Statement Concerning the
UT Arlington Hall of
Flags
May 10,
2006
The University of
Texas at Arlington's
Hall of Flags was
established to
celebrate the
diversity of the
engineering school's
student body. These
flags were not
intended to endorse
the politics or
policies of any
nation. As part of
this display, the
Vietnamese Heritage
and Freedom Flag
represented our
Vietnamese-American
students and the
flag of the
Socialist Republic
of Vietnam
represented our
international
students from
Vietnam.
Recently, a heated
controversy emerged
when
Vietnamese-American
students and their
community strongly
protested the flag
of the Socialist
Republic of Vietnam,
viewing it as a
political symbol.
As a result, I have
removed all 123
flags from the Hall
of Flags. A cooling
off period is needed
for thoughtful
reflection. In the
fall I will
establish a
committee to explore
alternative means to
celebrate the
diversity of our
student body.
Our ultimate goal
remains fostering a
strong sense of
community among all
our students,
including all our
international
students. We must
never forget that a
public university is
a special
institution that
respects all
individuals and
embraces diversity.
James D. Spaniolo
President
The University of
Texas at Arlington
During
International Week at the University of Texas at Arlington,
the UTA displayed the flags of all countries from which it
enrolls students to celebrate its internationally diverse
student population with a number of social and cultural
events. The fact that red flag with yellow star of Communist
Vietnam was raised at the hall caused the bad feelings among
the Vietnamese American Students who make up 95% of the
Vietnamese population at the UTA.
The Vietnamese American think that it is insulting that
their children have to view the flag of a regime that
persecuted them and forced them to flee the country. The
flag is seen as symbol of dictatorship, inhuman, barbarous;
it only represents the Communist party rather than more 80
million people who are struggling for their human rights and
civil rights.
Leaders of the Viet Communities in Texas had sent mails to
the President of UTA to express their concerns and got a
fair response. The yellow flag of former Republic of Vietnam
(now become the official symbol of Vietnamese American) was
also displayed. (below are letters from Austin Community
leaders and reply of Mr. Spaniolo, President of UTA)
Vừa qua,
cờ Việt Cộng đă được treo tại truờng Đại Học Texas tại
Arlington, mà theo ban Giám đốc trường là để nói lên sự có
mặt và vinh danh tất cả các học sinh từ các nước đang theo
học tại trường. Cộng đồng người Việt tại Dallas-Fort Worth
và Arlington đă lên tiếng phản đối, yêu cầu ông Viện trưởng
James Spaniolo cho tháo gỡ lá cờ đỏ v́ nó gây ấn tượng xấu
trong ḷng những người Việt tị nạn.
Sau đây là hai lá thư của đại
diện Cộng đồng VN tại Austin tham gia vào cuộc đấu tranh của
cộng đồng Dallas.
NGÀY BIỂU DƯƠNG
TINH THẦN NGƯỜI
VIỆT TỰ DO TẠI
UTA, CHỦ NHẬT
30-4-2006
Nhân dịp khai
trương trụ sở
sinh hoạt cộng
đồng Người Việt
Quốc Gia Fort
Worth và vùng
phụ cận, một số
thành viên cộng
đồng, đại diện
các hội đoàn,
đoàn thể, cựu
quân nhân và
nhất là các anh
chị em sinh viên
trường UTA; đặc
biệt là sự góp
mặt bất ngờ của
NS Nguyệt Ánh từ
Hoa Thịnh Đốn và
nhà văn Đỗ Văn
Phúc (đại diện
cộng đồng
Austin)... đă
tham dự buổi họp
khẩn cấp vào
chiều Chủ Nhật,
ngày 15-4-06 vừa
qua để bàn thảo
kế hoặch chống
treo cờ CSVN tại
UTA (University
of Texas at
Arlington).
Tưởng cũng cần
nhắc lại, sở dĩ
có buổi họp khẩn
này v́ buổi gặp
gỡ dàn xếp giữa
Ban Giám Đốc UTA
và sinh viên (gốc
Việt) – Cộng
Đồng NVQG tại
Dallas, Fort
Worth bất thành
v́ UTA từ chối
việc hạ cờ Đỏ
sao vàng (cờ máu);
và cho rằng lá
cờ đó hiện được
Liên Hiệp Quốc
và Hoa Lỳ công
nhận.
