From: tin@smsc.sony.com (Le Tin)
Subject: Re: 20/20 The long way home
Organization: Sony Microsystems Corp, San Jose, CA
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 92 20:34:13 GMT

In article <m0n6gOa-00000XC@galaxy> Giap Huynh <giap@NVL.ARMY.MIL> writes:
>>
>>tin@smsc.sony.com writes:
>>   It is possible to not speak Vietnamese, or have very little chance
>>   to speak it for 17 years.  Those of you who grew up in communities
>>   where there are many Vietnamese might not understand this point.
>>
>>   There are families who settled in areas where there are few other
>>   Vietnamese family.  The children of these families grew up with
>>   little contacts with other Vietnamese.  The smaller the family
>>   (few brothers and sisters), the less chance they have to practice
>>   Vietnamese.  Remember that there are 50 states in the US and not
>>   just California or Texas (where there are large concentration of
>>   Vietnamese).
>>
>>   It is better to try to understand the possibilities and have compassion
>>   for this brave young woman, instead of condemning her without knowing
>>   her full story.
>>
>> Regards,
>> Tin Le
>>
>    Of course, we know what you are talking about. You don't have to explain.
>    I'm sorry you didn't understand what was my point. I didn't condemn that
>    lady at all. I said it's a shame in general if we forget to speak our
>    own language no matter what reason. It's a feeling one must have felt
>    hiself or herself. I'm sure if you ask the lady, she will tell you that.
>    That is why in the end she vowed that she will learn Vietnamese fast
>    for her next trip. That's what I admired about her.
>       I think that when she was young, she made a wrong decision not to
>    continue to practice Vietnamese with her sibling or at least asked her
>    adopted parents to help them in making contact with Vietnamese community
>    here or back home. May be her adopted parents didn't encourage this.
>    However, they can still do these when they got older. But they chose
>    not to. That's why they have to face it today and it's sad.
>       I also think that a lot of Vietnamese became americanized until
>    it took a tragedy like this case to show them how much they missed and
>     how bad, shame...etc they must felt.
>       It's a good lesson for parents living in the U.S. to see how
>    important it is to teach their children their native language unless
>    they chose not to be Vietnamese.

  Then you should explain more what you meant.  It is not nice to
  simply condemn a person out of hand without fully understand the
  circumstances from which they have to make the decisions on how
  to live their life.

  As another person noted in another message, a number of us made
  our choices in how we adapt to the new society and culture we
  found ourself in.  Many others such as this woman and her
  siblings had less choice than us.  As young children without
  parents, they are placed wherever and whenever the government
  want.  They did very well in that environment and some even made
  the effort to re-establish contact.

  Yet already I see people jumping on them and making some rather
  not so nice remarks.  We need to be supportive and help them.
  NOT be so accusatory and turn them away.

  What ever that happened in their past was done and over with.
  Now is not the time to make them feel unwelcomed.  If we do not
  reach out our hands and help them, then it WILL BE OUR FAULT.

Regards,
Tin Le
-- 
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