Re: Children of nobody

[AnHai Doan <anhai@cs.washington.edu>]

Ca'c ba'c,

Tru+o+'c khi post, to^i dda~ nghi~ la` message cu?a to^i tre^n vnsa ve^`
vie^.c na`y se~ la`m pha^.t lo`ng nhie^`u ngu+o+`i. Ve^` vie^.c na`y to^i
xin tha`nh tha^.t xin lo^~i. Nhu+ng to^i cu~ng xin kha(?ng di.nh la.i
mo^.t la^`n nu+~a la` ne^'u cho to^i post la.i thi` to^i cu~ng se~ pha?i
post mo^.t message tu+o+ng tu+. (co' the^? lo+`i le~ hoa` nha~ ho+n). To^i
post message no'i tre^n vo+'i tu+ ca'ch ca' nha^n (mo^.t tha`nh vie^n cu?a
VNSA), nhu+ng vo+'i suy nghi~ la` no' co' lo+.i i'ch nhu+ the^' na`o
ddo^'i vo+'i VNSA. Trong chu+`ng mu+.c to^i cho ra(`ng no' co' lo+.i cho
VNSA, thi` du` no' co' la`m mo^.t so^' ngu+o+`i hie^?u nha^`m ve^` to^i,
to^i va^~n cu+' pha?i post. Mong ca'c ba'c hie^?u cho i't nha^'t la` nhu+
va^.y. 

Chuye^.n na`y co' nhie^`u vie^.c te^' nhi. kho^ng the^? ba`n no+i co^ng
co^.ng, ba'c na`o muo^'n ti`m hie^?u the^m thi` nho+` chuye^?n qua private
e-mail. Nhu+ng trong pha.m vi thu+ na`y to^i se~ co^' ga('ng dde^?  ca'c
ba'c hie^?u pha^`n na`o nhu+~ng gi` motivate posting cu?a to^i. 

1) Anh Ian Nguyen kho^ng pha?i la` mo^.t member cu?a VNSA. To^i kho^ng
hie^?u anh Wayne forward message na`y tu+` dda^u va`o, va` to^i kho^ng
hie^?u anh Ian bie^'t ddu+o+.c nhu+~ng tho^ng tin gi` ve^` chuye^.n na`y.

Vie^.c forward  posting cu?a nhu+~ng ngu+o+`i ngoa`i VNSA ba`n ve^`
nhu+~ng vie^.c *trong VNSA* theo to^i ne^n la`m mo^.t ca'ch he^'t su+'c
ca^?n tha^.n, nha^'t la` nhu+~ng chuye^.n te^' nhi. To^i dda~ nhi`n tha^'y
nhie^`u tru+o+`ng ho+.p ca~i nhau lie^n mie^n tre^n ca'c die^~n dda`n vi` 
postings ddu+o+.c forward qua la.i giu+~a nhu+~ng ngu+o+`i trong va`
ngoa`i. N~ ngu+o+`i o+? ngoa`i hoa(.c kho^ng co' ddu? tho^ng tin, hoa(.c
kho^ng hie^?u ddu+o+.c posting style cu?a die^~n dda`n ne^n thu+o=`ng co'
n~ posting de^~ ga^y ra tranh ca~i va` hie^?u nha^`m. Mo^.t ddie^?n hi`nh
cu?a vie^.c na`y la` posting cua? anh Ian Nguyen ddu+o+.c forwarded bo+?i
anh Wayne. Ne^'u anh Ian Nguyen la` mo^.t tha`nh vie^n cu?a VNSA thi` co'
le~ anh se~ hie^?u nhu+~ng ca^u "ddang la(.ng le~ tu+` gia~ co~i tra^`n
vi` la` con cha'u cu?a "nobody"" kho^ng nhu+~ng mang a^m hu+o+?ng xa^'u
ve^` ma(.t chi'nh tri. ma` co`n la`m nhie^`u ngu+o+`i ca?m tha^'y bi. xu'c
pha.m. Ne^'u anh Ian co' y' to^'t, xa^y du+.ng va` la` tha`nh vie^n
VNSA thi` anh se~ kho^ng vie^'t mo^.t ca^u a` la SCV de^~ bi. hie^?u
nha^`m nhu+ va^.y. 

