Raising but Another Controversy

Life was just returning to normal in Little Saigon, and now a series of new conflicts is looming that threatens to further divide the Vietnamese community and put it at odds with other residents of Westminster as well.

While some say the friction creates the opportunity for a new dialogue and understanding between Vietnamese and the larger community, others fear a confrontation Friday, when thousands are expected to flood the city for events commemorating the fall of Saigon.

“There may be a clash,” said Do Trong Duc, president of the Vietnamese Community of Southern California, a nonprofit social services agency. “I am very worried about that.”

Underlying the tension is the latest blow to Vietnamese activists: the Westminster City Council’s decision Tuesday to back off from a compromise that would have allowed South Vietnamese flags to fly from city light poles with American flags on Friday. The request, granted in past years, raised the ire of veterans groups and other longtime residents, who said the action would be disrespectful to the American flag.

But under the surface, some local Vietnamese leaders suspect, lingers a prejudice against them that was exacerbated by seven weeks of noisy protests over a video store owner’s display of a communist Vietnamese flag earlier this year.

“I just feel a lot of people opposed our request under the pretext of patriotism. In reality, it just reflects a disturbing anti-Vietnamese sentiment in the community,” said Luan Tran, an attorney who supports the dual-flag proposal. “I think that’s very regrettable. I think there’s a lot of bigotry from those veteran groups.”

*

The veterans and City Council members who opposed the plan, however, said the decision had nothing to do with the Vietnamese themselves; instead, they said, the proposed display seemed disrespectful to the Stars and Stripes. But some acknowledged that they felt overwhelmed by the many South Vietnamese flags put up along Bolsa Avenue after protests outside the Hi Tek video store.

“I’m not going to let people take over my city,” said Councilwoman Margie L. Rice, who had planned to support a compromise plan allowing the flags on light poles for only one day but later changed her mind. “That’s what I felt like when I drove around and saw all those flags. They just arbitrarily put them on every building there. I feel like that’s wrong.”

Mayor Frank Fry Jr., part of the 3-2 minority supporting the dual-flag plan at an earlier meeting, reversed himself Tuesday because of the effect the controversy has had on the community.

“I have never seen a more divisive item come before this council--ever,” said Fry, who was first elected to the council in 1966.

Tony Lam was the only City Council member to vote in favor of the dual-flag plan Tuesday. Ironically, he is also the object of a recall effort by Vietnamese critical of him for not supporting them during the video store controversy. Lam has said he stayed out of the debate on the advice of the city attorney.

Police, meanwhile, said they have been working with community leaders to avoid a possible confrontation at a controversial rally Friday. Police, who denied the rally’s permit for safety and noise reasons, said they will enforce local ordinances against loud noise and live entertainment.

Organizers of the event, who earlier this week vowed to hold it without a permit, on Wednesday said they will try to comply with those restrictions.

“We’ll try to keep a peaceful rally,” said Nhan Hoa, an officer with the Committee for Just Cause. “We think we’re doing the right thing.”

Police said officers will not break up a simple vigil--only a more elaborate event that requires a permit. “We are not going to take any kind of action against constitutionally protected speech,” said Lt. Bill Lewis, a spokesman for the Westminster Police Department. “I don’t think they are any more interested in [a confrontation] than we are.”

Some are skeptical of the intentions of the activists. Yen Do, publisher of Nguoi Viet Daily News, said militants are seeking publicity to keep up the momentum generated by the rallies earlier this year.

“If the police decide to disband them or intervene, it will be a mess,” Do said. “What they need is a mess, because by doing so, they think the people of the community everywhere will come to rescue them.”

*

Meanwhile, a coalition of Vietnamese student groups is planning a separate rally Friday at Westminster High School for which organizers have obtained a permit. Leaders expect up to 7,000 people.

“We are not anti-Americans,” said Huy Bui, a spokesman for the Youth Movement for Vietnam, which is organizing the rally. “We are Vietnamese Americans. We accept the country we live in, we obey the law, and we are trying to get that word out to the larger community.”

Rusty Kennedy, executive director of the Orange County Human Relations Commission, said he sees the legal rally as a sign that the Vietnamese American and larger communities can understand each other.

“Obviously, relations are strained, but at the same time maybe there’s a new awareness of this community and some of what their strong feelings are,” he said. “My hope is that, with efforts like what the youth group is putting on, people will see that the overwhelming majority of the Vietnamese community is positive and is trying to live within the law.”