanced by other concepts such as tình đồng đội và huynh đệ chi binh (love and brotherhood of members of the same units). This concept serves the purpose of creating strong bond and loyalty for people in same unit, same group, same association, same party, particularly soldiers in same fighting units. Throughout the years, that concept has become an ideal. People have become so loyal, devoted, and committed to that ideal that any idea departing from it is just unthinkable. So, the disruption at the Hùng Vương ceremony just reflected that “màu cờ sắc áo” is valued higher than any other values including the respect for our Hùng Vương ancestors and that brainwashing has worked very well.
Mr. Bolsavik:
If I may, I would like to provide some background on Hung Vuong to people not familiar with Viet history. Hung Vuong is like George Washington to the United States. This event was to honor him for driving out the invaders and creating VN for what it is.
This lady’s protest would be squabbling over where the flag of the SVN should be placed, on the north, south, west or east side when the main point is to celebrate and honor Hung Vuong.
If someone can provide more information, please do so.
People of Vietnamese heritage who are citizens of the US should ask themselves one simple question: when was the last time you have shown just as much passion; expensing as much time, money, energy and devotion, to any local, state or national issues of the US, outside your own ethnic community?
@Josie:
Who cares?
Who cares what people do with their free time? (that’s why its called FREE time….. people are FREE do do what they want with it)
Besides, most people of Vietnamese heritage have jobs that involve working OUTSIDE the Vietnamese community. And if these Vietnamese people are like most Vietnamese people, they work hard at their jobs and have passion in their work.
If people (Vietnamese or not) feel more comfortable spending their free time within their own culture, there’s nothing wrong with that…… you can’t force people to spend their leisure time in an environment they don’t feel comfortable in.
@Josie Nguyen-Kline,
Love, take a breather and read the title of this blog, Bolsavik – All Viet All the Time. What else would we be discussing? The crude oil supply in Siberia, Russia? What makes you think that we contribute only to Viet websites only? Who is the narrow minded one now?
The way you phrase your thoughts makes me wonder if someone has an inferiority complex. I am an American of VN heritage and I go here for quick reference to research VN history where I can pursue on my own.
Please, be more tolerant towards your own kind.
This revelation of the identity of the two protesters is devastating for me. I had long admired Mrs. Bui Kim Thanh from afar for what she did in Vietnam.
I did not recognize her at the ceremony. Her ill-conceived shenanigan at the ceremony was such public humiliation for all Vietnamese in front of many non-Vietnamese official guests . Her past accomplishments are being negated by her total disregard for American tradition and culture.
I am deeply disappointed.
As a witness of the event, I would say the ceremony was elaborate. Special honors were devoted for the South Vietnamese flag, with the solemn parade procession to the monument of solders, and then a celestial offering and blessing to the ancestral altar.
Many Vietnamese veteran groups participated in the ceremony.
Each participant played a specific role with specific instruments or flags.
Through out the ceremony, the south Vietnamese flags, MY FLAG TOO, were dominant and respectful.
I would be the first person to object, if any improper handling of the flags ( south Vietnamese or American ), and I was completely satisfied and grateful for such beautiful traditional ceremony.
It seems to me, this woman is a mentally unstable, right-wing extremist.
I sadly have to accept such painful reality.
http://penusa.org/go/news/comments/1271/
Quoting from the PEN website provided by Bolsavik above, she is an “internet writer, dissident and lawyer, after being held for five months in psychiatric detention, apparently without any official diagnosis.”
For what she went through, one would have though she would have better appreciation of freedom now that she is in America. However, I agree with Jung Kim, “this idiot can not appreciate our freedom heritage.”
She needs psychiatric help.
Our ancestors, I believe, stand for more than the political regime/ideology that we have embraced in the last 100 years. We act like a bunch of Peking opera actors who put on masks of different colors and shapes and fight with each other. It is sad how some people can only think as far as the flag colors.
Are you sure Bui Kim Thanh is a woman but not a man in drags? You can put lipstick on a pig but …. (-:
Yo Jung Kim! When are you and your mom, written up here, reuniting? The two of you sure are alike psychologically. She had to abandon you because she was too mentally deranged to take care of you and you, one freaky looking newborn to accept as her own.
When is immigration sending this wacko back? The communists definitely don’t want damaged good. Another leech sucking the system, unless she starts working as a professional protester for cash.
Professional protester for hire; will crash any event since she has nothing to lose.
Tan ask Andrew who is your real mom…….you can be distantly related to his gene pool.
Tan, you’ve guessed it right! You are a part of poodle family…you guys all love dog stance!
No Jung Kim, what you, your clan, and Jung Kim Leader do is your business. I don’t ask, so don’t tell.
Hey, Josie Nguyen-Kline! Found validation w/ the haoles yet? Keep trying…because all you are and will be to them is yellow skin and almond eyes.
Sellout.
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