34- THE NATION’S SOURCE OF LIFE

When we write or talk, we should sincerely share what we see and know with others. We should not “expect” others to listen, accept, or respect us. Also, we should not “fear” that others will oppose, hate, or not accept our thoughts.

Just consider us as normal like everyone else. Do not think that when we write or talk, we know better than others; please remember there are those who know well but do not write or talk. They accept what we say because they think like us. If they do not accept what we say, because they think differently, this does not mean that what they think is wrong.

There are many reasons why people have different views or opinions. Such differences may come from the foundation of family, religion, nation, or living conditions.

The Vietnamese people are so divided because there are many reasons behind their differences. Therefore, there are many obstacles in building of the community.

One of the main reasons that the Vietnamese people are divided is the so-called political strategy of the French colonialists: “divide to rule”. As a result of that, the French colonialists divided our country into three parts: the North, the Central, and the South. Until today, people of these three parts continue to have prejudices against one another.

Furthermore, people have followed different parties, different regimes. Some served in the army fighting in the battlefields, while others enjoyed life in the cities. More recently in Vietnam, hatred stems from the difference between new classes and levels created by the current regime. It also the case between families with overseas relatives or wealthy ones, and helpless people who struggle to survive, those who sleep on sidewalks or agonize in the new economic zones.

In overseas Vietnamese communities, complication tends to intensify between those who arrived in 1975 and others who arrived in 1985 or later. Those who are well educated can easily integrate in the new society, while the less fortunate now still face obstacles to earning a living because of the lack of skills or language. While many have been working hard to pay taxes, others try in every way to cheat the system and never think about the newcomers from refugee camps who really need more assistance, etc.

These are just a few examples to illustrate the reasons for jealousy, hatred, and division among Vietnamese people; not yet to mention the political and religious differences.

So how can we mend these divisions?

In order to mend these divisions, we need a strong patriotic spirit and a deep sense of nationalism. Only a deep sense of nationalism can help us to overcome all individual differences, all partisan differences, and all religious differences. We should see that our essential source of life is the source of the nation. Once we can clearly see our Vietnamese source of life, we will start to hold hands with one another to reconstruct our national house, the beloved home of the offspring of the Dragons and the Deities, and we will not feel ashamed in the presence of our Ancestors.