Discourse by Vietnam Society Headliner Outlines Ambitions of Vietnamese-American Community Half a Century Post-War Conclusion
Chat Transcript:
HOST:For many Vietnamese Americans, the anniversaries of Saigon's fall signify a mix of homeland loss and the challenges faced in building a new life in the US. Erin Phuong Steinhauer, who's 9 when she arrived here, recalls her mom sending some siblings off alone on risky boats.
ERIN: The dangers ranged from pirates killing them, forced prostitution, drowning, or starvation—my mom had no choice but to let her children go without her.
HOST: Steinhauer, who founded the DC-based Vietnam Society, spoke to me yesterday and shared unresolved aftermath, from Agent Orange's lasting soil contamination to the emotional turmoil on both sides of the Pacific.
ERIN: I was essentially robbed twice. Right after the war, loss gave way to fear—fear of persecution, losing everything, being labeled a traitor, and then, upon arrival in America, feeling lost and alienated. I was told I had escaped to a land of freedom, but forced to act like it never happened.
HOST: Coming to a country that fought a war devastating their own must have been tough.
ERIN: History speaks differently in America. You grow up hearing stories from a US perspective, that the communists drove everyone out, that they were the culprits. Even school reinforced this narrative. I was conditioned to believe that America rescued me when, later in life, I uncovered the truth: we were lied to, both us, the Vietnamese Americans, and the American veterans. The war's repercussions linger.
HOST: As we mark 50 years since Saigon's fall, discussions often revolve around foreign and domestic policy failures, examining that day's events. Does it acknowledge the pain inflicted, the lives uprooted, like my family's story?
ERIN: Yes, it touches upon some aspects. However, the suffering and consequences have not been fully addressed. PTSD is still prevalent in the veteran community, and in the Vietnamese American community, high rates of suicide and mental illness persist. More action needs to be taken to heal these wounds.
ERIN: Agent Orange, unexploded ordinances (UXO), and mental health remain significant issues. For instance, people are still suffering from health problems related to Agent Orange. Survivors often grapple with cancer, neurological conditions, birth defects, and congenital disabilities[1][5]. The UXO continue to pose a threat, with thousands being killed or injured since 1975[4]. Moreover, both communities suffer from mental health challenges like PTSD, anxiety, depression, and intergenerational trauma[3].
HOST: Do you think the situation will be different when we commemorate the 100th anniversary of Saigon's fall?
ERIN: I hope for more accountability, not just from governments but also from individuals. Ideally, the future generation, who may know little about Vietnam, will embrace their heritage and break free from the burden of war. They deserve to heal.
HOST: Erin Phuong Steinhauer, president and founder of the Vietnam Society. Thank you for sharing your insights.
ERIN: Thank you for allowing me to speak.
(SOUNDBITE OF CECILE ROY'S "LOST FREQUENCIES")
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Footnotes:1. Vietnam War Agent Orange victims suffer long health problems for no compensation2. Agent Orange still having effects on Vietnamese children today3. Mental Health Among Vietnamese Americans after the Vietnam War4. Vietnam War Explosives: Toll on Post-war Generation Endures5. Fifty Years Since the Fall of Saigon: Agent Orange's Lasting Legacy
- The Vietnamese American community, led by Erin Phuong Steinhauer, has been significantly impacted by the events following Saigon's fall, including the lingering effects of Agent Orange, the threat posed by unexploded ordnances, and high rates of mental health issues such as PTSD, anxiety, and depression.
- Steinhauer, the founder of the DC-based Vietnam Society, shared her personal story of losing family members during the war and the emotional turmoil of adjusting to life in America, where she felt lost and alienated.
- The government's role in addressing these issues is crucial, but it is also essential for individuals to embrace their heritage, heal, and break free from the burden of war.
- In the future, Steinhauer hopes for more accountability from both governments and individuals, and for the next generation, who may know little about Vietnam, to understand their heritage and heal from the wounds of the war.
- The situations of lifestyle, family dynamics, relationships, and even home and garden may have been differently influenced by the events following Saigon's fall, but these aspects are not explicitly mentioned in the given text.
