US professor opposes HR1587
NB: The Embassy of the S.R. Viet Nam in Washington DC received the following letter from Professor Kenneth J. Herrmann, Jr. With his permission, the Embassy hereby posts the letter in its entirity on our website for public viewing.
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05 April 2003
Rep. Henry Hyde, Chairman
U.S. House of Representatives
Committee on International Relations
2110 Rathburn HOB
Washington, DC 205-1306
Dear Congressman Hyde:
This is a letter opposing the newly submitted Vietnam Human Rights Act (HR 1587) submitted to the House of Representatives by Congressman Christopher Smith on 3 April 2003.
This proposed legislation is another attempt to endanger the growth of friendly relations between the United Sates and Vietnam. The last such legislation passed by the House now sits in the U.S. Senate with little chance of passage. Mr. Smith and thirty other members of the House seem either unaware of the progress made socially and economically in improving the lives of the people of Vietnam or they are intent on destroying successful efforts to build bridges of friendship between our two nations.
Vietnam is not America. Attempts to impose U.S. Constitutional standards on another nation infringes on the sovereignty of that nation and, in this case, resurrects the memories of American aggression against Vietnam and its people. I can attest from my own work in present day Vietnam that such proposed legislation stirs distrust rather than engendering trust, instills anger rather than accepting the hand of friendship, and stands in the way of continued progress rather than supporting Vietnam’s commendable progress.
The Vietnam Human Rights Act seems founded on rumors, slander, and misunderstanding. A close examination of Vietnam shows commendable progress in the area of human rights, progress in the midst of successful efforts to join the global economy. The proposed legislation ignores such progress and the efforts made by the government of Vietnam to improve the lives of its people.
My work as the Director of the only international education program for U.S. students in Danang and as the Director of the Danang/Quang Nam Fund, Inc., an NGO that cooperatively assists the poor of Danang, have afforded me the opportunity to not only spend much time in Vietnam but also to interact closely with government officials and people of every status and occupation. My new book, Lepers and Lunacy: An American in Vietnam Today, will be published this month and details the progress being made.
I hope you will oppose this proposed legislation and will support improved relations between America and Vietnam.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Professor Kenneth J. Herrmann, Jr.
P.O. BOX 67, 2614 MAIN ROAD • EAST PEMBROKE, NEW YORK • 14056-0067 USA
PHONE: 585-762-8882
EMAIL: KHERRMAN@ROCHESTER.RR.COM
WWW.DANANGQUANGNAMFUND.ORG
