A personal project of Mayor Frank Fry--a...
A personal project of Mayor Frank Fry--a memorial featuring South Vietnamese and American soldiers--has drawn protests from the Vietnamese general consul. In a recent letter to Fry, Consul General Phong Xuan Nguyen wrote that the monument “would only dredge up a bitter past of U.S.-Vietnam relations that both sides have decided to leave behind.â€
Countered sculptor Tuan Nguyen: “We’re doing the right thing. I believe that this will bring healing between the communities. This will be a landmark for the Vietnamese and American communities.â€
Activist Van Thai Tran said the Vietnamese community supports the monument, adding that he considers the letter from the consul is “wholly inappropriate.†“I find it peculiar that a Vietnamese foreign diplomat should get involved in the domestic affairs of a local municipality like Westminster,†he said. Fry agreed: “It’s none of their business.â€
The monument will cost about $500,000; so far, $1,000 has been raised and another $100,000 has been committed by various sponsors, Fry said. No city money is involved.
A model of the monument will be presented at 7 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall.
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