BILL REQ. #: S-3305.1
| State of Washington | 58th Legislature | 2003 1st Special Session |
Read first time . Referred to .
TO THE HONORABLE MAYORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS, AND LEGISLATIVE BODIES
OF THE CITIES, TOWNS, AND COUNTIES OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of
the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully
represent and petition as follows:
WHEREAS, The current government of Vietnam is a nondemocratic, one-party system without rule of law that arbitrarily infringes on the
basic human rights and civil liberties of its citizens; and
WHEREAS, Vietnamese Americans were forced to flee Vietnam in fear
of the Vietnamese government's campaign of retribution and persecution
after the fall of Saigon in 1975; and
WHEREAS, The State of Washington is home to many Vietnamese
Americans who have contributed to our state's culture, economy, and
community; and
WHEREAS, The vast majority of Vietnamese Americans embrace the
yellow flag with three red stripes as the symbol of the Vietnamese
American community; and
WHEREAS, The current government of Vietnam continues to harass,
interrogate, and arrest individuals advocating democracy; and
WHEREAS, The current government of Vietnam has increased its human
rights violations since the passage of the Bilateral Trade Agreement in
2000; and
WHEREAS, Dating back to 1948 the yellow flag with three red stripes
has been a symbol of resilience, freedom, and democracy for people of
Vietnamese descent; and
WHEREAS, Vietnamese Americans have shown their desire that the
yellow flag with three red stripes be recognized as the official flag
of the Vietnamese American community;
NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the yellow
flag with three red stripes be recognized by city and county officials,
through the adoption of ordinances or resolutions, as the official flag
of the Vietnamese American community, and urge that this flag be
displayed at Vietnamese American events or any public function
organized by the Vietnamese American community.
BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately
transmitted to the Association of Washington Cities and the Washington
Association of Counties for distribution to the Mayors, Executive
Officers, and Legislative Bodies of the Cities, Towns, and Counties of
the State of Washington.