To whom we hope are concerned,
We are writing to you as fellow songwriters, artists, free expressionists of this great nation in hopes that you will be changed by what you read below and are compelled to help free an innocent expressionist.
Very currently, on December 31st, 2011, a year of music and patriotic passion has ended for a fellow songwriter in Vietnam. 2012 is not looking hopeful for him or any of us who believe in human rights as well as freedom of expression for the country. In light of China and Vietnam's current dispute over the Spratly islands Hoang Sa and Truong Sa, Vietnamese singer/songwriter VIET KHANG had written and shared songs of grief over his country's loss. They spred rapidly online. His songs titled ắAnh La Ai (roughly translates to: 'Who are you?')ă and ắViet Nam Toi Dau ('Where is my Vietnam?')ă spoke on behalf of the Vietnamese citizens hurting from these current events. He has recently been arrested and imprisoned by the Vietnamese government for said actions. With lyrics that ask, ắWhy does my country deserve more bloodshed?ă from a patriotic soul, many are outraged that a song written to express love and concern for its country would yield such violent reactions from its own leaders.
In a world where rapists, murderers, and terrorists roam among us, it begs the question, why are these authorities using precious security resources to arrest a patriotic singer/songwriter? VIET KHANG is still currently held in jail, under an accusation unbeknown to us. We ask, with as much assertiveness as you will allow us, that you take action by passing this letter forward to your sources, writing to national authorities, signing the existing petitions online to 'Free Viet Khang', and using every heard voice within your network to free this silenced artist.
We here in America have the gift of freedom to stand by what we believe in and speak on what is just, so please use that precious right to free your fellow artist. Do what you can and everything you can so that the hope for basic human rights throughout this world does not continue to wither as 2012 has only begun.
With much hope,
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