2) Theo nhu+ to^i bie^'t thi` o+? Vietnam VPQH kho^ng lie^n quan gi` to+'i
nhu+~ng vie^.c nhu+ tha`nh la^.p ca'c ho^.i "support group". DDa^y la`
mo^.t vie^.c ma` to^i nghi~ la` nhu+~ng ngu+o+`i tham gia thread na`y
dde^`u hie^?u. Vie^.c na`y xin mie^~n ba`n the^m. Mo^.t suy nghi~ cho
ra(`ng "VP QH ne^n la^.p ra mo^.t ho^.i ...." thi` a^'u tri~ ve^` ma(.t
chi'nh tri. dde^'n mu+'c nhu+~ng ngu+o+`i hie^?u va^'n dde^` se~ cho
ra(`ng ca^u na`y ddu+o+.c vie^'t vo+'i y' mi?a mai, chu+' kho^ng pha?i
vo+'i y' la` ng` vie^'t thu+.c su+.  la` kho^ng hie^?u va^'n dde^`. 

3) Anh Ian vie^'t "ca'c tre? em VN ... kha'c ddang la(.ng le~ tu+` gia~
co~i tra^`n vi` la` con cha'u cu?a nobody". Ca^u na`y co' the^? hie^?u
theo nghi~a ti'ch cu+.c "la` kho^ng co' access dde^'n Internet, kho^ng co'
co+ ho^.i ra n'c ngoa`i chu+~a cha.y", nhu+ng cu~ng de^~ da`ng bi. hie^?u
theo nghi~a tie^u cu+.c "con cha'u cu?a nobody ne^n kho^ng ddu+o+.c chu+~a
cha.y tu+? te^'" a'm chi? n~ ddie^`u negative ve^` nga`nh Y Te^' VN va` 
nhie^`u ng` kha'c. Va^'n dde^` o+? dda^y la` anh Ian du`ng hai cu.m tu+`
"ddang la(.ng le~ tu+` gia~ co~i ddo+`i" va` "con cha'u cu?a nobody"
mang nghi~a he^'t su+'c negative. Kho' co' the^? tu+o+?ng tu+o+.ng
ddu+o+.c mo^.t ngu+o+`i hie^?u bie^'t vie^'t mo^.t message mang ti'nh go'p
y' xa^y du+.ng ma` la.i vie^'t nhu+ the^' na`y.

4) Vie^.c giu'p ddo+~ cha'u TL la` mo^.t vie^.c hoa`n toa`n xua^'t pha't
tre^n quan ddie^?m nha^n dda.o. Qua nhu+~ng vie^.c nhu+ the^' na`y dde^?
dde^` xua^'t nhu+~ng vie^.c mang ti'nh nha^n dda.o kha'c nhu+ la`m the^'
na`o dde^? giu'p ddo+~ ca'c tre? em kha'c thie^'u may ma('n ho+n la` mo^.t
vie^.c he^'t su+'c to^'t va` cha('c cha('n ddu+o+.c su+. u?ng ho^. cu?a
nhie^`u ngu+o+`i. Nhu+ng du`ng n~ vie^,c nhu+ the^' na`y dde^? lo^`ng
nhu+~ng lo+`i no'i mi?a mai, bo'ng gio' a'm chi? nhu+~ng ddie^`u negative
ve^` nga`nh Y Te^' VN cu~ng nhu+ nhu+~ng ngu+o+`i kha'c thi` to^i cho la`
"chu.p mu~ mo^.t ca'ch ba^?n thi?u", "chu.p mu~" vi` nhu+~ng ddie^`u anh
Ian a'm chi? ne^`n Y Te^' o+? nha` la` no'i kho^ng co' chu+'ng co+',
"ba^?n thi?u" vi` anh du`ng n~ vu. humanitarian the^' na`y dde^? no'i. 
DDa^y la` mo^.t style hay ddu+o+.c du`ng tre^n SCV, to^i ra^'t hy vo.ng
no' se~ kho^ng ddu+o+.c du`ng tre^n VNSA.

Xin nha('c la.i: To^i cu~ng nghi~ nhu+ ca'c ba'c ra(`ng posting cu?a anh
Ian Nguyen co' the^? mang ti'nh ti'ch cu+.c xa^y du+.ng, ma(.c du` anh to?
ra la` mo^.t ngu+o+`i hoa`n toa`n ignorant ve^` VN politics, va` du`ng
lo+`i le~ xu'c pha.m (n~ chu+~ nhu+ nobody vs. somebody). Song posting
cu?a anh Ian  cu~ng de^~ da`ng bi. hie^?u theo nghi~a negative nhu+ to^i
dda~ vie^'t. Ma` nhu+~ng chuye^.n co' lie^n quan to+'i chi'nh tri. tre^n
vnsa vo+'i double-meaning nhu+ the^' thi` to^i cho ra(`ng kho' co' the^?
cha^'p nha^.n ddu+o+.c. Ca'c ba'c nghi~ ra(`ng thie^n ha. luo^n luo^n
hie^?u ca'c messages theo nghi~a positive cha(ng? DDo^'i vo+'i n~ chuye^.n
lie^n quan to+'i chi'nh tri. VN thi` considering long-term prospects cu?a
vnsa to^i nghi~ ne^n  la`m tha` safe co`n ho+n sorry.

