Is it possible to knock sense into "Cold War Era" Immigrants who vote GOP

[NNguyenMD]

I've noticed that the parents of many of my friends vote consistently Republican. Cubans, (Shah Era) Iranians, and former Soviet Bloc Eastern Europeans, and Vietnamese immigrants consistently vote Republicans thinking as if Bush himself is actively fighting communism.

By Vietnamese standards, I come from a very liberal family, and in liberal I mean my parents and I don't vote Republican. Though my folks are relatively conservative socially, they realize that since coming to the United States it wouldn't have been possible for them to be where they are today without tax payer funded social programs to help immigrant refugees and the poor. Both my parents, who came in the early 80's, were able to reclaim the professions they had before leaving Vietnam, my father a doctor and my mom a pharmacist. I was born here, not long after my folks came to the US. For most of my youth until I was age 8 or 9 we benefited from public housing, foodstamps, medicaid, there was even a government sponsored program to help Vietnamese refugee professionals like my father, recertify his lisence to practice medicine in the US. Though they didn't always vote Democrat, much less vote at all, since Clinton's second term we have all been registered Democrats. Why? because my parents don't fall for the myth that any single American politician is going to protect from the from Phantom Communists perpurtrated in the blatantly right-wing Vietnamese American media. They benefited from public services, and they realize that helping those less fortunate does not amount to socialism, but a good, respectful society where everyone has a chance to prosper. It also helped that much of the wealth they've accumulated today boomed in value during the era of Clinton.


Now, the path to my parents seeing the light and becoming Democrats is a rare on in the Southern California Vietnamese community. There are droves of wannabe Rush Limbaughs on Vietnamese American radio, and even more of them who contribute in print. If you wandered through Little Saigon in Orange County California during Election 2004, you would ahve seen magazines on display depicting Kerry as a Vampire, or bed buddy of Ho Chi Minh.

Rich Vietnamese Americans have an easy reason to support the GOP, because their wealth is heavily tied to China and other low wage asian countries where they've invested millions if not billions into. And we all know what a reliable friend the GOP has been to China.

The poor Vietnamese strike me as a real conundrum however. They actually think Bush is protecting them from the communists. Can you believe that? Despite being one of the largest recipients of public assistance, they will vote for the very people determined to cut them off, ALL on the false promise that the GOP will one day defeat the communists.

The Vietnamese in California are so crazy, they get ape-shit if they hear you've spent money visiting Vietnam. Thats right, not long ago the LA Times covered a story about a former Vietnamese General who finally decided it was time to return to his homeland to visit the fmaily he left. The anti-communist organizations went nuts, literally calling for this guy's head. His daughter who is a popular commentator for a Vietnamese Music Show Series titled "Paris By Night" was threatened with boycott if her father didn't repent on his visit. This is the level of stupidity that shames me in that fact that this was the community I grew up in.

Back to my original point though, if there any chance of knocking sense into this kind of mentality. One that forcibly traps itself in bitterness from a war that ended decades ago?

[fujiyama]

1. Interesting post

and it's something Dems have to deal with regarding various immigrant groups.

The GOP has been able to convince many hispanics (rich as well as poor) as well that he is a good Christian and a "macho man", mainly with the GOP's anti-abortion and homophobic stance.

This is certainly a crucial demographic for Dems, especially in the southwest region (which some consider a more competetive region than the South).

As for those from communist countries (like Vietnam and Cuba), I think it's best to show the cozy relationship the GOP has with the Chinese government, which of the communist dictatorships still surviving, is the most brutal.

Also, another thing that makes little sense, is the "family values" bullshit the GOP has been able to purptrate among relatively conservative immigrant groups. Dems and Dem policies are better for families. The GOP doesn't give a shit about your kid's healthcare or education or anything else for that matter.

[NNguyenMD]

2. kick