do you mind providing the source for that article? thanks!

If I were to parody this post as pure propaganda by a Communist, would that be fair?

I'm sure you think those who pushed for the flag measure are extremist. Well, what does this post make you? There's room for disagreement about whether or not those flag measures are just symbolic and do not do anybody any good, and that those efforts could be better spent somewhere else, but this post this beyond the pale. I thought you were better than this.

Again, I'm sure those who push for the flag would accuse you of being a Communist (since you're working in Vietnam), and they'd be wrong. Just as you're wrong here.

My guess is you approve of the fact that African-Americans do NOT want to see the Confederate flag to represent them. Well, many Vietnamese-Americans do NOT want the Communist flag to represent them. If you do not know why that is, then I suggest you talk to some boat people. Leaving aside the question of whether using the flag of the former South Vietnam to represent all Vietnamese-Americans is a good idea, can't you understand the emotions of some Vietnamese-
Americans when it comes to the Communist flag? Whatever happened to the compassion and tolerance of liberals? Is the tone of the post above one of compassion and tolerance?

Julie: The source of the quote can be found below at the end of the post: WBKO

VietPundit: I've just returned from travel, so i'm late in my reply. Parody is a wonderful thing, which is why I enjoy the humor of The Onion whose biting non-pc style this post is styled. Parody has the ability to provoke, which is highlighted in our differences of opinion. You are welcome to parody me as a communist, but on what merit? That I live and work in Vietnam? Please do look into the history of my posts and you will see that I am highly critical of social and cultural issues (particularly of education and the arts) here in Vietnam. I am looking for a positive change. I know several boatpeople, including my older sister, Chi Cuc, who made the terrifying journey as a 13-year old girl. The tone of my post is not one of compassion and tolerance, it's one of satire. This method of commment has been something I've used for many years, though mostly through visual art rather than writing. You can see this in the trajectory of my work which is also linked to the main blog page. You believe in what you write, hey, I believe that you write honestly. But I also believe in what I do, though the issues and tactics may differ. I hope you can understand. Please continue to check the blog now and then and I trust you'll see that I'm not so monodimensional.

rst,

You're making my points. Let's see: "You are welcome to parody me as a communist, but on what merit?" Huh? I didn't know that parody, based on your standards, has to be based on any "merit". You see, I haven't parodied you as a Communist yet, and here you are, protesting "I'm not a Communist! Read my blog, you'll see I'm not a Communist!". As I said above, if I were to parody you as a Communist, that would be unfair, just as it's unfair for you to compare some Vietnamese-Americans to Klansmen, just because you disagree with them on the flag issue.

I've read your blog (and left comments before), and that's why I was disappointed to see this post. As I said above, I thought you were better than this. Of course I know it's satire, which always involves exaggeration. The question is, "Is it good satire?" I think in this case, you went over the top, and failed to make your point effectively.

I didn't criticize you for living and working in Vietnam, or call you a Communist. I said those whom you parodied as backwards Vietnamese-Americans would, and they would be wrong to do so, just as you're wrong in this post.