Where will you be, when Vietnam is free?

Where will you be when Vietnam is free?

I am not sure of how many people actually have thought about this, especially among the young people today. I am also afraid to want to know the numbers. But is something not to be surprised about because afterall, that is the reality of life. People must assimulate into another culture for obvious reasons to survie. However, in the end of a life time, as at least for me as a Vietnamese-American, I ponder over this question and envision myself where will I be when Vietnam is free.

If you have been following the political landscape of Vietnam, you will clearly noticed that there have been many people speaking up for a change inside of Vietnam more than ever. Often times, there looms this mystery that there is an incredible force out there that are orcastreting these voices to speak up at the same time. Often true than not, it is the case because as we know it, things just don't happen without reasons. But at the same time, we cannot rule out the possibility that it could happen because the people of Vietnam themselves are beginning to understand that this government have failed to provide thier citizen a better quality life after 32 years of ruling the country. Or, it is true that today in Vietnam there exist such a entity lurking among the 84 million people who decided enough is enough and must act if ever Vietnam wants to break free from this ruling government. What ever the reason is, the government has deliberately plotted a terror attack on individuals to decapitate any leaders from emerging. Hence, ending any hope for any changes, but further more, an act of inhumanity by violating the basic human rights of man. But, I find that act of inhumanity could only last so long because once a person has tasted and understand the meaning of the word freedom, which I whole heartly believe man's innate nature, there is no looking back as today, every citizen of Vietnam would want to be set free, benefiting from a life that was hindered by them and the prosperity that this gluttonous government ravished over last 32 years.

But the road to freedom for Vietnam doesn't come without a fight nor blood shed. But more than ever, this road to freedom seem more brighter today than in the last 10 years. After thousands of lives have perished in war, constant pressure from Vietnamese communities overseas and now birth of a democracy movement, the government understands that changes must happen. With their backs are against the wall and people yearning for properity, they have to make certain changes and thus, open up with thier accession into the WTO.

With this comes a price.

Today, Vietnam also has an huge number of internet users which is the pipeline to satisfy the hunger for knowledge of 82 million people. Today, if business needs to be conducted, more people will be going in and out of the country, allowing more exposure to the a free world, free thinking. Because of the influx, the government is having a more difficult time controlling information flow, thus, more people will have the opportunity to speak up. And finally, the price that Vietnam must pay is that once the people become equipped with firing power, KNOWLEDGE and be able to reveal the hidden agenda of thier government, they will break the silence and put their minds to combat this government using thier constitutional rights, which is what we are seeing today.

But, let me offer a bit of reality, so that we don't have such high hopes and then when things don't solified, we don't come crashing down, losing hope. In the 80's, many people thought a rare opportunity came along especially when everyone still near, dear and hype about going reclaiming Vietnam after losing the country. But that opportunity was hampered by some unfortunate events and so the store is told, we didn't make it home. So what we learned from this expereince and must realized it is not an easy task. In fact, today opens up lots of opportunity for a change, but also imposes many other difficult barriers. (Talk to later blog)

As for the young Vietnamese American people, it has been over 20 years since a dramatic patriotic surged occurred that could have changed our every lives today. It has been a long drought since then. Maybe it didn't seem that long to us as we (young Vietnamese men and women) try to assimulate into this culture here by music MTV, sports, proms, football games, fast food, girls, loves, school, fitting in, career and parties, but as I think of my parents and hundreds others, especially still reminish like how we reminish, about the 1st girl or guy we kissed, it has been 20 years of dreams to have that opportunity to come back to a free Vietnam and live out their lives.

Today, what have a window of opporunity and in my may borrow Eminem's (rapper) lyrics , we need to seize the moment. This moment, push for a free Vietnam and unleased the free will of Vietnamese people. We must in many ways, give back the opportunity that we have been blessed here. We owe to our people, our culture and our little brother and sister that carry on our yellow skin and dark eyes, our TET, our music, our struggles and our legacy to be co-exist as a race in human evolution. With that, perhaps it is our duty to spend more time thinking about ways and method to give Vietnam that opportunity to tap into its potential. It is greatest challenge of our generation as Vietnamese people today to once and for all set the path right for Vietnam; an open society, governed by the people, for the people.

I started out this blog with where will you be, when Vietnam is free, but I almost afraid I cannot answer that question. If I just sat here and hoping that Vietnam will naturally be free so I can start thinking should I be in Saigon to admire the city. Or should I be in Hue with my lover on the Huong River. Or shold I baked myself in the sandy beaches of Nha Trang. Or should I learn Vietnamese and history of our people in a University in Hanoi. Or should I have a traditional Vietnamese wedding in Vietnam, I am afraid I might be ahead of myself.

Vietnam will be free if you and I stand up to fight for it. Then maybe then, you and I can start to ponder where will you be, when Vietnam is free.

