Protesters’ Focus Shifts to Lam

Your March 20 article “Divided on Unity” said it all.

Vietnamese American community activists do worry about a diminishing return from the gains we made out of our rallies against the communist flag and Ho Chi Minh poster.

The demonstrators in front of Westminster Councilman Tony Lam’s restaurant, without a really noble issue to justify, could jeopardize the cause of “human rights” just lionized by the youths at the candle vigil on Feb. 26.

Competition for eminence between adversarial factions during the past four years had already created confusion in our community.

The issue involved the coveted position of chairman of the Vietnamese American Community in Southern California, an office of limited prestige and no teeth, with activities mostly in Little Saigon and surrounding areas.

During the 1998 election campaign, Lam made a political blunder by siding with one faction, thus automatically turning himself into a smear target for the other parties.

Nevertheless, many voters, including those who disagree with him, had given him their ballots out of consideration for a needed Vietnamese American representation, even a small one in a small city.

Lam, while successful as a businessman, did not possess the quality of clairvoyance in politics. He erred in taking positions against the aspirations of a refugee community, always sensitive to communist infiltration whether open or subliminal.

He opted for the name Asian Town instead of Little Saigon. He echoed Hanoi’s demand for lifting the trade sanctions. He appealed for diplomatic normalization with the communist regime.

The recent incident about the communist flag and the Ho Chi Minh poster has encouraged previously indifferent Vietnamese Americans to come out in support of the younger generation.

The great unity for the just cause should be preserved at all cost.

Opposition to Lam’s alleged misbehavior should be proportionate with his past mischief. Lam should also help by abandoning his defiant stance and stop reciting excuses for his not participating in the rallies against the communist icons. It takes two to tango.

THANH-PHONG DUC TRAN

Cypress

*

The news that the Westminster protesters are now turning their attention to picketing Councilman Tony Lam’s restaurant really infuriates me.

It tells me that these protesters worship a freedom that is different than the one that I understand to be protected under our Constitution.

It tells me that these protesters do not understand the word freedom when all they uttered is a meaningless word. Furthermore, it tells me that these protesters are no better than the communists that they purported to despise.

Lam and other councilmen’s silence during the protest was exactly what was needed during social unrest. Condoning or approving the protest could conceivably lead to further violence and offer the protesters an excuse in the future to oust anyone who has a different view than their own.

It is important that our city leaders keep a cool head during unrest. I commend Lam and his colleagues for their ability to do just that during the demonstration and not capitalize on the situation to further their political agenda.

It is a tremendous temptation for any politician to take advantage of such a situation.

Some members of my family have suffered under the communists. I can fully understand and sympathize with the people who have suffered irreparable damages to their family and properties.

But it is important to keep one’s perspective, else they will destroy the exact freedom that they have fought so hard to escape to.

ROBERT YING

Laguna Niguel

*

Re “Rage Infects Vietnamese Protesters,” Shawn Hubler’s March 22 column:

I do agree with Hubler. Ky Ngo is a political opportunist and an extremist. His group’s demonstrations and attempts to recall Westminster Councilman Tony Lam are out of bounds with the sentiments and wishes of the majority of Vietnamese Americans, myself included.

Their actions cast a potentially negative image on the whole movement for freedom and democracy for Vietnam. I am concerned that the public would find their stereotype of the Vietnamese American community as a vengeful, irrational mass of easily manipulated fools being reinforced.

Hubler’s portrait of Lam as an innocent scapegoat who had been victimized by the irrational mob for simply following the advice of the Westminster city attorney does not do justice for the truth.

Lam chose to remain silent mostly because of his desire to avoid certain negative financial ramifications to his business ventures in Vietnam.

Unfortunately for him, his lack of involvement is being taken as a tacit approval of the current Vietnamese regime, resulting in his loss of customer support in America.

Still, it is wrong to accuse him of being a communist sympathizer. To do so is to accuse Lam of having a political idealism other than fame and money, which is utterly untrue.

JEFFERY DUONG

Santa Ana

*

I once heard a saying, “You become what you hate.”

First the protesters in Westminster ran Truong Van Tran out of town for displaying communist icons. Now they are trying to recall Councilman Tony Lam for not supporting them in their protests.

They are punishing someone for not agreeing with their views. This sounds very much like the communists they supposedly oppose.

ROBERT LOBUE

Aliso Viejo