The Fuss Over Non-English Languages

by Thomas Hutchings
July 20, 2006

Ho Chi Minh City – In the past few weeks an article was written about the use of the English language in America. The story told about a Philadelphia sub shop owner who put up a sign in his restaurant that reads, “This is America. When ordering, speak in English.” An article in the Christian Science Monitor on July 19, 2006, describes a backlash taking root across America – a backlash aimed at the Latino culture.

In the article, the writer mentions local ordinances aimed at inhibiting taco stands in Gwinnet County, Georgia, a ban on landlords in Hazelton, PA renting to undocumented people, or “illegal aliens” as the conservative, fearful Americans are more apt to use, and little towns in Kansas attempting to outlaw people sitting on front porches – a tradition among Latinos.

It would seem America is headed towards putting a blindbold over the Statue of Liberty. (Well, why not? It was a gift from France and they didn’t support Bush’s illegal war in Iraq.) But, the trend in America is not towards being anti-Latino, but the Christian Science Monitor reports that acceptance of immigration is at a five year high, citing a recent Gallup poll.

In Viet Nam, a small country that fought and struggled for independence for over 100 years, has a language within the Austroasiatic family of languages. About thirty percent of the vocabulary is from the Chinese. Vietnamese is simply a difficult language to learn, by most Westerners’ accounts, but I find it much easier to learn than a Vietnamese who is learning English.

Throughout Viet Nam, an increasing amount of schools are offering classes in English, French, Chinese, Korean and Japanese. In many areas throughout the country, any English speaker can find a Vietnamese to talk to about nearly anything.

Many schools begin to offer English in the middle levels, about 5th Grade, and many students study English for a few years or more. Adults who remember the American War, and who quite possibly helped that wrong side, also speak some English. It seems one can find English in just about every village in the southern half of Viet Nam.

In my travels throughout the country, I have been very pleasantly surprised to hear Vietnamese greeting me in English. Many conversations I have with Vietnamese are by them speaking English to me and my speaking Vietnamese to them.

In Viet Nam, I have never encountered anyone who has barred my access from any commercial establishment, restaurant or otherwise, merely because I do not have a complete fluency in Vietnamese. If anything, Vietnamese will bend over backwards to try and accommodate my speaking their tongue. It is a language that has six different tones and if a speaker inflects a word incorrectly, the meaning of the sentence is lost. I have found Vietnamese to be very patient with me and very helpful as I stumble attempting to find the correct rise, fall, curl, or dead stop tone of a word to get it right. We collectively agree that I have six tries to get a word correct.

I will soon hire a teacher and gain the fluency I desire in about a year. In the meantime, I’ll consider the backlash in the U.S. against non-English speaking people and how insipid they look from this perspective. Perhaps if the Sioux, Algonquins, Winnebagoes, Iroquois, Chippewa and many other tribes had required the newly-arrived English speakers to adapt to the native tongue of the New World’s tribal nations, things in America would just be a little different. But, that’s a fallacious argument, and the fact remains: many Americans are just plain afraid of anything different, and proud to prove the fear.

Bush– Aiding And Abetting Terrorism

by Thomas Hutchings
15 July 2006

Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam – The Bush administration, that incessantly believes that it must remain exempt from the checks and balances incorporated into the United States Constitution, has taken a new step towards becoming what it hates; a supporter of terrorism. It’s been reported in the world press that George W. Bush refuses to press Israel for a cease fire in its criminal attacks on the Gaza Strip and Lebanon.

An Israeli police officer runs past the scene of a Hezbollah rocket attack. AP Photo.

There can be no doubt that Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Hamas in the Gaza Strip are committing heinous acts of terrorism. However, Israel has taken a new stance and has bombed Gaza’s crumbling infrastructure shutting down electrical supplies needed for pumping water, blasting legislative offices, abducting legislators and controlling access into and out of the Gaza Strip. Israel has created a “de facto” mass concentration camp named “Gaza.” Israel casually and repeatedly uses snipers to shoot into Gaza. They have used weapons fired from jet fighters destroying houses and killing civilians.