Sau hơn 2 giờ
đồng hồ bàn thảo
sôi nổi và rất
nhiệt t́nh, đại
đa số các tham
dự viên đă quyết
định sẽ tổ chức
một cuộc biểu
t́nh rầm rộ để
biểu dương sức
mạnh của sinh
viên, cộng đồng
người Việt địa
phương nói riêng
và tập thể người
Việt hải ngoại
nói chung vào
lúc 1 giờ chiều
ngày Chủ Nhật,
30 tháng 4 năm
2006 tại khuôn
viên trường UTA
(Địa điểm tập
trung: góc đường
Michell và
Cooper, vùng
Arlington,
Texas.
Một số thành
viên cộng đồng,
hội đoàn và cựu
sinh viên (UTA)
đă nhận lănh
trách nhiệm hỗ
trợ cho anh chị
em sinh viên UTA
nhằm tổ chức,
điều động cuộc
biểu dương lực
lượng này. Đặc
biệt các thành
viên thuộc Phong
Trào Hưng Ca
Việt Nam như NS
Trương Sĩ Lương,
LS Nguyễn Xuân
Nghĩa, NS Việt
Dzũng, NS Nguyệt
Ánh, NS Huỳnh
Công Ánh, Hồ Sĩ
Thư Linh và đoàn
Hưng Ca Texas sẽ
có mặt vào sáng
Chủ Nhật để nhận
lănh công tác
tác động quân
chúng trong ngày
biểu t́nh.
V́ tinh thần đấu
tranh, dấn thân,
nhất quyết loại
bỏ “cờ máu”, lá
cờ – của đảng
Cộng sản Việt
Nam – đă gây
chết chóc đau
thương cho hàng
triệu người Việt
trong hơn 60 năm
qua; lá cờ đă
làm ô danh giống
gịng Việt tộc,
v́ tới đâu cũng
bị chính người
dân Việt hải
ngoại triệt hạ,
xua đuổi. V́
tinh thần đấu
tranh giành lại
tự do dân chủ
cho hơn 80 triệu
bà con ruột thịt
tại quốc nội nói
chung, thiết
nghĩ đă đến lúc
chúng ta không
thể ngồi yên cho
tập đoàn cai trị
ở trong nước vói
tay ra ngoài,
tác oai tác quái,
muốn làm ǵ th́
làm ở trên phần
đất tự do này.
Chúng ta đă:
“liều chết bỏ
nước ra đi,
nhưng họ (VC)
vẫn chạy theo để
t́m cách khống
chế”.
V́ sự b́nh an
của con em chúng
ta nơi xứ người,
thiết nghĩ sự
hiện diện quư
báu của đồng
hương trong cuộc
biểu dương sức
mạnh vào ngày
30-4-2006 rất
cần thiết; mặt
khác, sẽ chận
đứng âm mưu
nhuộm đỏ cộng
đồng người Việt
Tự Do hải ngoại
của VC. Chính họ
đă đưa “cán bộ”
núp bóng dưới
các trường đại
học, bày mưu lập
kế để gây xáo
trộn đời sống
yên lành của
cộng đồng người
Việt ly hương.
Đă đến lúc chúng
ta cần phải có
tiếng nói với
người bản xứ,
bởi chúng ta đă
và đang đóng góp
nhân vật lực vào
xă hội đa chủng
này. Đă đến lúc,
nguyện vọng của
đại đa số người
Việt định cư nơi
này cần được tôn
trọng. V́ tôn
trọng sự diện
diện của tập thể
người Việt với
Cờ Vàng truyền
thống là tôn
trọng tự do dân
chủ mà quốc gia
Hoa Kỳ đă theo
đuổi hơn 200 năm
qua.
Đọc Thư
gửi Ông Viện Trưởng Đại Học Texas tai Arlington về Mưu Đồ
của nhóm Sinh Viên Việt Cộng. (Kèm thư cháu Kelly Dinh kể về
các toan tính chính trị của nhóm sinh viên Việt Cộng này)
April 12, 2006
From:
Michael Do
President, Vietnamese American Veterans Association of Austin
Standing Officer, Vietnamese Community Advisory Council,
Austin
To: Mr. James Spaniolo
President, UTA.
