An art exhibit in Santa Ana which features communist symbols was ordered to close down due to the protest of many Vietnamese Americans from as far away as San Jose. The exihibit was commissioned by the Vietnamese American Arts & Letters Assn. The exihibit was intended to promote freedom of speech and expression among the Vietnamese community, where discussions of communisum are usually avoided and frowned upon.
Despite the associations attempt to promote freedom of speech, the exihibit triggered emotions of anger because they "mocked their painful experiences as political refugees." In an article in the LA Times, the writers describe a scene of the protest, '"In the crowd Saturday, a man who unfurled and waved a large flag of Communist Vietnam was immediately surrounded by demonstrators shouting, "Communist!" and, "Go back to Vietnam!"'
Jim Nichols, co-owner of the building in which the exhibit was held, stated, '"We support the arts," Nichols said. "But my gosh. Create a firestorm? That's not a good atmosphere for a corporate building."' Despite the overwhelming protest, not everyone there was a protestor of the exhibit. Tom Do, 55, a counselor at Irvine Valley College, went to see the exhibit only to find it was shut down. "The demonstrators, he said Saturday, had "robbed my rights to enjoy something I don't happen to have a problem with." Duong and Arts & Letters Assn. officials have been on Vietnamese radio talk shows and Vietnamese language newspapers to clearify the misconception that they were supporting communism and explain that their goal was to include a wide variety of voices and images.
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