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, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate urge the recognition of the yellow flag with three red stripes 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; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate encourage county and state lawmakers to pass legislation recognizing the yellow flag with three red stripes as the official flag of the Vietnamese American community.