Posted April 16, 2006
You know what the Vietnamese community needs? We have to stop being afraid of politics. Politics is not a dirty cuss word. It is not some foreign aspect of American society that we should never be a part of. If we keep that attitude, we forever remain the crud under the shoe of America. We are merely the part of America that the government and American history wants to forget.
WE DO NOT EXIST IN A VACUUM. There are things happening around us. We can either be a part of it and use it to strengthen our community, or we can sit still with our eyes closed pretending that we don't need any part of anything that is not a culture show or Paris by Night approved. Right now, the Vietnamese American community of San Jose is in a great position. We have politicians knocking on OUR doors, trying to learn OUR language, and trying to court OUR voters, because after the Madison/Linda election, they've started seeing what effect our community can have. Even if you aren't satisfied with the result of the election, you have to see the effect. Politicians SEE US now.
It is disappointing when people who have the ability and the talent to be great leaders in our community and have the potential to make a positive change for OUR PEOPLE fail to do so simply because they are afraid of "politics." I'm starting to realize that even if I don't agree with a lot of the Vietnamese leaders, we have to respect the fact that THEY MADE IT. Look at what it took for the fucking politicians and election pundits to even mention us.
-John Quoc Duong, advisor to the Bush Adminstration
-Viet Dinh, author of the PATRIOT Act
-Van Tran, Congressman in Socal
-Janet Nguyen, Councilperson in Socal
-Madison Nguyen, San Jose Councilperson
-Linda Nguyen, the run-off opponent to Madison in a city council race that had ONLY Vietnamese candidates
-Ricky Le, top staffer to Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren
-Ryan Hubris, one of the first organizers of VANG and successful ACTIVELY POLITICALY INVOLVED businessman
-Hung Nguyen, Executive Director of NCVA, community and federal activist
I definitely have issues with some of the people on this list. In fact, I am pretty disgusted with the author of the PATRIOT Act. But I can't deny that these people put us on the political radar. It's abso-FUCKING-lutely frustrating when someone tries to move us forward, and people's fears is what blocks our progress.
“It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power.” – Alan Cohen
There is no security in us locking ourselves away in our own communities, because then the boundaries of our entire lives are locked in the blocks where the Little Saigons across the world stop. If we don't step up to be a part of the process to make the decisions that affect us, then we let the people who don't even RECOGNIZE us make those decisions.
FOR THE VIET FOLKS OUT THERE. If you are satisfied with just going to van nghes or throwing picnics and parties, fine. Have a blast. For the rest of you who realize that we are the leaders for the next generation and for the future of our community, GET OFF YOUR ASS. Learn about what is already going on out there and be a part of it. Most of all, DON'T BE SCARED to do what is necessary. Have the courage and strength to follow what you believe in, regardless of those naysayers who may call you immature or communists and those people who simply aren't brave enough to do what you are doing.
NOTE: Notice that I didn't mention the San Jose Mayor race at all. There's a reason. THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE RACE. THIS HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH US, THE VIETNAMESE AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
If you agree with me, share this with someone. Rewrite it, summarize it, take out the cuss words. Take the credit for it if you want. I don't care. Just spread the word and have the conviction to BELIEVE IN SOMETHING.
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