“As a veteran and the child of a military family with roots going back to the Korean War, I appreciate the service and the risks undertaken by the members of the South Vietnamese Army as they fought against the spread of communism,” Kevin Myles, president of the Wichita branch of the NAACP, wrote in an open letter to the Wichita City Council supporting the proposal to add a Vietnamese community memorial to Veterans Memorial Park. “These men and women fought, bled and many died, alongside men like my father, in defense of the very ideals that we as Americans still hold dear. In honoring them, we honor ourselves.”
Myles noted that “there are nearly 8,000 Americans of Vietnamese origin, many of whom are veterans of the conflict, who are an integral part of our city,” and he said that it “would send a tragic message were we to segregate our tributes by denying them space within the Veterans Memorial Park.”
The City Council decided to delay a decision until next month. Our editorial today noted how difficult this issue is, with heartfelt feelings on both sides, and expressed some hope that the council and the groups involved can find a way to honor all veterans.
Registered?
Commenting on WE Blog now requires you to be a Kansas.com member. Use the links above to register, if you haven't already, or to log in.Contact us
Follow us
Daily Archives
-
Recent Comments
- Pleefer on Open thread 11/22
- cosmos_originally on Open thread 11/22
- Phantom on Open thread 11/22
- Phantom on Open thread 11/22
- Rage on Open thread 11/22
- Pleefer on Open thread 11/22
- Pleefer on Open thread 11/22
- cosmos_originally on Open thread 11/22
- Rage on Open thread 11/22
- Rage on Open thread 11/22
10 Comments
If the the memorial is going to fly confederate flags why shouldn’t the vietnamese get a statue
The Vietnam War was folly.
One of the reasons “The Wall” got built in Washington was its subtle symbolism — which vets vociferously objected to… until they experienced it.
There was no Vietnam “Iwo Jima” moment (even re-staged for the camera).
Any grouping of lame bronze statues of grunts isn’t going to memorialize the Vietnam War.
If it could be engineered, a memorial to the Vietnam Era would be a Huey at the top, supported by a string of humanity desperately trying to get off the US Embassy building away from the total disaster created by insane American foreign policies of the 50s-60s-70s.
Maybe a line of dominoes.
Good show!
We need to honor these men and women of Vietnamese heritage who paid dearly for their sacrifice with honorable service. Some gave up their homeland, while others gave up life and limb.
The memorial will honor the person(s), not a particular point in time. To answer the call to duty and serve is honorable.
Let them have their own, elsewhere.
You Marxists at the WE think we should have a memorial to those Vietnamese who fought against Communism?
What’s wrong with you people?
They were not on YOUR side!
Oh never mind.
If the Colored People want it, then it must be A-OK!
Shouldn’t the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People change their name now?
Or do they represent all colors?
I thought they represented black, oh I mean African American people.
They should then name themselves:
National Association for the Advancement of African American People.
NAACP kna NAAAAP.
And the Congressional Black Caucus, should now be the Congressional African American Caucus.
CBC kna CAAC.
Adult evening classes might be needed for every American over 50 years of age. It would be entitled, “How to become part of the new multi-cultural America before you get left behind in the dust.”
Times have changed. I saw it at City Council meeting Tuesday morning. Well meaning Americans, some of whom fought in various American wars, yes including the Viet Nam war, disagreed on the principles involved.
Pride, patriotism, perhaps misplaced now with the passage of time. Wars are established and carried on by imperfect leaders.
One of the Vietnam war’s primary architects, then Defense Secretary and brilliant former Ford Motor Company “whiz kid”, Robert McNamara … twenty or so years later broke down crying on public TV to admit the Vietnam war was based on his faulty premises.
Too late for those of all nationalities who gave their lives, gave their health, changed their lives for the worse because of the war.
I agree with Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer. All sides need to take a month, or two months if necessary, to talk this out. Then try to reach a respectful compromise in a way to preserve everyone’s pride in this matter.
There’s no mathematical formula to say what the perfect answer is in this situation.
The Vietnamese~Americans in our community are some of the most patriotic and proud Americans we have.
These men fought side by side with us in that war and they have a very rich heritage to share.
If they wish to have a memorial, I agree, let them have it.