“Đả Đảo Cục Cức” – “Down With the Shit”
This poem was performed at One Mic night, as part of the F.O.B. II: Art Speaks exhibition. One Mic had previously been scheduled on January 16th, 2009, but was postponed due to an early shutdown of the exhibition. The poet had her ideas for this poem while being in the January 16th morning closing press conference, hearing the protesters shouting outside, and people arguing inside the yard where the conference took place – VAALA officials were not allowed to hold a press conference inside the Santa Ana building. The protesters were denouncing all current VAALA officials and past VAALA officials, even the deceased, when suddenly she heard “Đả đảo cục cức” (meaning “Down with the shit”), to which she finds herself agree whole-heartedly!
The actual performance occurred on February 7 at Cross-Cultural Center in UC Irvine. We are trying to acquire the video clip of this performance and will update this page with it soon.
February 7, 2009
6:00pm
by jenni trang le
music mix by thuan nguyen aka “DJ 2-1”
special thanks to Tram, Lan, Ysa, Thu-Huong, Ann
In the night I overheard them talk
The coldest story ever told
Somewhere far along this road
They lost their souls… to a war so heartless.
Refugees of Art
We knew before we started the challenges of reason
Bringing vision to grey seasons of change
In a community ironically bound by oppression and scare tactics
That have left wounds traumatized and reactive
We chose to open our eyes and speak
Wax dialogue and move beyond the surface of “symbols”
That wield too much power in this hour of Hope.
[ START MUSIC MIX #1 “HEARTLESS” ]
How could you be so heartless?
At the gallery, i told a woman, “it’s not black and white”
And she said, “yes it is.”
And it silenced me
Made me feel 8 years old again
When my mother said “because I said so”
And I had no defense.
When I asked what the Viet Nam war was
And my family said, “Đừng có lo… cứ học giỏi mẹ thương…”
Just focus on the future success of material wealth
The American Dream.
Turn your head, instead.
The community extremists’ eyes blaze
In a furious haze
Their tunneled rage
Incites mob mentalities
Leaving no insight into healing…
Or dealing.
Let’s mix it up, shall we?
Several vulgarities were left on the voicemail machines of co-curators’ Lan & Tram…
[ START & SCRATCH VULGAR VOICEMAIL MESSAGES ]
“Đả Đảo Cục Cức”
“Down With the Shit”
You can call us names
Seek fame from exploiting slander-made drama.
But I will not cower into submissive, dutiful, gendered, abiding citizenship.
Down with that shit.
We will extend our hands
If you’re willing to unclench your fists,
Start healing this communal heartbreak
Because like it or not, we come from the same bloodied history,
Despite birthright, motherland, father tongue…
And I’m standing here wanting to understand you but
Until you understand me
We cannot stand in peace.
I will fight you with the strongest weapon in my lyrical arsenal:
Love. Tình Cảm.
Acceptance. Chấp Nhận.
Knowledge. Kiến Thức.
Empathy. Thông Cảm.
[ START MUSIC MIX #2 “HEAL THE WORLD” ]
Tụi em sẻ thương, ủng hộ cộng đòng tới cái lúc mà tang nác tất cả…
SING ALONG!
We are the world, we are the children
We are the ones who make a better day, so let’s start giving…
Articles by Jenni Trang Lê
- “Đả Đảo Cục Cức” - 16.02.2009
- Artboy - 30.12.2006
- Bài Poem Song Ngữ Đầu Tiên - 02.09.2006
- Bài Poem Song Ngữ số hai - 10.08.2006
I would like to hear more people like Jenni Trang Le.
After the VAALA incident, it is pretty clear that there is a disconnect between the first and second generations of Vietnamese Americans. Intended by its organisers or not, VAALA has caused a sequence of exchanges across the generations, most visibly through the Internet community. I see people expressed their passionate opinions, with which I might agree or disagree. So, in this regard, I think VAALA was ultimately achieving its said goal of initiating a dialogue within the community.
