Communist Flag Down AT MSU

Nguyen Thuy Trang
Upon noticing the Vietnamese Communist flag had been used in up comming alumni celebration at Michigan State University, Vietnamese participants brought their objection to Mr. Terry Denbow, vice president for university relations at MSU, explaining the red flag with a star only represents the VN Communist Party, not the people nor the country.

Letter from Terry Denbow.

Dear Doctor Trang

I am Terry Denbow, vice president for university relations at MSU. Betsy White forwarded your e-mail, and I wanted to respond because you deserve a personal response. At graduation, we display flags representing home countries of our graduates. They are meant to show the geographical diversity of the homelands of our students. We do not have the option, of course, of using flags other than those of countries the U.S. recognizes.

We take great pride in our students from Vietnam. On this day of honoring, they honor us. I have a special reason for appreciating your concerns. I had the honor of working in South Vietnam and got to know the heroic people of your native land as a US Army correspondent. I cannot begin to claim I understand the depth of your feelings on this matter. But please know I respect those feelings. Very much. And know I join you in saluting the Vietnamese students who this weekend will become alumni of this great university. May they live in peace and freedom so deserved and so earned! My phone # is 355-2262. My home # is xxx-xxxx. Thank you for a thoughtful.

Letter to Mr Terry Denbow .

Dear Doctor Terry Denbow .

I commend The MSU students commitment to voice the concerns of the students on this campus, and I am objection to MSU vice presidentt Terry Denbow's decision to bring up the Vietnamese Communist Party flag.We very disturbed to discover that the university had brought up a Communist flag. The red flag with a star only represents the VN Communist Party, not the people nor the country. In addition, that flag is a symbol of tyranny to Vietnamese residents in the United States and the exile Vietnamese students at MSU. ManyVietnamese students at MSU are not member of the Communist Party. Do you undestand the pain and devastating feelings when their identity had been taken away? I fully understand and support the Vietnamese-American students for their wishes not to have the communist Vietnamese flag represent them on any campus events that have a display of flags. I understand that the university has a commitment to recognize all students regardless of their political or cultural backgrounds. You should confirm that each student on this campus should be treated with equal respect and recognition.

Best Regards

Doctor Nguyen Thuy Trang M.D