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Racial and Religious Intolerance in County

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It seems that we in Orange County still live in an age of bigotry, racism and intolerance. I refer to the defacing of two newly placed freeway signs on the Garden Grove and San Diego freeways. The signs announce “Little Saigon Next Exit.”

Over the past 2 weeks both of these signs have been defaced with spray-painted remarks against the Vietnamese community. The first time it happened, around Feb. 1, Caltrans quickly cleaned the signs. For this, they should be commended. However, I noticed as I drove the freeway today that it has happened again.

The signs announce what has quickly become an important cultural and geographical area to the Vietnamese community in Orange County. I am not Vietnamese. I work with them and consider them my friends. It saddens me that in a county that is quickly becoming a melting pot there are those who are bigoted and racist enough to stoop to these levels--spray-painting remarks telling the Vietnamese to “Go Home.”

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The fact is there is an ever-increasing Vietnamese population in Orange County. Because of the problems of their homeland, many could not return if they wanted to. We can learn much from these people. I have and consider myself the better for it.

If there are those in Orange County who do not wish to take part in this melting pot of cultures and continue to deface signs and throw out racial slurs, I invite you to check out the country of your heritage and take your own advice: “Go Home.”

MARK WEINMANN

Tustin

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