To nguyen,
If you are unable to see beyond the raw numbers, then I really have nothing left to say to you. You are entitled to your own opinion about the extremist and perhaps you’re considering I’m an extremist as well. I really don’t mind nor do I care. I’m speaking out of my own experience and perception as the events unfolding in front of me. And frankly, those examples you’ve listed do not apply to me as I have never once set foot to both the Ngo Ky’s rally or Viet Weekly prostest.
If you would like to know what the majority is thinking or if the majority is siding with James Du? Perhaps you could have “another” exhibition. This time, please make sure that you have the proper permission from the city and you could seek the answer for yourself.
I respect your belief and I would just leave the decision and the action for you. I’ll continue to observe what VAALA and you would do or say in the future.
Regards.
PhuongNam
To Phuong Nam,
The fact is the key word here Phuong Nam, “the number speaks for itself”, one doesn’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure out that the shy of 100 people will not represent the community of 145,000, let alone the 1.5 millions Viets in North America. Mr. Ngo Ky and his goons very much holding on to the same believe as your when they drags their protest against Nguoi Viet newspaper over a year, but “sorry Ngo Ky, the majority of the real Viet community in SOC doesn’t seem to supporting you, the Nguoi Viet newspaper still going strong while your supporter never grow more than 100”. Another example for you Phuong Nam, case of Viet Weekly magazine, despite of the 11 months of non stop protest by the small group of extremist, it even grew stronger (source: Le Vu, Viet Weekly’s editor). I m not saying that the majority is supporting communist either. But, just a thought, may be the silent majority is siding with James Du? Don’t jump Phuong Nam, just a thought.
To Nguyen,
About your rationale above which you called “proof”, I assume that you think that the “silent majority” did not feel that they were offended by the HCM status and the red flag, the woman holding the Viagra bottle, or the bob-wired painting symbolizing the yellow flag that were exhibited? Then you are either naive or you are completely disconnected with what is happening in the “community”. And perhaps, you are not even able to recognize or to identify yourself with the nature of most Vietnamese.
“Freedom of speech” and “self expression” are traits that we adopt from the American society. Therefore, among the very few in the community who might have overused these “rights”, most Vietnamese do not find themselves familiar with this habit. So, for most people, they could have had countless of reasons to NOT participate in the protest. The economic downturn is also a very pronounced concern and a legitimate reason to not participate in a protest which occurred during a weekday. But that doesn’t mean that they were excluded from feeling betrayal, or insulted. I hope you take notice of the fact that those who felt insulted and were angry did NOT ask for it. I, as an example, would love to be able to mind my own business instead of having to spend time answer you or to speak out about how I feel about the exhibition. I hope you read more of what I have posted in this forum about the 4 controversial art pieces (link http://damau.org/archives/3502 ). Beside, if you know a bit more about science and research in social sciences, you would also understand the simple phrase “the numbers could lie” when, even in a scientific research project, it is often difficult to account for “perception” since people who have agreed to participate in research survey may still not tell their true feelings. The numbers, the statistical analyses, therefore, may not necessary reflect the truth, let alone your little calculation.
Then comes the question “So, how would I know that people were up set and offended other people?” The answer is from my own true feeling of a 1.5 generation Vietnamese American who speaks and write both languages regularly; and from the numerous hours I’ve spent reading comments on the different Vietnamese forums on the internet. If I could feel insulted, so do thousands of other who are NOT like what were assumed by you as such we are a small group of extremists. I’m in my 30s. I respect and treasure the efforts of those who try to keep the yellow flag as our Vietnamese community’s identity.
Unlike you, I am here to discuss my points and to try to have a better understanding of the the Vietnamese immigrants’ interests and conflicts in their thinking and behaviors. I’d like to learn, to read, to share and to discuss the issue with the hope that by sharing my thoughts, I could help with bridging the gaps between the different perceptions from the different generations. I’m not here to prove a point with unfounded logic (and believed that it is” the truth”), or to release my anger or stress over the fact that so many people who kept on returning to Vietnam also carried the conflicting feelings that may very well include hatred and anger toward Ho Chi Minh and the Communists.
