Family Honor

A Response To "Love, Money, Prison, Sin, Revenge" by Andrew Lam

opinion by: Jonathan "Prince" Garcia

The article introduced the story of several Vietnamese-American youths who took people in an electronics store hostage with a list of seemingly outrageous demands. These young youth were the children of South Vietnamese intellectuals, former laborers, and ex-military members. The fall of Saigon and South Vietnam, forced many to flee to America to avoid persecution at the hands of the Vietcong. The youth were incensed to want to fight the Vietcong because of pride and also because of the popular entertainment of the time that glorified battle and war. These youth were also ashamed because the South Vietnamese had lost the war and were seeking to get their family and country honor back. These youths did not fit in with the American culture and also felt distanced from their culture. The writer of the article also talked about the struggles he had in his "war" with his parents with regards to fighting their own wars. These youths took on the responsibilities of the failures of their fathers, and in an act of honor, they sought to bring war to those who had defeated them. I agree that the concept of family honor is important for families, but in the wider concept, we should fight wars, not through violence, but through education. 

Question: At what point is it justified threatening lives of innocents, in order to seek revenge? 

               How can culture and tradition influence one's actions in a time of crisis?