San Jose City Council Woman vs. Little Saigon
A Young Vietnamese Woman's Take on Madison Nguyen
Story by Thuy Ngo
Madison Nguyen was put in a hot spot for all these months because she refused to name a spot specific in San Jose with the name Little Saigon, preferred by older generation Vietnamese in the area, compared to Saigon Business District. She is being called out for misrepresenting the people in a public matter. As a result, she is being told to resign and face heat from many Vietnamese leaders from the Bay Area that could end her political career.
When Madison came into office, I felt so proud to be a woman of color, especially one being Vietnamese. Things seemed to have a sense of hope and pride for the Vietnamese at that time. That meant for me that a woman of color can also see about making changes in our community; we have choice and voice. I do not know if that is so much the case now.
San Jose is a city that has one of the largest community of Vietnamese outside of Vietnam. The streets of San Jose are filled with a mixed populace -- different cultures and races with a good amount of Latinos and Asians, especially on the Eastside where the business district is slotted for. Most of the stores in the area are either Vietnamese or Latino owned except for the mainstream chain stores, with a sprinkle of churches and temples in different areas. We are a minority majority city.
I do not see the political context behind the difference of the names. Why are we going against Madison? What does it prove or mean? As the crowds going against Madison Nguyen, our councilwoman, they continue their battle. I am still awestruck at what our people are telling ourselves by this choice of action. Is it just a refusal to see it? All this fuss is for a name. We are tearing our community apart for a difference that is small, and adds up to something that sounds practically the same either way. Taking Madison out of office does not change the name of the street or better the situation around us in any way. All it does is cause public stigma against someone who has done her best for us in San Jose all these years. The form of action does not fix the gangs in our neighborhoods, fights in out schools, crimes in our areas or any of those things.
If simply changing the name really would deliver all of those things, how about these suggestions? What if we called it Vietnam USA or Saigon the Beautiful? How about Oh Saigon?? As a young Viet looking at this, all I see is that Little Saigon is more catchy. As a bystander looking in, it doesn't seem any different from Saigon Business District, Vietnamese Business District, District of the Vietnamese People, Viet Town or any of those names. I know. Letās call us the Vizzle. Itās more hip to the new generation, no?
Madison is put in this position because she is stuck trying to appease differences of different sides that she might not agree with completely in the first place. All these years serving as our councilwoman, she has really come through in terms of representing the Vietnamese folks by building the Viet Historical Museum in Kelly Park and that among other deeds unmentioned. The betrayal from the community she serves is heartbreaking considering all the work she has put in for the Vietnamese community all these years.
If you really think about it, there probably is no sense of salvation for this dispute even if she did agree to change the name to Little Saigon. The folks trying to bring her down will probably be just as mad as before. This is a sad time for the Vietnamese in San Jose who do believe in Madison. As a young Vietnamese woman seeing another Vietnamese woman go through this situation, I am disheartened and disappointed for our community. I hope there will be a way to make amends with the different parties involved, if it is possible.
