tam@vega.uucp (01/16/90)
What does one think of when one hears of the word "Vietnam"?
- the war: American involvement, the dead, the wounded (physically
and emotionally), the MIAs?
- the state of the nation: communist, very poor, ...?
- the state of people: (former?) refugees now living in the US, Europe,
Australia and other nations, the boat people in concentration
camps, ... ?
- the future: diplomatic relations? new leadership? multi-parties?
- the culture: primarily Eastern, with a touch of Western absorbed
from the French and the Americans?
- the food: 10+ varieties of noodle soups, rice paper eggrolls,
the various spicy, sweet, sour, tart, and even bitter tastes...?
- the written language: Roman alphabet with a few special characters
and 5 accents?
These are but a few of the many topics that can be discussed on
soc.culture.vietnam. There are over 1 million people of
Vietnamese origin in the US and Canada, plus 100s of thousands in
other parts of the world. There are also millions of Americans whose
lives have been touched by the VN war and who are part of or are experiencing
the presence of the Vietnamese culture. The proposed new newsgroup will
provide a forum for expression and exchange of information and opinions.
It is not only a communication channel for those of Vietnamese origin
but also for all others who care to listen and to express their viewpoints
regarding Vietnam: the nation, the culture, and its people at home and
abroad.
Almost 15 years have passed since the end of the war. It's time for
the establishment of a communication channel for those who care to
review the past, evaluate the present, and ponder the future.
- Tam M. Nguyen -
Tam M. Nguyen { tam@ernie.Berkeley.EDU | ...!ucbvax!ucbernie!tam }cew@venera.isi.edu (Craig E. Ward) (01/20/90)
In article <21182@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU> tam@vega.uucp () writes: >What does one think of when one hears of the word "Vietnam"? > - the war: American involvement, the dead, the wounded (physically > and emotionally), the MIAs? This will be the Big Issue at first and I wonder would this make it more a "soc.culture.us-experience-in-vietnam" group than a vietnam group? Not that this would be bad but be aware of what you're getting into. I will support the creation of "soc.culture.vietnam." Too many younger Americans (wait a minute, I'm not old) don't know about what went on there (or where it is on a world map) and too many others are too eager to draw flawed conclusions using it in analogies in situations such as El Salvador. And after this part of the road has been traveled, it can get to the other topics tam listed and we all can get to know Vietnam without so much excess baggage from the 1945-1975 period. Oh yes, I do know where Vietnam is on the map. -- Craig E. Ward <cew@venera.isi.edu> Slogan: "nemo me impune lacessit" USPS: USC Information Sciences Institute 4676 Admiralty Way, Suite 1100 Marina del Rey, CA 90292
jDo@sci.UUCP (James Do) (01/23/90)
This is to express support for the Call for Discussion ``soc.culture.vietnam'' in all its points. The name is appropriate and very succinct; thereby welcoming participation by as large a community within Usenet as possible.