We are very thankful for your decision to raise the Yellow
flag at UTA. By doing this, your are gaining more trust from
our Vietnamese student and community.
In this mail, I am
sending you the letter I received from a UTA student
regarding the recent event at UTS. You may be wondering why
"a piece of cloth" is so important to our people that the
whole Vietnamese Community has spent weeks to struggle for
it. To you and most of the American people, the Vietnam war
ended in April 1975; but to us the war still persists. It's
the war between the good and the bad, freedom and slavery,
democracy and tyranny, human rights and oppression,
civilization and barbarian. The Communists won the war and
have ruled the country but is not legitimated since they got
to power through rebellion, not through democratic process.
That is why the Communist government is trying to do
everything possible to spread the war any places that exist
our Vietnamese community; and in return, we are still
struggling to contain it.
I can say with little mistake that all students from Vietnam
who come to the US have some kind of mission and have a
political agenda to perform. The letter of this girl - Kelly
Dinh - reveals the plot of Communist Vietnamese students (Phong
Vu, Dung Nguyen to name a few) to keep strict control on the
activities of the ISO (International Student Organization)
at UTA.
This is not the matter that concerns you, but it is a vital
concern to our Vietnamese American students and communities.
As said by Kelly Dinh, the VSA had to work hard to promote
our culture, but it turned out to be credited to the
communists. It is extremely insulting to the people who have
a solid standpoint and self-respect.
Our community nationwide is working hard to prevent this
event happen again at other institution.
On behalf of the members of Vietnamese American Association
at Austin, I'd like to thank you and the UTA staff for the
right decision to raise our flag at UTA campus. We hope that
this decision will not be altered under any circumstances or
pressure.
Yours very respectful,
Attachment
Kelly Dinh's letter
Hello Thay Tuan
and everyone,
This letter might be long, but please take time to read it
so that you can have a better understanding of the situation
of what is exactly going with the Vietnamese-American
Student at UTA for the last week.
I am Dung, I know about this issue since the beginning of
March when VSA decided to get involved in International
Week. We know that Our flag, yellow flag, will not be
recognized during the Parade on Monday (4/3/06). However, I
though the red flag was parade only one day out of the whole
International Week. Since we participate in other event
throughout the week from Tuesday until Friday we can pass
out and display our Yellow flag in our booth.
On Sunday 4/2/06, I went out to the UTA-Bluebonnet to
decorate our booth, the advisor of International Student
Office (Danika Hines-ISO) came to me, Quynh Anh and Huong
Duong, telling us that we cannot display any political
(flag) on our booth and this is the rule that ISO have put
out. Other organizations such as Laos are having the same
situation that we had. After Sunday, I found out that
throughout this week, all the credit and hard
work that VSA is putting up for this event will be known
under this communist flag. This is when we know that ISO is
denying our flag which represent our culture and heritage.
So we contact Chu Hung (Andy Nguyen) about this situation.
Monday 4/3/06, when I contact Chu Hung about the
International situation, on the same day I was shock when I
found out UTA is recognizing the communist flag and will
raise it up in Nedderman Hall on Tuesday 4/4/06. But
luckily Chu Hung, the community, and the students take
action and so the school has to delay the day of flying the
communist flag.
During the International Week, the week that doesn't seem to
end to most Vietnamese-American Student here at UTA. We
literally came to UTA at 9AM and stay up every night until 2
or 3 a.m. in the morning discussing about the situation.
How can we help to resolve this situation? After meeting up
with Chu Hung and the community, we decided, since VSA can
not display any Yellow flag on our booth, what we can do is
to have the people who come to the event wear the flags,
hold the flags, and waving the flags. It is a
sign of protest, but in a passive manner. It turns out
really successful that Wednesday night and I felt very
emotional and touch. This is one of the motivations for me
to fight for this cause.
After Wednesday night (Fashion Show) and Thursday morning
(Exhibit), I receive a phone call from my friends around 5PM
telling me that Mr. Spaniolo (UTA-President) wrote a letter
telling that our flag WILL be recognized during the
international week. We were happy and looking forward for
this event, however, in the back of our head.......we know
the president just doing this to calm us down so that we
don't go too far on Friday.
