If history later recalls the journey fighting against dictatorship of
the Vietnamese people in the early 21st century, the outstanding images
will be those of women's. Amongst these courageous women, there is the
face of an ordinary citizen who resolutely stands up against the
powerful totalitarian regime: Bui Thi Minh Hang it is!
If later reading back the heroic amid arduous first decade of the
century, we will find the images of the indomitable prisoners who, after
being released from prison, still steadfastly look past their days of
harsh imprisonment, still accept the reality that they can be returned
to communist-hell jail cells to continue their fight. Among these are
the women: Pham Thanh Nghien, Do Thi Minh Hanh, Le Thi Kim Thu. The
fourth is Bui Thi Minh Hang.
Bùi Thị Minh Hằng.
She is not a strategist who would know battle theories, strategic plans,
or political calculations. She represents the typical ruled-class: "I'm
being oppressed, I stand up to fight". She doesn't label herself as a
blogger, a dissident for democracy, or a human rights advocate. With the
words tatooed heavily on her shoulders "State Debt-Patriotic Duty",
with her own steps forward, she is a fighter; an ordinary Vietnamese
citizen who fights back.
She fights back on all fronts, for all issues that need to be fought.
China's invasion: she is in the front lines - Saigon, Hanoi cities. Her
chantings have become the sound of the patriotic protestors. Government
officials robbing lands from peasants: she marches alongside with
peasants to demand back what belongs to them. Fellow brothers and
sisters being arrested: she protests for the release of her patriots.
Religious freedom: she participates in their fight. Exposing the
wrong-doings of the regime, and those of the security police: she -
someone who once began by typing with just one finger - has created her
own blog, and using Facebook to speak out. Vung Tau city, the night
before when state-sponsored thugs threw fermented dead fish into her
home, the next morning the whole world learned of the immoral acts of Ho
Chi Minh's trained security police and their hired hands. Saigon city,
the night after, Chinese officials threatened to invade our seas, she
and her fellow compatriots raised high their protest banners: "Even
women have the duty to defend their nation".
Fighting from a virtual blog all the way to the streets is the typical
Bui Thi Minh Hang. Fighting not only with a pen but also by protest,
marching forward, standing up straight with her head held high is Bui
Thi Minh Hang.
Every individual chooses his or her own way to fight. Some fight back
against corrupted security police by exposing their oppressive acts and
immoral wrongs through articles posted online. Some fight them by opting
for logic and reasons of the mind, in the hope of ending oppression by
showing compassion. She "fights" corrupted security police with her
straight-forward attitude: zero tolerance for injustice. She "fights" in
the middle of the streets with her words of condemnation. She "fights"
with her reasonings spoken to security police but ultimately aimed to be
heard by the people. In a society where fear still clouds over, there
are very few people who have witnessed those who no longer fear.
There are some who criticize that her attitudes and reactions may
project a "negative" image upon the democracy movement. That's normal
due to concerns for the common goal. Sometimes it is also the
"self-imposed duty" of theorists, strategists, or those who think they
will be leading the people in the future. Nevertheless, it is impossible
when they want the oppressed to react in a conforming way.
The last image of a revolution between right and wrong, between the
oppressors and the oppressed, will be the image of outrage. That is the
truest form that history will witness and that will also be the image of
Bui Thi Minh Hang.
The last image of the revolution in Vietnam will be of the pioneer
women's. Pioneering in the meaning of those who were first in line, and
from the beginning of the early days when a revolution just emerged.
They would not be the images of those who were at the front line but
only surfaced when the dusk had set on the tyrannical regime.
At that very moment, even if Bui Thi Minh Hang is still in a dark cell,
the image of those pioneers will still project her figure: a lady whose
fist raised high, feet marching forward, mouth chanting loudly, and
expressing her every true and sincere emotion along the historic
journey. That is the image of an ordinary citizen who stands up to fight
back. That is the very image of Bui Thi Minh Hang.
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