As a proud member of the Vietnamese American community and the California Assembly, I was deeply disappointed by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors' designation on April 30 as “Jane Fonda Day” last week. This decision on a day that has sacred meaning for much of the Vietnamese community was insensitive and hurtful.
April 30 is widely recognized as the painful anniversary of the fall of Saigon in 1975, a day that marks the emotional final chapter of the Vietnam War. Known in the Vietnamese community as “Black April,” it is a day of remembrance when we honor the sacrifices of some 250,000 South Vietnamese soldiers and 60,000 Americans who gave everything for their cause.
After the fall of Saigon, hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese fled the brutal communist regime, with many resorting to risky boat journeys and eventually finding refuge and a new home in Southern California. Many settled just across the Los Angeles County border, in Orange County's Little Saigon community, which has grown to become the largest Vietnamese population outside Vietnam.
Every year, the Little Saigon community gathers on April 30 to commemorate the fall of Saigon. The City of Westminster held a solemn ceremony last week to reflect on the 49th anniversary of Black April and the lasting effects of the Vietnam War. A wreath was laid at the city's Vietnamese-American War Memorial to honor American, Vietnamese and Allied soldiers and the resistance of the Vietnamese people in the face of horrific trials.
While Vietnamese and American soldiers fought bravely, Jane Fonda was active in the propaganda of the North Vietnamese government. Called “Hanoi Jane” for her controversial wartime activities, the actress infamously posed on a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gun that was used to attack American pilots. This was deeply offensive to those who fled persecution and lost loved ones in search of freedom and democracy.
In honoring Fonda in Black April, supervisors ignored the Vietnamese American community, America's Vietnam veterans, and many others, aggravating wounds that have not yet healed. That this solemn day is overshadowed by the celebration of an individual who openly sympathized with the regime responsible for so much suffering is an insult to the memory of those who perished and those who continue to live with the scars of war. This decision demonstrates a lack of empathy for the Vietnamese diaspora and highlights the need for greater cultural awareness.
I urge the Supervisors to reconsider this decision, work closely with the Vietnamese American community to understand the pain they have caused, and remember this day with the solemnity and respect it deserves.
Tri Ta is a member of the Republican Assembly representing Orange County.
