Westminster’s Lam Had Courage of a Lion

A few months ago, two Los Angeles filmmakers approached me about producing a documentary on the social and political climate of Little Saigon. They wanted to focus on Truong Van Tran, the defiant video store owner who sparked 53 days of protest last year by displaying a picture of Ho Chi Minh and the flag of the current Vietnamese government.

I wondered why they would choose Tran, who sold pirated videos. The producers finally admitted they would have difficulty portraying Tran as a sympathetic character.

But if there was anyone who rose to the occasion and stood up to the crowd, at great personal sacrifice to his family’s health and livelihood, it was Westminster Councilman Tony Lam. He is the one who has been caught in the middle between Tran’s battle with the protesters and Tran’s battle with the city. Tran may very well come out of the experience a rich man. He is suing the city for violation of his civil rights and asking for more than $14 million in damages.

But Lam can’t get the city to pay about 3% of that amount in legal bills. The councilman owes about $100,000 for following the city attorney’s advice. As a public official, Lam stayed away from the demonstrations at Tran’s store.

Lam could have defied the city and joined the demonstrations against Tran. It would have helped his political career and boosted his credibility among Vietnamese in addition to saving him and his family lots of grief. But Lam chose to stay away because City Atty. Dick Jones warned that his presence as an elected official would aid any lawsuit filed against the city by Tran.

As a result, the protesters boycotted Lam’s restaurant, threatened his wife and children and almost closed him down. Lam lost more than half his income during 73 days of protest outside Vien Dong Restaurant in Little Saigon. I visited and saw his wife in tears. Patrons walked a gantlet of epithets to enter the place. The councilman was slandered and called a communist, and recall petitions were circulated in Little Saigon.

The protest ended after Lam sought legal action. He obtained injunctions against the protesters at his own expense. By staying away from the demonstrations, Lam has strengthened the city’s case.

But a majority of the City Council has turned against Lam. They have repeatedly denied his requests for reimbursement. He will ask the council again this month. Since the protests, Lam has stood alone. Had he been a political opportunist, his career could have skyrocketed. Instead, he will have a tough time running for reelection.

I know a lot of people, including Vietnamese, who have poked fun at Lam; they have criticized him for being too much of a public relations man.

They should feel ashamed of themselves now. And so should the City Council.

I can think of nothing so cowardly as to turn one of their own into a sacrificial Lam.