Tran leaves for Vietnam
In the last post, when I said it was hostile or arrogant to install
democracy with armies; it is not that I don't desire a good outcome, or
democracy, the best for the Iraqi people. All peoples of the middle
east, who may be feeling less than free. It's not that I don't see the
need to follow a course once the die has been cast - in a given
direction. Provided that that continues -- under constant reassessment
-- to be the right and steadfast thing. And truly benefits those
it purports to benefit.
It's not that I doubt democracy, allowing that a distilled
principle of democracy is what is being championed. Democracy is an
ideal of which any particular democratic goverment is an evolved
creature, manifested by a particular culture. Democracy has its small
set of universal conditions from which it cannot wander far. The ballot
is one of these. Against those who claim democracy is apostasy (Zarqawi And the D-Word), I champion rule of the people, and rule of law.
Democracy; against those who see - in front seemingly in spite - of God's words and plan - a
system that lets people do as they see fit. Ansar al Sunna's
words. Only the self recognized will of a people allows them to
see themselves as a community who can come together under law divine or otherwise.
The true virtuous first ruler will allow this, speak to it and allow
truth claims to stand before reason. Without reason and agreement,
truth and falsehood are one. The ballot spoke in Iraq yesterday.
Hopefully it asked democracy to move forward into Democracy.
This is not what this post is about. My co-worker Tran
Nguyen going back to Vietnam is what this post is about. The title
gives it away. She is going back with her parents for a whole month.
Its the first time going back since she
left in 1994. They are going
back to visit relatives, see her oldest sister and her family, who
didn't come with them. She said they'll be visting Saigon (I don't call
it Ho Chi Minh city, she dosn't correct me) but also the towns her
parents grew up in, the three river region, where she herself lived for
several years. This is south of Saigon where the Mekong river divides
into three branches. Work, in the McKeldin techinical services
department. - never exciting or even interesting in the best of times -
is going to be quite dreary for the next five weeks until she
gets back.
I imagine that all the DC Maryland suburbs are collected into one large
Vietnamese parish, but I noted in the Washington Post article
yesterday, "Brilliant Student Mourned",
that the funeral for the Johns Hopkins University student who was
murdered last week, was at her church, where she also teaches Sunday school. It's just a mile or so up
New Hampshire avenue here.
11:38:21 PM  ;;
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