Quoc D. Phan

Raising Your Voice

I held back for a period of time to read the responses to the different views about why we should support Bloc 8406 or why we shouldn’t. I believe it is a very healthy conversation for all of us to share our thoughts, ideas and perspectives and by all mean, lets keep these thoughts coming.

However today, I want to share with you my thoughts after a long and unexpected day for me. I don’t intend to write this with any politic mindset in mind nor try to educate you about history and throw jargons out to sound like I know it all. I don’t and always eager to learn more. But I write to convey an experience that happened and wanted to capture it in writing before I move on with daily things in life.

I received a phone call from a friend of mine at 4:30 pm , April 18.2007 telling me that there was a delegation from Vietnam that was granted permission to speak in tomorrow’s senate hearing. Immediately after the phone call and I made a couple of calls to local radio station, friends and family and quickly devised a plan on what needed to be done. The following morning, 8:30 am on April 19. 2007, 15 people showed up at Senator Lou Correa’s office waiting for the Senator to come in.

Dressed in the suit, he rushed through 4 people waiting for him to talk about issues and accommodated us to give us an update on what was going to happen on the senate floor in 10 minutes. Rushed but focused and determined, he led us to the guest level of the senate floor hearing and directed us to sit on the right side where the camera would aim. He had already prepared a letter and printed the photograph of Father Nguyen Van Ly, that many of you have seen, to be delivered to each and every member on the senate that day.

“Lou, we printed a bigger photo of Father Nguyen Van Ly, a colorful one, please take it” one of delegate said.
“Thanks, I will present this on the Senate floor, if they decide to speak”, Lou responded as he slipped the photo into his vest.
“I don’t know how they (VN delegation) gotten past us” he expressed in a bit of frustration. “But we will try to stop them” he added.

The senate convened and we read the Pledge of Allegiance. The first statement after the formality was given to a senator from San Francisco, LeLand Yee.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I am would like to acknowledge the present of a delegation from Vietnam today.
Immediate after, another senator asked permission to speak and so he did, clear and concise, he stating his un-approval of having a VN delegation on the floor as he read a scroll human rights violations and condone the government.

Lou asked to speak right after, requesting to have a vote to whether or not we should even have them present. That was not seconded by another Senator and thereby, dropped. After senator asked to speak thereafter and spoke in favor of the VN delegation. Then two others to senator to follow with similar views, one stating that economics ties and other stating her vacation trip to Vietnam.

Lou ask to speak again and wanted to represent the Vietnamese communities of California, stating that last year the Governor signed to past the Vietnamese Flag resolution (SCR 17) , the flag that represents freedom and aspiration the Vietnamese American communities in California and today there is no freedom like we know it, reciting prosecutions of Father Nguyen Van Ly.

Soon after, Lou Correa and couple of Senators walk up to the front of the floor and respectfully exited the senate floor, which I hear is very unusual for senators to do to one another, especially on preliminary issues, like that of the VN delegation. Finally, Senator Lee was granted to speak to finish up what it wanted to say and just like that it was over.

We didn’t hear anyone mention any names from the VN delegation. We didn’t even hear what they had to say. Many of you may ask why not? Why not let them talk? Why not let them present their views? Thought we later found out that because they couldn’t remove a decision that was made to have the VN delegation there, the senators negotiated that if the VN delegation were going to speak, some of the senators would make a big deal. However, the fact of matter is, in this society, we are allowed to speak out freely and against anything we don’t like or like. Senator Lou Correa, Senator Tom Harman and couple others championed there way and THAT changed everything.

This goes to show that righteousness will prevail and honorable men and women of an open society will acknowledged and awarded.

I sat on the top floor, holding photo of Father Nguyen Ly and our heritage flag in preparation to react in case the VN delegation wants to send a small token of appreciation by ignoring our voices, belittling our efforts and mocking our liberty and rights.

We organized an on-site a lobby trip around the State Capitol offices and visited Senator LeLand Yee office to express our unsatisfactory feelings toward his inappropriate gesture toward a free Vietnamese-American community by neglecting to show the truth about human rights violation in Vietnam. To my surprised, our lobby trip and incident at the senate floor must have been effective because I received a personal phone call from Senator LeLand Yee today at 6:30 pm, requesting to talk about the issue. He wants to meet with us face to face to talk about the lack of equality, liberty and human rights abuses in Vietnam. So we have some work to do from now until next week. If you may not know, one of the Vietnamese Consulates is located in San Francisco, hence, the senator close ties. Nevertheless, we have an opportunity shed some insights about the crackdowns in Vietnam.

Many of us may wonder, wow this is too political, but it is not. We exercise our rights daily - when we vote, when we speak up, when we for this or against that and in this case, our present at the senate floor and the lobby trip. We exercise our rights to simply help better the lives of our brothers and sisters in Vietnam, not given these privileges.

Today, as I was listening, watching and roaming the floors of the state capitol, I felt even more so what it is to be free and understand more the power invested in people.