There are a number of essays about this topic on this site, I hope you’d read them to have a better understanding of feelings and perceptions which were built from experiences and history.
If art is about capturing, conveying and expressing humanity, it is expected of the artists to be conscious of and to have a hight level of understanding of those whose he/she portraits. And he/she should also be ready for disagreements, or in the worse case scenarios being protested if his/her artwork insulted others.
Thưa mệ Vĩnh Khâm, một số nhận xét của ông rất xác đáng, tuy vẫn cho rằng sự cố “cộng đồng” xử ép Vaala là không đúng, là hành động cả vú lấp miệng em. Tôi cũng phải nhận là trong lúc bức xúc, đã thiếu suy nghĩ khi mỉa mai những nỗi thương tâm có thực của những nạn nhân chế độ cộng sản VN, và tôi xin lỗi về sự vô ý thức đó. Công tâm mà nói, thì tôi đã phê phán một cách phiến diện, vì tuy sinh ra và lớn lên ở Saigon, trong nền Đệ I và Đệ II Cộng Hòa, suốt thời gian chiến cuộc, tôi chỉ “mơ trăng sao và vơ vẩn cùng mây”, cho đến lúc rời quê hương vào cuối tháng tư 75 bằng tàu….bay, những đụng chạm sát nhất của tôi vào cuộc chiến có lẽ là những lần biểu tình chống tăng học phí và xuống đường theo linh mục Trần Hữu Thanh. Sự va chạm thực tế của tôi với cộng sản VN là những chuyến đi VN làm ăn và du lịch, tôi đã có dịp đi nghiên cứu thực tế suốt từ Bắc vào Nam, tôi thấy sinh hoạt ở VN không có “ghê rợn” như bố mẹ tôi diễn tả (bố mẹ tôi qua sau theo diện đoàn tụ). Tôi cảm thấy có một dây liên hệ với quê hương gấm vóc, với dân tộc, một tự hào với Nguyễn Thái Học, với Điện Biên Phủ.
Tôi rất cảm thông với câu nói của anh Brian Đoàn “tôi không chống cộng và cũng không thân cộng…” , tôi không có một kỷ niệm đáng nhớ nào với cộng sản VN để căm thù, và cũng như không rảnh rỗi để tìm hiểu chủ nghĩa cộng sản làm gì, với tư cách là khách du lịch, nhà nước VN thoải mái thì tôi đến, không thì tôi đi. Tôi cũng đóng góp khá nhiều vào những hoạt động từ thiện tại VN và các nước. Nếu bảo tôi rằng những khốn khổ của những người thiếu may mắn ở quê nhà là do nhà nước VN, thi tôi không “thấy” điều đó, tôi thấy họ cũng như tôi thấy những số phận kém may mắn ở Mexico, ở Kenya, ở Khmer và ngay cả ở Mỹ.
Tôi lại thấy chính những sự chụp mũ, kết án hàm hồ, những suy diễn ấu trĩ như “nếu không chống cộng thì thân cộng”, lên án những chuyện vu vơ như thắt lưng của Tommy Ngô, lời lẽ và hành động thiếu văn hóa, có tính áp bức làm tôi không có mấy thiện cảm với nhóm biểu tình, chưa kể là có ít xít ra nhiều, lấy ví dụ như vụ biểu tình tại Cypress college vừa qua, trong khi báo OC Register đưa con số người tham dự là “vài chục – few dozens”, báo Cychron (Cypress local newspaper) đưa con số là 40, báo Người Việt là “khoảng 100”, còn báo mạng điện tử Ánh Dương lại nâng con số lên là “hàng trăm….”, xem video clip của OC Register thì thấy họ đã quay cho đến lúc tan hàng, không thể ngụy biện bảo là số người đó đến sau được, chuyện “Một ông Việt Nam chỉ tay về phía ông James Du và nói với cảnh sát rằng: “He’s Communist. He killed American.” Trích báo Người Việt số ra ngày 18 tháng 2, 2009. Thưa ông Vĩnh Khâm, với những người đã hấp thụ văn hóa và lối sống ở Mỹ, làm sao có thể đồng ý với cách thức thổi phồng tin tức và ăn nói hồ đồ như vậy được. Sự cố như Mặt Trận Hoàng Cơ Minh – Hoàng Cơ Định thổi phồng tin tức khu chiến chống cộng, đã gạt bao nhiêu là tiền đóng góp của dân tị nạn, rồi cái ông HO nào đó trong vụ Trần Trường, ôm thùng “donation” làm của riêng… nói nữa lại bảo là tôi xét nét, vạch lá tìm sâu, nhưng mà tôi bức xúc, thưa ông, vì chính tôi cũng đã bỏ hai đêm đi chống vụ Trần Trường, có lẽ vì do máu nóng tuổi trẻ bốc đồng hơn là thực sự hiểu ý nghĩa vụ Trần Trường.
