Garden Grove Mayor Bao Nguyen came under fire early this week for refusing to add his name to a letter officially condemning the city of Riverside for engaging in a sister city relationship with Can Tho, Vietnam. Bao’s position is pretty simple: he doesn’t want other cities telling Garden Grove what to do so he’s not going to tell Riverside what to do.
But some Vietnamese-Americans in Little Saigon came unglued at Nguyen’s refusal to add his name to a letter from the city to Riverside protesting the sister city relationship.
To remind people that he’s completely against communism, Bao issued this statement this morning. This is what integrity looks like. :
I am opposed to communism in Vietnam because I am opposed to oppression and corruption everywhere. If we are to believe in democratic principals, we need to fight against the corruption in Garden Grove. That is why I ran for mayor.
We need to focus on our priorities, where we can make a difference.
The District Attorney is investigating possible criminal misconduct relating to (1) the hiring of the son of the previous mayor of Garden Grove as a Fireman for the city of Garden Grove, and (2) the employment contract that Garden Grove entered into in 2014 with the previous Garden Grove Fire Chief.
We need to cooperate with that investigation. Do not be distracted by any attempts to cover up the abuses of power in our city. As a city we have made it clear that we do not welcome official delegations from the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. We have affirmed the sacrifices made by those of generations before mine, of which I am a direct beneficiary. As mayor of Garden Grove, I am committed to upholding the community’s desire to never be in a sister city relationship with any authoritarian regime, such as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
Please, let’s unite to fight for a better future for our children. Because we are survivors of bad government, we are charged with a duty to ensure the highest standards for good government for ourselves, here at home.
For those in Garden Grove, Westminster and Santa Ana, we’ll remind you a considerable amount of business is done between the United States and Vietnam which much of it centered in Orange County and San Jose. If you’re so opposed to the repressive regime in Vietnam, then walk the walk, don’t just talk the talk. Stop doing business with Vietnam and find other ways to work with Vietnamese ex-pats on business ventures.
OC Weekly had a pretty good chapter and verse on the meeting (we linked to it above). From Charles Lam’s story:
So why won’t Nguyen sign the letter? During discussion, Nguyen cited his belief in the idea that one city should not mettle in the affairs of another, and that in doing so, the city of Garden Grove would be breaking the mutual respect of democracy between it and Riverside.
“I would not like Riverside telling Garden Grove what to do,” Nguyen said. “Those are elected officials just like us. And they represent people. That’s the bottom line. We have to be the ones to lead by example.”
His decision was immediately unpopular among the dozens of people who attended to speak specifically on that issue. During Nguyen’s explanation, the crowd murmured amongst themselves. As he finished and moved onto the vote, roughly two dozen people walked out, angrily yelling phrases such as “Down with Bao Nguyen” and “I voted for you” as they left.
We applaud Mayor Nguyen’s judgment and common sense here. But if voters and citizens in Garden Grove ever need a champion to fight communism in their city, we’ll remind then they elected that champion Mayor in November.
.he has integrity alright and a pair of balls as well. too bad so many other viet politicians couldn’t have the same courage as him. and you’re right about so many not walking the walk in the community those same people bitching about Vietnam are the same people buying goods imported from Vietnam.. lets not forget the mayor of riverside and his courage not to bend to those freaks in the community who went over there by the busload to protest about nothing.
I fell out of my chair. You’re actually agreeing with something I wrote?
It seems to me that the Vietnamese population of Garden Grove has a legitimate interest in this issue and that it would not be inappropriate for the City of Garden Grove to inform another city of their views in this regard.
Sounds fair enough. So should Laguna Beach pass a resolution condemning runaway development in Irvine?
IMHO Bao did the right thing here. Of course, he and most other Garden Grove residents object to the continued oppression of the Vietnamese people. It’s just ridiculous to grandstand in Riverside when so many American cities and companies are doing so much business in Vietnam. And as Dan notes, there are businesses right there in OC that are doing business in Vietnam.
If Bao Nguyen is anti-communist, as he said he is, wouldn’t he want to stop the spread of communism and its culture of corruption in this country by sharing his experience with the members of the Riverside City Council, and explaining why his city passed resolution banning them from doing business in Garden Grove. Given that the decision is up to Riverside, and this is in no way telling Riverside what to do.
Communism isn’t spreading in this country. Cultures of corruption do exist but not simply Vietnamese in nature. If you want to make an impact, not supporting Vietnam economically that stop supporting businesses in Little Saigon who trade with Vietnam.
I agree with plenty of what you say unless your being an ass or an all around douchebag then im not. and junior, those protesters need to realize they aren’t in Vietnam anymore.
da le, the only spread of communism here is being spread by protesters who want to shut down newspapers and restaurants because they think that those people are some kind of communists and all of this is fueled by idiots who are so ungrateful for all they have in this country that somebody else fought and died for. bao nguyen is probably the best politician the viet community has ever had here in oc lets hope he stays strong.
Yep. Let’s hope he keeps up the great job cleaning house in Garden Grove City Hall.
Boa’s excuses are weak – it is time to stand up for what he says he believes – it’s just a damn letter.
he is standing up for what he believes.