Quotes in Drugs Story Protested

In the article “Breaking the Barriers to Help” (March 30) depicting the commendable efforts of a group of drug counselors working to help Orange County’s Asian population, the indiscriminate use of misleading quotes and gratuitous assertions have conveyed a most unflattering, and certainly untrue, image of the Vietnamese-American community.

Of the Vietnamese immigrants, for example, a drug counselor was quoted as saying: “When they come here, many are already on drugs.”

The fact is all Vietnamese refugees and immigrants have to pass strict physical health screenings, which include blood, urine and tuberculosis tests, X-rays etc., before boarding the plane for America. Anybody found to have a communicable disease or a drug addiction will be held back at least until he/she is cured.

The assertion that “In most Asian languages, there is no word for drug abuse” is just hilarious, as is the quote: “As Asians we don’t know how to deal with drug abuse.” I am sure in most languages of the world there is at least a word for that human, though degenerative, craving (the Vietnamese word is nghien or ghien, pronounced ga-ian ).

And now for some historical perspective: “ . . . has its roots in the immigrants’ home countries, many of which historically have not enforced drug laws nor considered drug abuse serious.” Weren’t opium smokers beheaded at the time of the Opium War in China?

I am sure that the counselors are only eager to do the job, as the reporter is eager to write his story.

But the point is, while there is certainly a drug problem that needs to be addressed, free assertions freely reported is not the best way to start.

The story leaves the readers with the impression that Little Saigon is a “putrefying” pocket of unusually high drug addiction. Now, that’s going a bit too far.

Here again a little more understanding would go a long way. You are building more barriers instead of breaking them.

MAI CONG

President, Board of Directors

Vietnamese Community of

Orange County Inc.