“Biết bao giờ đi biểu tình mới là chuyện bình thường ở xứ ta, để những người yêu nước không phải cảnh giác cao độ, với nhau và với chính quyền?” You can read Mr. Blog’s reflection on the anti-China demonstration here.
The following is a touching letter from a Vietnamese father who took his young daughter to the anti-China demonstration on 6/5/2011. Sorry, no translation yet. Bây giờ đã quá nửa đêm, con đang ngủ say bên mẹ. Cả nhà chỉ còn mình cha thức bên máy tính. Cha viết cho con thư này với niềm … Continue reading
A few videos on this historic day:
Today, June 5, 2011, thousands of people took to the streets of Saigon and Hanoi in Vietnam to protest China’s ongoing invasion of Vietnamese sea territory. The demonstrations were notable because (a) they were probably the largest demonstrations in tightly controlled Vietnam since the end of war, (b) they openly defied the Vietnamese government’s threats … Continue reading
Professor Victor Fuchs at Stanford and Dr. Arnold Milstein at the Pacific Business Group on Health write a great perspective piece in this week’s New England Journal of Medicine on why cost-effective care diffuse so slowly from a few organizations that practice high-quality care with lower costs to the rest of the medical community. The … Continue reading
They spoke up against corrupt government officials stealing land from farmers. They organized underground churches to worship without government interference. They campaigned for Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Paracel and Spratly Islands in the Southeast Asia Sea. And what did they get in return? Jail terms ranging from 2 years to 8 years for “conspiracy against … Continue reading
By now the anti-government protesters have been brutally driven out of Pearl square. What has happened to the 6-year-old girl above pleading for the world to speak up against the injustice in her country? Her sign is succinctly accusatory: “Silence is a war crime.” I wonder how many of us remain silent when witnessing injustices … Continue reading
In a world where the rise of China brings forth an illusion that political freedom is not necessary for a society’s development, where the inhuman and brutal suppression of dissent by authoritarian governments is frequently excused in the names of security and economic progress, it is inspiring to see the bravery of the protesters in … Continue reading
By now most of you have probably read or at least heard of the controversial Wall Street Journal essay by Professor Amy Chua about the tough love Chinese mothers have for their kids. I heard about the article from my Facebook friends, thought that it was too funny, and forwarded to other friends. Chua’s essay … Continue reading
President Obama delivered an emotional speech at the memorial for the Tucson shooting victims last night. By the end of his speech, tears were welling up in my eyes: I want to live up to her expectations. I want our democracy to be as good as Christina imagined it. I want America to be as … Continue reading