The acts of Israel retaliating for the across-the-border attacks and the kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers by Hamas and Hezbollah can be defined as nothing more than “state acts of terrorism.” An agreed-upon definition of terrorism is, “The unlawful use or threatened use of force or violence by a person or an organized group against people or property with the intention of intimidating or coercing societies or governments, often for ideological or political reasons.” By this definition, a country that uses its military to destroy civilian infrastructure of another nation is committing state acts of terrorism. The killing of innocent civilians must be condemned whether it is by freedom fighters, guerilla groups or recognized political states. The definition of terrorism applied to individuals is equally applied to states.

Israel is targeting Lebanon and the Gaza Strip with such a ferocious violence that the world is demanding Israel stop. Under the accepted definition of terrorism, Israel has sent it bombers and aimed its artillery at civilian structures, water supplies, bridges and residential areas in a callous disregard for human life. Israel may believe that only Israeli lives are worth much more than Muslim life. By its actions, Israel is a terrorist state.

George W. Bush, a long-standing friend of Israel, refuses to press Israel towards a cease fire. If anything, Bush is promoting Israel’s state acts of terrorism by stating, “Israel has a right to defend herself.” No one can dispute that a country has a right to defend itself, but this LAPD versus Rodney King use of military deadly force, above and beyond what is absolutely necessary, under the color of its state authority, dehumanizes life and subjects others to live in a constant state of fear. Bush has gone so far as to ignore the plea of Lebanon’s Prime Minister Fuad Saniora for a cease fire.

Lebanese medics carry a victim of an Israeli attack. AP photo.

On September 16, 2001, Bush giving impetus to America’s nacsent war against terrorism, stated, "This is a new kind of evil and we understand, and the American people are beginning to understand, this crusade, this war on terrorism, is going to take a while.” Acknowledging George W. Bush’s deeply-rooted Christian convictions gives one the impression that he will side with those who are against Islam – that it is a “crusade.” Islam and Judaism have been in a struggle for countless generations. The United States has militarized the Middle East and has given Israel the upper hand against its impoverished Islamic neighbors, to the extent of looking the other way at Israel’s nuclear arsenal. By his statements alone, one cannot mistake Bush’s unrelenting support for Israel, even when her state acts of terrorism are what the United States should be fighting against. Bush supporting Israel is tacit support and condoning state acts of terrorism.

Israeli bombs a Lebanese television tower. AP Photo.

The world community must sanction Israel and demand its brutal attacks against civilians and the infrastructure of Gaza Strip and southern Lebanon. The world community must sanction the United States, and Bush specifically, for the most calloused disregard for human decency. Sadly, the United States is viewed by many around the world as lacking credibility as a model for ethical and moral behavior.

(coming in a few days, the first installment of “A Viet Nam Central Highlands Roadtrip.”)

Still Alive in Viet Nam!

by Tom Hutchings
14 July 2006

Ho Chi Minh City - It's been awhile since my last blog. I hesitate to write that it's been about 2 months, and for that I am regretful. It's been a very hectic period of time. Some of my previous blogs have been very cutting towards the Bush administration, given everything they have been doing in many areas, mainly in privacy and constitutional issues. Some of my blogs have been more relaxed after visiting coffee shops along the Saigon River with friends. I still have to write, the last two months have been busy.

The University of Technical Education,where I teach, increased the class load and the need to create a new curriculum was necessary. Many things in education here are done at the last minute (or in the week before a new term begins). At the same time, I was putting the polishing touches on my manuscript of the recently completed "Tears of Tay Ninh" as I needed to get a finalized copy to a publisher that has expressed interest. That alone, took many hours.

I took some time travelling in Viet Nam, as well. My next blog, hopefully in the next few days, will give a perspective of everyday Vietnamese life in the rural villages and smaller towns of the Central Highlands. I'll put up photos along with the story. Spending time "on the road" with the Vietnamese and riding the same busses with the livestock, bicycles, bags of avocadoes and luggage and experiencing the weaving in and out of traffic, funerals and dodging oxcarts was literally a trip.

Until the next week, peace to all. That's a difficult thing to say with the world situation flaring up, but the wish remains the same. Peace to all of you.