I always find it interesting to hear the myriad of voices of the slice of
Asian-Americans that are known as Vietnamese-Americans. I have many
mixed thoughts on this. I think it would be beneficial to me to sit
down and try to verbalize these many thoughts in a coherent fashion.
However, someone else has done a good job of verbalizing hers.
It’s a very interesting insight into perhaps many other Asian-american’s
thoughts. I can understand why many Asian-americans roll their eyes
when strangers bring up the topic of their country of origin as a
conversation topic. In fact, I bet if you look at many expats in
Asia they got bombarded with the same questions from strangers and get
REALLY tired of it. What goes around comes around, one would say?
However, for Vietnamese people who do not claim Vietnam as their home
country because they are Americans, French, or Canadians, etc.
the Vietnam War is an invisible mark they must bear when they confront
any stranger. It’s an invisible topic that always lurks in the background.
However, many of these folk are Americans, French,
Canadians or whatever just as much as anyone else that makes their home
in those respective countries. So, it’d be nice to try to get to know these
people first as a PERSON rather than as the cultural representative to
an event in history.
