Vietnamese officials considering punishment for actor in U.S. film ["We Were Soldiers"]

Associated Press | September 19, 2002

[HAL9000]

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) -- Vietnamese officials were meeting Friday to consider whether to punish an actor branded a "national traitor" for starring with Mel Gibson in the Hollywood movie "We Were Soldiers."

Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City, where actor Don Duong lives, proposed earlier that he be fined and banned from acting or leaving the country for five years for appearing in the movie, which they said distorted the history and image of Vietnamese soldiers.

Officials from the Ministry of Culture and Information were meeting Friday to consider the proposal, and will submit a recommendation to the ministry for a final decision, ministry Cinematic Department Director Nguyen Phuc Thanh said.

Vietnam's communist government has led a strident campaign against "We Were Soldiers" in the country's state-controlled media.

The movie, not approved for sale in Vietnam but widely available on bootleg DVDs, depicts a bloody three-day battle in November 1965 in Vietnam's Ia Drang valley, the first major clash between the North Vietnamese army and U.S. troops in the Vietnam War.

In the film, the U.S. troops have little idea of what they face and are overrun and suffer heavy casualties. Both sides are portrayed as courageous and self-sacrificing, while their families are shown grieving the deaths of their loved ones.

The movie is based on the book "We Were Soldiers Once ... and Young" by the U.S. commander in the battle, retired Lt. Gen. Harold G. Moore.

Duong played commander Nguyen Huu An, who led the Vietnamese soldiers to victory.

Duong, one of Vietnam's most popular actors, has appeared in numerous domestic movies about the war. He also played the role of a refugee camp translator in "Green Dragon," a movie directed by Vietnamese American Tony Linh Bui about Vietnamese who fled the country after the end of the war and dreamed of living in the United States.

"Both movies distort the legitimate war history of our people and the humanity of the Vietnamese," army newspaper Quan Doi Nhan Dan (People's Army) said in a front-page article Wednesday.

The newspaper demanded stern punishment for Duong.

"By becoming a propagandist and henchman for 'hostile forces' and tarnishing the Vietnamese soldiers and people, Don Duong has sold his conscience cheaply and become a national traitor," it said.

Duong couldn't be reached for comment, but in an earlier interview with The Associated Press, he said he was surprised at the reaction and has decided not to play any more roles in foreign movies about the Vietnam War.

Vietnamese movies about the war invariably portray Vietnamese soldiers as noble and Americans as cruel murderers.

[goldilucky]

The Enemy has always worked from within to destroy this Country and bring it down to its knees.

[Joy Angela]

bump for Freedom!

[Snow Bunny]

I agree with you Ronnie, it sure is within.

[ALOHA RONNIE]

...I wonder just what Academy Award-Bound .."WE WERE SOLDIERS".. Actor DON DUONG is wondering tonight in Communist Vietnam, don't you...?

[ALOHA RONNIE]

NEVER FORGET

[ALOHA RONNIE]

NEVER FORGET

..'HANOI Must Change Its Act'..

...is the title of Saturday's outstanding October 5, 2002 Editorial in the Los Angeles Times that focuses the World's attention on what the Communist Government and People's Liberation Army of Vietnam is doing to an Academy Award-Deserving Vietnamese Actor DON DUONG.

...In this Editorial the Los Angeles Times states that...

.."Vietnam says it is ready to throw open its economy to global trade and establish normal relations with the world's democracies. But the fear of free expression tells a different story--one that history will not view kindly, no matter how many times it is official sanitized."

PRAY for the Health and Safety DON DUONG and the persecuted people of a once Free South Vietnam.

NEVER FORGET

[Joy Angela]

That's THREE articles in the LA TIMES this week!

[goldilucky]

Northern Vietnam will never recognize freedom of expression anymore than China or Russian ever will. Even for the shaded "appearance of free expression" given to the rest of the world for the sake of "global democracy" is an absolute farce.

[cmsgop]

Thanks for the pic!