Ông Hung Tran chê tôi là vô cảm với những nỗi đau cũng có phần đúng, tuy có đóng góp từ thiện cho quê hương, nhưng tôi không thể phủ nhận là đã không ăn chơi phè phỡn nhờ sự khác biệt hối xuất và mức sống thấp kém ở VN. Nhưng nếu lấy hình ảnh tôi “mát trời ông địa” với “lá cờ máu” và hình bác Hồ tại hiện trường quán “hát với nhau”, mà bảo là tôi thân cộng hay cộng sản thì đó là sự chụp mũ hàm hồ, ngu xuẩn, và dĩ nhiên nếu tôi có phản ứng kiểu Chí Phèo là điều tự nhiên thôi, vì cũng như anh Brian Đoàn (thấy người sang bắt quàng làm họ), tôi không có bị mẫn cảm với hình tượng cộng sản. Với tôi nó chỉ là cái cờ, cái tượng như cờ Mễ, cờ Canada, tượng Nelson Mandela…nghĩa là chẳng ăn dộng gì đến tôi cả, dĩ nhiên là tôi có xúc cảm và thân thương với cò vàng ba sọc đỏ chứ, vì nó đã hiện diện suốt thời niên thiếu của tôi. Nhưng bảo vì nó mà tôi phải bảo vệ thì không, vì bây giờ cờ của tôi là cờ Mỹ.
“Cái tôi là cái đáng ghét” tôi cũng chẳng hơn ai, chỉ muốn nói lên phần nào tâm trạng của người đến Mỹ trong diện tị nạn cộng sản nhưng không chống hay thân cộng. Thấy đám đông hùa nhau đánh hội đồng những người trẻ dấn thân có ý làm tốt cho cộng đồng, mà còn bị chụp mũ là tay sai cộng sản thì bực mình, thế thôi. Cái lối giáo dục kiểu chúng tao là người lớn, đã dày dặn kinh nghiệm hơn, nạt nộ, văng tục, chửi rủa, áp bức mà không cần nghe ý kiến của người nhỏ tuổi hơn không thể có hiệu lực ở Mỹ được, tôi dám chắc là quý ông bà đó cũng không có dạy con cái họ theo kiểu đó được, thì sao lại lấy ra mà áp dụng với những người trẻ có lòng như Vaala, như Brian Đoàn. Cung cách của ban giám tuyển Vaala hôm ở buổi họp thật là đáng quý, có văn hóa cao và rất biết tôn trọng người lớn tuổi, chứ như tôi, là tôi đã đã………nói theo như thơ ông Nguyễn Chí Thiện là “…kệ cha Bác” và đi shopping.