5) Vie^.c tho^ng qua Internet dde^? giu'p ddo+~ cha'u TL la` mo^.t vie^.c
ra^'t dda'ng mu+`ng vi` no' ddu+a the^m tho^ng tin ve^` pros and cons cu?a
Internet to+'i nhu+~ng ng` ddi.nh ddoa.t so^' pha^.n he^. tho^'ng Internet
ta.i VN. Su+. co' ma(.t cu?a nhu+~ng die^~n dda`n nhu+ VNSA, VKS va`
nhu+~ng gi` chu'ng ta la`m ddu+o+.c la` nhu+~ng ma(.t trong pros cho
Internet. Ne^'u chu'ng ta, ba(`ng ca'ch na`y hay ca'ch kha'c, go'p
ddu+o+.c mo^.t pha^`n nho? va`o vie^.c mo+? ro^.ng va` pha't trie^?n ma.ng
Internet o+? VN thi` tha^.t dda'ng vui mu+`ng. Nhu+ng dda^y la` mo^.t
vie^.c delicate ca^`n to^'n nhie^`u co^ng su+'c va` tho+`i gian, ma`
nhu+~ng posting nhu+ cu?a anh Ian Nguyen tha^.t la` kho^ng giu'p ddu+o+.c
gi`, ne^'u kho^ng no'i la` provide setbacks. 

"Nhie^.t ti`nh co^.ng vo+'i su+. ngu do^'t la` ke? pha' hoa.i",
To^i tha`nh tha^.t xin lo^~i la` pha?i quote mo^.t ca^u ho+i na(.ng ne^`
nhu+ tre^n, nhu+ng ca^u ddo' ra^'t ddu'ng cho nhie^`u tru+o+`ng ho+.p.
Kho^ng pha?i vo^ co+' ma` VNSA co' policy kho^ng cho phe'p no'i ca'c
chuye^.n lie^n quan to+'i chi'nh tri. o+? VN. Trong so^' chu'ng ta dda^y
co' ra^'t nhie^`u ngu+o+`i co' ha?o ta^m, co' lo`ng to^'t muo^'n giu'p
ddo+~ n'c nha`. Nhu+ng vi` kho^ng hie^?u bie^'t ti`nh hi`nh, cu~ng nhu+
ca'c communication style o+? nha`, ma` ddu+a ra nhu+~ng tho^ng tin
nhu+~ng messages ga^y ta'c ha.i ngu+o+.c la.i, kho^ng nhu+~ng la`m kho'
de^~ cho ba?n tha^n admins, ma` co`n la`m kho' de^~ cho quan he^. cu?a
chu'ng ta vo+'i nhu+~ng ngu+o+`i o+? nha`, cu~ng nhu+ kha? na(ng cu?a
chu'ng ta dde^? tham gia va`o vie^.c xa^y du+.ng VN. Ca'c ba'c co' co`n
nho+' vu. Radio Free Asia tre^n VNSA na`y kho^ng? 

6) The bottom line: To^i dda~ vie^'t mo^.t message la`m nhie^`u ba'c ca?m
tha^'y offended, ve^` vie^.c na`y to^i tha`nh tha^.t xin lo^~i ca'c ba'c
mo^.t la^`n nu+~a. To^i se~ ru't kinh nghie^.m trong vu. na`y cho la^`n
sau. 

Nhu+ng to^i cu~ng xin nha('c la.i la`, o+? admin position, to^i co'
nhu+~ng tho^ng tin va` nhu+~ng tra'ch nhie^.m ma` ca'c tha`nh vie^n
thu+o+`ng kho^ng co', tra'ch nhie^.m cu?a to^i la` vo+'i ca? vnsa va`
long-term prospects cu?a vnsa chu+' kho^ng pha?i vo+'i mo^.t va`i
ngu+o+`i.  Vi` va^.y tu+o+ng lai cu~ng se~ co' the^? co' nhu+~ng vie^.c
ma` su+. le^n tie^'ng cu?a to^i la.i la`m ca'c ba'c pha^.t lo`ng. Dde^?
gia?m dde^'n mu+'c to^'i thie^?u nhu+~ng chuye^.n nhu+ the^' na`y to^i xin
co' ma^'y suggestions sau dde^? ca'c ba'c tham kha?o: 

a) Chu'ng ta ne^n he^'t su+'c ca^?n tha^.n khi forward le^n vnsa posting
cu?a nhu+~ng ngu+o+`i ngoa`i vnsa ba`n lua^.n ve^` n~ chuye^.n te^' nhi.
tre^n vnsa. Ly' do nhu+ dda~ ne^u o+? dda^`u thu+.

