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Vietnamese Freedom and Heritage Flag

1. Why is there a question as to which flag to use?

  •  No doubt about it, the United States flag, the Stars and Stripes, is the official flag that represents all citizens of the United States of America, including Americans of Vietnamese descent.
  • As the United States is among the most free and democratic countries in the world, its citizen have the liberty to use other symbols, crests and flags to represent their group, organization, club or ethnic/cultural heritage.
  • This is about representation and the Vietnamese American community is making a conscious choice to be represented by a flag symbol that is more meaningful to their Vietnamese heritage.

 2.      Why can't Vietnamese Americans use the current flag of Vietnam?

  • Over the past 10 years, many schools, universities and local municipalities have displayed flags to represent the diversity that exists in their population.  Unfortunately, they display the current flag of Vietnam and Vietnamese Americans object to this because hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese lost their lives and families not only in the war, but also at sea in their struggles to seek freedom and escape from the retribution of the Vietnamese Communist Government, by which the current flag represents.
  • Vietnam today continues to have a deplorable human rights record because of the draconian policies of the Vietnamese Communist Government.  In recent months, the Vietnamese Communist Government has arrested and detained many individuals who speak up and advocate reform--many of whom are also members of the Vietnam Communist Party.

 3.      What does the Vietnamese Freedom and Heritage Flag mean to the Vietnamese American community

  • Dating back to 1948 (before the existence of the former Republic of Vietnam), this flag has a long history in Vietnam and is a symbol of resilience, freedom, and a yearning for democracy that is deeply rooted in the cultural heritage of the Vietnamese Americans.  So long as the current Vietnamese Communist Government continues their totalitarian rule without respect for civil and human rights, Vietnamese Americans will practice their Constitutional rights of expression by choosing the Vietnamese Freedom and  Heritage Flag (yellow flag with three red stripes) to represent our Vietnamese heritage and as a symbol of freedom for our community.

 4.      Why should the state of California formally recognize the Vietnamese Freedom and Heritage Flag? 

  • California is home to nearly 500,000 Vietnamese Americans who have made positive contributions to California through taxes, business establishment, and cultural enrichment.
  • According to the official state website, California?��s ?��future and its promise are nothing less than the future and promise of America.  It has a California context, to be sure, but it is nothing separate from the dreams and hopes and aspirations of all the American people in their collective struggle to create a decent, fair, and secure republic.?��  Acknowledging the Vietnamese Freedom and Heritage Flag will not only honor the Vietnamese American?��s freedom of choice and expression, but also help transform these words into a profound and humane gesture for all Californians.

 5.      Why should local municipalities recognize the Vietnamese Freedom and Heritage Flag?

  • Vietnamese Americans are your residents, taxpayers and constituents.  We ask that you recognize our contribution by respecting how we would prefer to be represented.

 6. Why is the current Vietnamese Communist Government outraged by the action of so many municipalities?

  • Vietnamese Americans believe that the current Vietnamese Communist Government does not have a say or a right to tell how Vietnamese Americans should be represented.  We live in a democratic society in which our civil and human rights are protected by the U.S. Constitution and all its institutions.  They are entitled to their way of thinking but have no right to infringe upon the rights of Vietnamese Americans.  The Vietnamese Communist Government does not represent the Vietnamese American community in the United States.

 7.       Does the recognition of the Heritage flag violate any U.S. laws or treaties?

  • No. The recognition of the Vietnamese Heritage flag is a recognition of the voice of the Vietnamese American community in voicing their opinions on how they choose to be represented when a flag is flown to represent our contribution to the United States of America.

 8.       Does the recognition of the flag mean that local and state recognizes the former Republic of Vietnam?

  • No, the Republic of Vietnam no longer exists and we accept that reality. The recognition of the Vietnamese Heritage flag is a recognition of the voice of the Vietnamese American community in voicing their opinions on how they choose to be represented when a flag is flown to represent our contribution to the United States of America.

9.       Would there be any financial impact to the local economy if the flag is recognized?

  • No fiscal impact to local or state budget.