Yes, PhuongNam, I can prove to you “the community” is actually a small group as compare to the real Vietnamese community in Southern Ca (SCA). Let’s say there is 145,000 Vietnamese in SCA, 1% of it is 1,450. The protesters of Vaala is nearly 500, and only 60 show up at Cypress College to protest Brian Doan. The OC Register reports of “few dozens protesters..”, the Cypress local newspaper put it at 40 protesters, NguoiViet newspaper reports “almost 100” and the AnhDuong (Viet newspaper online) blows it up to several hundreds??? Now, there are tenth of thousands Vietnamese in SOC travel to VN yearly, especially in Xmas and Lunar. Just ask any travel agency in Little Saigon, a couple months prior to Tet, they sold out flight to VN. These SOC Vietnamese American once in VN, they are facing “Blood Flag and Ho Chi Minh images” everywhere they look, and there aren’t any report of any incident, no “flash back of Mau Than or any atrocities they had to put up during the time they live under the evil communist regime”, no one pass out, instead they are enjoying their stay in VN to the max (goto Youtube and search for “Vietnam travel”, there are hundreds of video clip showing how “suffering” these Viet Kieu are in VN. Moreover, right in the heart of Little Saigon, there are several hundreds of video of Vietnam today, there are titles like “Viet kieu ve que an choi” – up to episode 8th, “Vietnam Tet Parade”, “Xmas in Vietnam 2007″….. one can not see any image of “82 millions Vietnamese suffering under the evil regime and cry out for “the community” to speak up for them, but scene of people living and conducting their life as normal as any country in the world. I m sure someone in “the community” will cry out that those scenes must be setup by the Viet communist to fool the Viet kieu and visitors.
This is America in the 21st century, get the facts, tell the truth. No more ” i m older than you, thus I must be wiser”. Prove it! There say “People dont get respect just because they are old, but they must earn it”. Oh, what about the film “We want to live” that’s must be it. Yeah, what about it?, the film about something happened way back in 1950. Go to Shanghai, Beijing and tell those Chinese “Hey, remember Mao Tse Tung, Cultural Revolution, Tiennaman Square, hey hey, you are living under the evil regime, wake up, protest for your right, all of the luxuries you have now are just communist propaganda, waking up!”. Yes, waking up please.
Hi Jenni and Nguyen,
Having my own kids and having both of my parents alive, I could also tell you endless stories about the sacrifices my parents made so that I could be where I am now and do what I do now. I am also very proud to have them as my role models despite their deficiencies due to, in certain extend, lack of ability to adapt to the new environment. They have taught me to learn, to appreciate and to take pride in our history and our past to be a better person today and tomorrow.
If you (nguyen) consider Jenni is as an 8 years old and still too young to comprehend what is right and what is wrong is one thing. But if those are words of encouragements so that one could continue to look down on the elderly, stating that you “feel pity for them” and “they are obsolete and incompetent to the change around them”, I think, is completely in denial of the mistakes and shortcomings of VAALA as a group.
Reading your poem, I sensed that you really do have problems with connecting to the older generation and to your heritage. The inability to understand why one was angry enough to leave threatening voice messages*, and for that, I’m questioning your ability to understand what you were written so eloquently “Love. Tình Cảm., Acceptance. Chấp Nhận., Knowledge. Kiến Thức, Empathy. Thông Cảm.”
It is quite bothersome to feel such disconnection from the artists who have their artworks protested and those who supported them with their articles, opinions etc. here on damau.org, to the “community”. It is unpleasant to see that -again, those who have been protested against- repeatedly and agreeably believed that there is ONLY a small group of vocal people called themselves “the community” protested against them. I consider myself a part of the community. I don’t believe that those who were angry were a small group of extremists although I don’t think it was wise nor it was right to vandalize or use vulgar words. There are a lot of people that were angry at the particular artworks. They just don’t speak out.
FOBII: Art Speaks undeniably was a failure. In summary, it failed its goal to “facilitate conversations between the community and the community of artists” (quote Lan Duong). The curators and ALL of the artists were not able to connect with the audience since the medium for the dialogue manifested anger and nurtured retaliations. VAALA has a choice to remain its image of a group people who would not accept their responsibility and learn from the mistake they made, but rather be angry of the community (as a whole) because of the acts of some “extremists”. However, the lingering reaction(s) after all has been said and done, that this poem serves as an example, although protected under the freedom of expression does little healing but helps in polarizing the “community” – assuming you are self-considered a member of it – even more.
* News: Nadya Suleman, the octuplet mother received death threat. Police said Thursday they will investigate and advise her publicist on how to handle a torrent of other nasty messages that have flooded his office.