I hope that's enough detail of what exactly what's going on
during the International Week.
Now I would like to tell each one of us about this issue.
This is not the first time the communist exist at UTA. Yes,
it happened once in 1980. But recently in August of 2005
this flag was hang on Phong Vu's apartment window, but we
manage to get it off within 72 hours........and the reason
that this flag is taken down is due to "fire code".
Many students here at UTA even I, have taken classes with
Phong Vu before. Some of us even befriend with him ever
since he come here to UTA. But we do not recognize that
they come here with a purpose and a plan to shaken our
Yellow flag. Phong Vu is a biology major, Dung Nguyen
(ISO-president) is an engineering major, and Giao X. Nguyen
is a PHD student of finance.
These three students were our friend once who we hang out
every week when we're friend. But our Vietnamese-American
Student here at UTA are so innocent about this situation, we
know nothing about the plan and reason why they're here and
how they makes all effort to be our friends. You don't know
how scary it is to see step by step we are falling into
their traps. The traps that they plan for us....to be their
friends and to tell them about our community here at
Arlington and even about Vietnamese-American Student here at
UTA..... to see how active our community and Vietnamese
students are.
After gathering all sources and information from us.....they
drop us and quit being our friends........then they go
toward the non-Vietnamese....saying things to make them on
their side. Many non-Vietnamese who know them tell us that
there is nothing wrong about them when they bring or express
their flag here at the Free Country, The
United States.
The reason why we don't know about Nedderman Hall (College
of Engineering) will raise up the communist flag until the
International Week because all the announcement about the
incident were made within the Nedderman Hall only. When
most or majority of Vietnamese-American Student here are in
the College of Science. The reason we know about this
situation is that we came to Nedderman Hall, to the dean
office asking for the regulation of putting up the flag and
one of the staff telling us that this communist suppose to
be hang on Tuesday but because a group of Vietnamese people
here are
protesting.
When we have this rule & regulation in our hand......the
first rule was........in order for a flag to be hang in
Nedderman Hall a student or students must be an engineering
major in which Dung Nguyen (civil engineer), .......second
this flag must have be approve by the International Office
of Education in which Dung Nguyen is involve in
(ISO-president) ...the rest of the rule are.........once the
flag is hanging, it will NEVER be taken down for any reason
except for damage & need replacement. It freaks me and
other student out when we see what their plans are.
Another incident, as we all know Shorthorn is the school
newspaper......After the parade....Phong Vu's picture with
his communist T-shirt and flag was everywhere around
campus.....I & others people begin to wonder....out of all
the flag, how come that flag got to be on the news? So we
take turn and come down to the Shorthorn office to ask
questions and complain for the misleading article. We ask
them.........what make them choose this picture to displace
on the news? David Ok (Chinese-chief editor of Shorthorn)
told me the reason why they chose this flag because of its
color effect ion
and the natural pose of Phong Vu........however, we found
that this picture was printed in "BLACK & WHITE". Along
with this situation......shorthorn has an Opinion page where
students can submit their words......after knowing about
this we're planning to write an article to correct all these
matter.
But then on Thursday night when we check
www.theshorthorn.com we saw
PhongVu's article talking about the Vietnamese-American
Student. Not many people
knew about this Opinion page, however, he knew about it and
he know we are gonna write something about this flag issue.
Do you see how they have their people everywhere around the
campus.......they know exactly what we're gonna do.
We know they are attacking the Vietnamese-American Student
body, because they know for the last 2 years we are not
active in any school activities and we don't have the school
on our side. Now that they attack us so suddenly, we have
showing them we're not going to give up on this matter by
passing out flyers, flags, and words to educate American
students and especially the Vietnamese-American Student so
that we all take action
to our words. This Tuesday 4/11/06 starting at 10PM we will
camp out in front of Davis Hall to show the all the staff at
UTA that we do care about this situation........and we do
anything to protect our flag and will not agree to let the
communist flag fly on this Public Institution!!!!
Thank you Thay Tuan, Thay Huy, Co Bich Le, and others for
your support. With all the information about our country,
our culture, and heritage that you taught me since
little.....I am very grateful for that and very happy to
fight for this cause to the end!!!! Any questions please
ask and I will be happy to answer your concern and this is a
way for me to educate myself.