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

The True Invader of a then Free South Vietnam was the convoluted French Communism instilled in the mind of a young College Student HO CHI MINH in the Paris, France of the 1920's...

...that he then brought home with him to instill in all of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia...

...leading to a most horrible of KILLING FIELDS.

I didn't know, Ronnie. Those who say that we (Western Civilization) are to blame for 911 may be partially right...but for the wrong reasons.

The mainstream newsmedia, Hollywood, Universities, literature - the Clinton left - spreads anti-American misinformation, violence and porn as entertainment around the world. They do corrupt innocents.

Our founding fathers never intended the first amendment to be used as the enemy(ie)'s PR firm. Early Americans knew their Bibles. God was specific about our words and thoughts...what's permitted, what isn't. Bearing false witness is not just a suggestion.

When AP prints an article about Rev. Jesse Jackson stumping for a Commie (anti-God) LuLu in Brazil (which threatens our national security), comparing him to Martin Luther King, Jr., and carrying endorsements from black American pastors....and AP prints this as a straight, pro-Jesse-Lulu puff-piece....AP is working for our enemies.

[ALOHA RONNIE]

NEVER FORGET

...AP Reporter LINDA DEUTSCH refused to report China Army Money Man JAMES RIADY's confession to Federal Judge CONSUELO B. MARSHALL at his own Chinagate "Get out of Jail Free" Plea Agreement Hearing on March 19, 2001...

...that not a single Democrat had returned any of the China Army Money he had given them, even though they were telling the American People on TV that they were.

...AP also refused to print RIADY's confession that right after he gave large contributions of China Army Money to the Democrat National Committee California's now Governor GRAY DAVIS (D), Former Califonrnia Governor JERRY BROWN's sister KATHRYN BROWN (D) and Los Angeles Politician MICHAEL WOO (D) went out and immediately opened new personal bank accounts in RIADY's China Army LIPPO Bank.

...This as AP reported a "Massacre" of Korean Civilians by our U.S. 7th Cavalry at the Bridge of NO GUN RI at the start of the Korean War ...that NEVER HAPPENED.


Signed:..ALOHA RONNIE / A Witness to the RIADY Hearing

NEVER FORGET

[goldilucky]

and another witness to the Riady hearing.

[ALOHA RONNIE]

...AR -&- gl togeether for the 1st Time...

[goldilucky]

I won't forget that day either. Klayman walked out of there very cool but I know he was not happy about how the judge was conducting the proceedings.

[ALOHA RONNIE]

NEVER FORGET

...MATT DRUDGE discussed DON DUONG's Health and Safety Crisis, while sitting in a corner of Communist Vietnam, last night on MATT's California Edition of his Talk Radio Show that is heard in the 14 Western States...

...as did Former Congressman BOB DORNAN on his Talk Radio Show this morning that is aired in 42 Radio Markets throughout the Country.

"Tis not a good time to buy those "Made in Vietnam" NIKE's...?

...More to follow...

NEVER FORGET

[Joy Angela]

As we can see from ABCNBCCBS's refusal to air President Bush's Speech about IRAQ to the Nation tonight, the Enemy that is interrogating Don Duong has settled on American Soil as well.

People without cable won't even know the President is on the air...but they'll surely SEE the Picture in Today's Newspapers showing the CROWDS that marched on Washington with signs protesting for "PEACE NOT WAR"....

But don't worry! The poor masses will still be able to sit in a dark closet and listen to Our President on the Radio.

For the Rest of us (who already support Bush) Cable will be carrying the speech 5 PT, 8 ET Monday tonight, MSNBC, CNN and Fox News is still open.

Is that Hillary wiping a small tear from her eyes? Power is such fun, even the Communists in China and Vietnam don't have this much fun!

[Joy Angela]

President Addresses Nation Tonight

Click here for Internet Feed! C-SPAN at 5pm PT/8pm ET

[goldilucky]

I think Hillary is one very sick individual.

[goldilucky]

"Tis not a good time to buy those "Made in Vietnam" NIKE's...?

You got that right. The same goes for China.