b) Chu'ng ta ne^n tra'nh ba`n lua^.n nhu+~ng chuye^.n te^' nhi. co'
lie^n quan to+'i chi'nh tri. VN tru+` tru+o+`ng ho+.p chu'ng ta bie^'t 
ro~ la` ddang la`m gi`. Ne^'u co' ai ca?m tha^'y unclear, please contact
the admins.

c) Nhie^`u vie^.c ca'c ba'c co' the^? xem la` harmless thi` trong nhu+~ng
bo^'i ca?nh tho^ng tin ma` bo.n to^i co' no' co' the^? la` kho^ng. Va` du`
ca'c ba'c co' the^? kho^ng xem la` harmless ddi cha(ng nu+~a thi` ca'c
ba'c cu~ng kho^ng co' nghi~a vu. pha?i le^n tie^'ng nhu+ bo.n to^i. 
Bo.n to^i nhie^`u khi pha?i le^n tie^'ng vi` nhie^`u thu+ rie^ng cu?a ca'c
tha`nh vie^n gu+?i to+'i hoa(.c vi` the intended audience kho^ng pha?i la`
ca'c tha`nh vie^n vnsa. Qua vu. anh Ian Nguyen ca'c ba'c co' the^? tha^'y
vnsa messages dda^u co' ddu+o+.c ddo.c bo+?i chi? n~ vnsa members. No'i
i't hie^?u nhie^`u. No'i va^.y cha('c ca'c bac' hie^?u.

Vi` va^.y tru+o+'c khi ca'c ba'c criticise nhu+~ng postings mang ti'nh
administrative, mong ca'c ba'c consider n~ ddie^`u to^i no'i tre^n. 

Xin ca?m o+n ta^'t ca? ca'c bac' dda~ ddo'ng go'p y' kie^'n phe^ bi`nh
mo^.t ca'c constructive ddo^'i vo+'i message cu?a to^i.

Tha^n, Ha?i.


> On Fri, 23 May 1997, Wayne wrote:
> 
> > >>From: isn@pacific.net.sg 

> > >>To^i cu~ng mong ra(`ng nha^n vie^.c na`y, VP Quo^'c ho^.i se~ la^.p ra mo^.t
> > >>ho^.i "Leukemia Patients Support Group" trong nu+o+'c dde^? ti`m nguo^`n
> > >>ta`i 
> > >>chi'nh va` phu+o+ng tie^.n tu+` nu+o+'c ngoa`i ha^`u giu'p ddo+~ ca'c tre?
> > >>em 
> > >>VN thie^'u may ma('n kha'c ddo^`ng be^.nh ddang la(.ng le~ tu+` gia~ co~i 
> > >>tra^`n vi` la` con cha'u cu?a "nobody".   
> > >>
> > >>Ki'nh,
> > >>
> > >>Ian Nguyen
> 
> Anh Wayne tha^n me^'n,
> 
> Trong tru+o+`ng ho+.p anh kho^ng dde^? y', message tre^n do anh Ian
> Nguye^~n na`o ddo' vie^'t vo+'i gio.ng va(n mang ti'nh ca'ch mia? mai
> va` chu.p mu~
> 
> (1) DDoa.n va(n a'm chi? ra(`ng n~ ng` ddu+'ng ra giu'p ddo+~ cha'u Thu`y
> Linh (trong ddo' pha?i ke^? ca? vnsa la` die^~n dda`n trao ddo^?i ve^`
> vie^.c na`y) la`m vie^.c tre^n vi` cha'u Thu`y Linh la` con cu?a
> "somebody", chu+' kho^ng pha?i vi` xua^'t pha't tu+` lo`ng nha^n dda.o.
> 
> (2) DDoa.n va(n cu~ng a'm chi? ra(`ng n~ tre? em kha'c bi. be^.nh tre^n
> kho^ng ddu+o+.c cha(m so'c dde^'n no+i dde^'n cho^'n o+? VN ne^n "ddang
> la(.ng le~ tu+` gia~ co~i tra^`n".
> 
> Gio.ng va(n "chu.p mu~" mo^.t ca'ch ba^?n thi?u nhu+ the^' na`y chu'ng
> to^i kho^ng cha^'p nha^.n tre^n VNSA. Tha`nh tha^.t mong anh Wayne lu+u y'
> ho+n khi post n~ message kie^?u na`y. Xin ca?m o+n anh. 
> 
> Tha^n, Ha?i.
>