Love,
Kelly Dinh
Reply from
Mr. Spaniolo to Mr. Do's 2nd
letter
urging to
re-consider the appeal of
Vietnamese American
Community and Students.
April
27, 2006
Dear Mr. Do,
Some of our
Vietnamese-American
students and
members of the
community have
objected to the
presence of the
Vietnamese flag
on the UT
Arlington
campus. We are
sensitive to
their concerns,
and in that
spirit will
continue to use
the Heritage and
Freedom flag to
represent our
Vietnamese-American
students and the
Vietnamese flag
to represent our
international
students from
Vietnam.
The Hall of
Flags, where the
flag of the
Socialist
Republic of
Vietnam is
displayed,
represents the
nations from
which our
College of
Engineering has
enrolled
students.
International
students in our
College of
Engineering may
request that
their home
nation’s flag be
raised. Once
it’s raised, it
remains in the
Hall of Flags,
symbolizing UT
Arlington’s
lasting
connection with
our students.
The Hall of
Flags makes no
political
statement about
Vietnam, South
Vietnam, or any
other nation or
former nation.
Flags from 123
countries are
displayed there,
and none is more
prominent than
any other.
By displaying
these flags, the
University is
not
endorsing these
nations or their
politics or
policies; we are
supporting the
UT Arlington
students and
alumni who come
from these
nations. The
flags represent
students’
countries of
origin, not
governments.
We have reached
out to the
concerned
students and
community
leaders, and we
have taken
initial steps
toward
clarification
and resolution.
For example, we
have posted a
permanent
display in the
Hall of Flags
explaining the
Hall’s purpose.
The President’s
Office has
offered to bring
in guest
speakers to
discuss issues
related to
Vietnam—past,
present, and
future.
On several
occasions, UT
Arlington
administrators
have met with
concerned
students and
community
leaders, and we
have offered to
work openly and
constructively
with them. We
look forward to
continuing these
conversations in
the hope of
reaching greater
levels of
understanding
and respect.
Sincerely,
James D.
Spaniolo
Letter from Mr.
Khanh Chau,
Chairman of the
Austin Community
Advisory
Council. Sent:
Thursday, April
06, 2006 5:29 PM
April 6th,
2006
Mr. James D.
Spaniolo,
President
University
of Texas at
Arlington
701 S. Nedderman
Arlington, Texas
76013
Dear Mr.
President:
As a member of
the Vietnamese
American
community in
Texas, I would
like to request
your attention
and reconsider
UTA
administrators’
decision to
honor the
Vietnamese
Communist flag
(yellow star on
the red
background)
during the
celebration of
the success of
Vietnamese
students. I
believe that
flying the
Vietnamese
Communist flag
in this
situation is
unfair and
inconsiderate to
the Vietnamese
American
students, their
parents and our
communities,
because
First, most,
if not all of,
UTA's excellent
Vietnamese
students are
living in U.S.,
and they are
American
citizens, so
they should not
be forced to
celebrate unde!
r the Vietnamese
Communist flag.
Second, UTA
administrators
should
understand how
terrified and
painful the
parents of those
students feel
when they come
to celebrate
with their
children and see
that flag. The
flag will bring
back all the
sufferings they
had to endure
while they were
living in
Vietnam.
Third, these
excellent
students are
raised and
educated by the
parents who are
living in the
Vietnamese
American
communities in
U.S., so UTA
should not give
the credits to
the Communist
regime in
Vietnam.
I understand
that the UTA
administrators
have all the
rights and
reasons to honor
the Vietnamese
Communist flag.
However, if you
consider the
feelings of our
students,
parents and
Vietnamese
communities
around the
country and not
to fly the
Communist flag,
I would
appreciate your
support.
Sincerely,
Mr. Khanh K Chau
1006 E. Yager
Lane, Suite 111
Austin,
Texas 78753
(512) 947-8083
Letter from Mr.
Michael Do,
President of
Vietnamese
American
Veterans
Association of
Austin.
To
Mr.
James
Spaniolo,
President,
University
of Texas
at
Arlington
Dear
Sir,
My
name is
Michael
Do, a UT
Austin
graduate
and
elected
President
of
Vietnamese
American
Veterans
Association
at
Austin.
