The Vietnamese National Flag
Firstly, here are the two flags that is still causing much controversy in the Vietnamese Fatherland and overseas.
The flag of the (former) Republic of Viet Nam (South Viet Nam)
The flag of the (current) Social Republic of Viet Nam
The “yellow flag”, politically, it’s representing.......? Historically it’s representing South Viet Nam. Modernly, it’s representing a group of people who are still living in the past.
When I look at the yellow flag, I don’t feel any sense of nationalism, because what does that yellow flag representing now? A dead nation? A group of people who are still living in the past? That yellow flag now is meaningless because it does not represent any nation, even if it does, it is a dead nation. As a Vietnamese I feel deeply for those soldiers who fought and died for that flag, I feel deeply for all the families that have been divided by the war, but I just can’t accept that flag, because IT DOESNT REPRESENT ANY NATION.
The "red, yellow star flag", politically it’s representing the Vietnamese Communist Party, historically it is representing millions of soldiers who sacrificed their entire lives to unify the Fatherland, and most of all, modernly it’s representing more than 80 millions Vietnamese who are living in Viet Nam. When I look at the red flag, despite it being the Vietnamese Communist flag, I feel proud, not because of its representation of the Vietnamese Communists. I feel proud because I know that millions of my people have sacrificed their entire life fighting to unify the fatherland. That Red Flag doesn’t just represent the VC alone, it is also representing millions of soldiers who perished to unify the Fatherland.
Do you see what I mean?
Although the red flag is the flag of the Vietnamese Communist it is not just representing the Vietnamese Communist alone, but Viet Nam as a unified nation and the Vietnamese people as a united people. That flag is now the symbol of Viet Nam and the Vietnamese people and is recognised by the United Nations and the world.
WE NEEDs a NEW FLAG to heal the pain of our people and Fatherland, but at the moment, that Red Flag is representing Viet Nam and the Vietnamese people. Until there’s a new flag, that flag is the flag that truly representing VN and the Viet people. That is the reality!
I hope that one day I will be able to join hands with my fellow countrymen to salute one Vietnamese flag, sing one Vietnamese national anthem and call myself and ourselves proudly not by the name of North Vietnamese or South Vietnamese, but as Vietnamese! Vietnamese!
Viet Nam United Eternally!
The BBC Discussion can be find here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/vietnamese/forum/stor...tanewflag.shtml
