Making Amends

The furor in the Vietnamese community that followed the unfortunate and misguided remark last week by Westminster Councilman Frank Fry Jr. has subsided. An air of normalcy seems to have been restored. And community leaders have been able to use the mistake to face directly those pockets of prejudice that persist.

When Fry, in voting to deny a parade permit being sought by a group of Vietnamese veterans, told them, “If you want to be South Vietnamese, go back to South Vietnam,” he stirred many emotions. The ripple effect of his insensitive remark even reached back to Vietnam.

In Orange County generally, and in Westminster in particular, the reaction was strong. Vietnamese refugees were outraged. In a matter of days they had printed up more than 5,000 flyers and 500 posters critical of Fry and were ready to launch a campaign to recall him from the City Council.

Fortunately, the Orange County Human Relations Commission moved in. Quickly and decisively--led by Rusty Kennedy, its executive director, and Dr. Daniel H. Ninburg, its chairman--the commission met with Fry and Vietnamese leaders and deterred further divisiveness and bitter reactions. Fry apologized, and the Vietnamese leaders, who wanted that public apology, accepted it, called off their recall effort and expressed their hope for greater harmony in the community.

The veterans group that was planning the parade as part of a June Vietnamese holiday, which is similar to the American Memorial Day holiday, will meet Friday to discuss what to do next about the march that is intended to honor all the soldiers, foreign and Vietnamese, who fought the communists in Vietnam.

The feeling in the county is not the same as it was before Fry’s remark. It is a troubling reality--but nevertheless a reality--that some harbor prejudice against Southeast Asian refugees. The prejudice usually lies dormant until an intolerant remark or public action brings it to the surface and then the old myths and misconceptions are heard again, including indignation about special low-interest loan programs that never existed and complaints about special treatment given Southeast Asian refugees.

This time was no different, but the hostility seemed to be less virulent and widespread than on some occasions in the past. And the new residents, many of them American citizens, reacted responsibly in the face of the inexcusable provocation.

As one Vietnamese leader said, praising Fry for his public apology, the Vietnamese community regretted Fry’s remarks but “it’s forgivable” and “it’s forgettable.” The entire community could benefit from that same attitude, and also make Fry’s remark and the passions of divisive prejudice forgettable as well.