From: quangl@oakhill.sps.mot.com (Quang Le)
Subject: Re: Embargo & Normalization ( second poll )
Organization: Motorola Inc., Austin Tx.
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 22:50:23 GMT

Netters,

Thank anh Thang for offerring some lessons in sampling techniques. But
the fact that results of both polls are correlated make us think the 
poll results considerable.

But I frustrated the way they ask questions. The first principle of a poll
is to make the choices mutually exclusive, and the likeliness of their
occurences. (If a choice is not likely to happen why bother to poll)

The clear result of the polls is that the majority of Vietnamese American 
doesn't like the current VN government, and its record in human rights, freedom,
and democracy. This fact is well-known. Do we need a poll to know that?
whereas we think the trade embargo is the actual topic of the poll.

The first group voted for unconditional lift of embargo regardless of 
the presence of the third option. Well, it is time to turn their phone
numbers to "U?y ban dda(.c nhie^.m cho^'ng tuye^n truye^`n ba~i bo?
le^.nh ca^'m va^.n." :-} Maybe the percentage of this group will drop
further.:-)

The second group was also sound unreasonable because if Vietnam obversed
human rights, freedom, and democracy besides satisfying all American 
requests in MIA and Cambodia issues, what is the reason for the embargo 
to exist? But I think people replied so because they think that the third
option is unachievable.

The third option makes many people comfortable, but it doesn't say
anything. The current embargo is enforced for American interest. They
will be lift if US government satisfies with progress in
its so-called roadmap. US government couldn't continue to give MFN status for 
China but retain embargo to Vietnam while both countries are commnunists and 
have similar human right records. This option confused people! The
on-going election in Vietnam is not free; human rights have not significantly
improved in recent years. So this option is likely not going to happen! People
then have to choose between option one or two. Why not limit in the
first two options or a question like the following

"Do you favor a lift of trade embargo at the present time?" YES or NO

It is interesting to know the result of this poll. If one considers 
that lifting embargo at the present time is deadly wrong the result of 
the above question will make clear the popularity of his/her opinion
(Right or Wrong) Regretfully, pollsters didn't do that they just wanted 
to play around with the numbers.

Tha^n,
Quang Le

>> 
>>         A ground -breaking new poll of Bay Area Vietnamese emigres
>>      show that an overwhelming majority supports establishing  diplomatic
>>      ties with Vietnam, but only if Hanoi improves its human rights record
>>      and permits democracy.
>> 
>>        A random survey of 500 Vietnameses households found that 71
>>     percent of the emigres agreed that a trade embargo against Vietnam
>>      should be lifted and relations between the two countries restored 
>>    only if there are " humanrights improvements , freedom and democracy
>>    in Vietnam ".
>> 
>>       Twelve percent favorved lifting the embargo and normalizing relations
>>    without conditions , and 11 percent were opposed to the moves even with
>>    human-rights strings attached. Six percent had no opinion.
>> 
>>       The survey was conducted this week by Milpitas- based Vietnam Liberty
>>    News, which publishes a Vietnamese newspaper three times a week and has
>>    a news broadcast five nights a week on Channel 26. Of the households
>>    surveyed, 300 were in the San Jose area, 100 were in the Oakland area and
>>    100 in the San francisco area, said Manh Nguyen , president of the news
>>    organization...
>> 


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