Firstly,
I am
very
thankful
to your
nice
thought
and act
as to
raise
the
Vietnamese
flag to
honor
the
graduating
Vietnamese
students
at your
institution.
But
there is
something
needs to
be
considered.
The
great
majority
of
Vietnamese
student
at
UT/Arlington
(as well
as UT
Austin)
are from
the
families
that had
been
persecuted
by the
Communists
and fled
the
motherland
by all
means to
seek for
freedom
abroad.
Most of
their
parents
worked
for the
South
Vietnam
government
and
armed
forces
and was
detained
in the
so-called
Re-education
camps
for
years.
They
have
nothing
to do
with the
Communist
Vietnam.
The fact
that UTA
raises
Red flag
with
yellow
star
(Communist)
is like
raising
the Nazi
flag in
front of
the
Jews.
Instead
of
encouraging
the
Vietnamese
students,
such act
would
hurt
their
feelings.
For
hundreds
of
years,
the
United
States
has
convinced
the
world to
develop
the
democracy
and to
render
freedom
to the
people.
Fifty
eight
thousand
of
American
soldiers
died for
that
noble
cause in
Vietnam.
Please,
think
about
hundreds
of
thousands
Vietnam
veterans.
They
will be
disappointed
to see
the flag
- that
represents
dictatorship,
oppression
- now
unnecessary
raised
in an
institution
where
their
children
are
attending.
I
strongly
agree
with
your
argument
that
today
the Red
flag is
the sole
symbol
of
Vietnam.
But the
Yellow
flag
with 3
red
stripes
is also
the sole
symbol
of tens
of
thousands
of
Vietnamese
American in
Arlington,
Dallas
and Fort
Worth.
Please,
put the
issue on
the
scale to
see
if the
raising
of Red
flag
would be
of any
benefit
to your
institution.
I
humbly
request
that the
Red flag
to be
removed
to avoid
the bad
feelings
that
would
probably
grow
within
the
Vietnamese
American
community.
Thank you for contacting me to express your concerns related to the display of the Vietnamese flag at The University of Texas at Arlington. As you may know, during International Week we celebrate our internationally diverse student population with a number of social and cultural events including a display of the flags of the countries from which we enroll students. The events of International Week are not, under any circumstances, political.
We recognize that the Vietnamese flag, which is the flag of the former North Vietnam, is a painful symbol to many South Vietnamese. We especially recognize that the memories of the events are fresh in the minds of many Vietnamese living in the United States. However, the United States and the United Nations recognize the current government of Vietnam as the official government of that nation, and the U.S. not only maintains diplomatic relations but also carries on economic trade with Vietnam. Our display of the Vietnamese flag is not an endorsement of the policies of the government of Vietnam or any other country whose flag is displayed in the Hall of Flags in the College of Engineering. This includes flags of the former Soviet Union and China. Our intent is simply to recognize the diversity of our student body by displaying the flags of their country of origin.
It has come to our attention that the City of Arlington adopted a resolution in November 2003 to recognize the Vietnamese Heritage and Freedom flag as the official symbol of Arlington’s Vietnamese-American community. In recognition of this resolution and the fact that there are a significant number of Vietnamese-Americans who have chosen to make Arlington their home, we have decided to incorporate the Vietnamese Heritage and Freedom flag in all our future ceremonies. For example, the Global Extravaganza, which occurs tomorrow as part of International Week and includes a display of flags, will include the Vietnamese Heritage and Freedom flag. This flag has been and will continue to be displayed in Nedderman Hall in the Hall of Flags. Although we do not intend to remove the official Vietnamese flag recognized by the United States and the United Nations from our ceremonies, we will add the Vietnamese Heritage and Freedom flag.
By displaying the flags of nations from which we enroll students, we are not endorsing any nation’s policies or political systems but rather recognizing our students, who have traveled from all over the world, to study, become educated, and advance their lives at The University of Texas at Arlington. We are very proud of our diverse international population and we hope you are as well.
Sincerely,
James D. Spaniolo
James D. Spaniolo, President Phone: 817.272.2101
Fax: 817.272.5656
jds@uta.edu
