His voice is soft —weak at best, from years of yelling over the sound of bombs being dropped and old age. Often, he utters nothing, but the entire world hears him. When actions speak louder than words: A story about the silent phenomenon of General Vang Pao.

He is a walking hero, a legend who is still living and breathing among us. What makes one a legend in his community? Although he was raised in a tight-knit community, over the years he has risen to become a worldly leader and an example of the tragic aftermath of wars. He is known throughout the universe. People love him, people hate him. People are loyal to him, and some may equally despise him. Wherever he goes, his presence is honored, familiar and stirring. This is what we call, The GVP Phenomenon.

When General Vang Pao was arrested by the United States government on charges of trying to overthrow the government of Laos, we witnessed an event that caused an uproar in the Hmong community. One of the most significant things about this event was how much involvement there was among the younger generation, otherwise known as “Gen Y” and Millennials. New media tools, such as Facebook and blogs, opened the door for global communication. As a result, people were brought together because of their shared concern about war, persecution, betrayal and issues surrounding Hmong genocide. Supporters of General Vang Pao utilized grassroots efforts, enhanced by modern technology, to educate and inform the greater population about the importance of the General to the Hmong people. Much of the awareness surrounding his high profile arrest, was established and organized by local community groups.

For the first time in over 30 years, people from around the world, and most importantly, in the United States, learned about the historical ties of a small ethnic group known as the Hmong. Led by General Vang Pao, they had a significant involvement with the United States C.I.A. in the Vietnam War. The aftermath of their contribution and ties to the United States ultimately resulted in mass massacres of innocent Hmong people.

With no questions asked, on September 21, 2009, all charges against General Vang Pao were dropped. Contrary to the coverage and attention of his arrest and prosecution, the United States government and the media downplayed the decision. Finally, he was quietly released.

1. Stop the genocides and persecution of innocent people

   Enough with the genocides and persecution of the Hmong in Laos and Thailand. Learn more about the genocides in Laos at factfinding.org.

2. Educate others on the aftermath of War to prevent it from happening again

   Another war shouldn’t be started when the first isn’t over yet. Read about The Secret War here.

3. Focus on Immigration and Refugee Assistance

   Healthcare is important, but so is immigration and refugee assistance. Read about Caroline Vang and her family’s story here.

4. Incentives for Living Green

   More incentives for living green, because we’ve been doing it for centuries now. Read our post on living green here.

5. Build better and more efficient cars

   Strengthen US auto companies by challenging innovation in their product line of cars so that we can [really] start Buying American, and cease buying Honda Civics and Toyotas

Are there other issues that you feel we should address in this topic or things that you want President Obama to focus on? Tell us about it in the comments area! We are always excited to read your thoughts!

You wouldn’t believe it, but by law, this girl is not an American (we couldn’t believe it for ourselves, until we asked).

Caroline Vang spent the entire Friday night making signs for the next morning. “We need another Senator Mee Moua” she wrote on one of the signs. In the early morning, the signs would be placed around the tent where a group of her friends and colleagues were going to register their fellow Hmong-American citizens to vote in the United States. It was the annual Hmong Sports Festival in Michigan, and it was time that someone step forward to make the community transition into becoming full-fledge US citizens. But while Caroline was busy registering her fellow Hmong to become active voters in the democratic process, she would not be allowed to fill out her very own form.

Twenty-three years ago, Caroline Vang was born to Guy and Genevieve Vang in France. Just 5 years later, Guy would bring his two French daughters and his wife to the United States. For 18 years, his family lived and worked in the United States. For 18 years, Caroline and her younger sister Melanie went to public schools. And within those 18 years, Guy and Genevieve had two more children, Stevan and Christine.

Quick Facts:

• The Vang family – Guy, Genevieve, Caroline and Melanie – has lived in the United States for 18 years.
• They came to America legally in 1989.
• They came to reunite with family members they had been separated from because of the war in Laos and Vietnam.
• They have lived and worked legally in the U.S. since 1989 and today own a successful restaurant, Bangkok 96, in Dearborn, MI.
• They have added 2 U.S. citizen children to their family.
• Due to errors on the part of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the Vang family was forced to wait 10 years to hear back about their asylum case.
• Now the USCIS plans to deport them soon.

Read on to find out how you can help!

Who are Guy and Genevieve Vang?
Guy and Genevieve Vang are contributing members of society and the parents of four: Caroline, 23, student at Macomb Community and Walsh College; Melanie, 18, a freshman at Northwood University;
Steven, 16, a senior at Warren Woods Tower high school; and Christine, 11. The two youngest Vang children are U.S. citizens. In 1989, Guy and Genevieve and their two eldest daughters arrived in the United States from France to reunite with Guy’s family who were believed to have been killed by Lao communists in the midst of the Vietnam War. In 1996, the Vang family opened Bangkok 96 restaurant in Dearborn, MI. Like regular citizens, they pay taxes and help their community through
charitable contributions.

What is their case about?
On May 31, 2007, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals denied the family’s case to remain in the United States. In less than three months, the government will deport Guy and his family back to France, after they have made a life in America for 18 years. And since the family came to the United States on the Visa Waiver Pilot Program, it waived their rights to contest in court should they ever want to stay in the U.S. However, Guy was eligible for political asylum under the Visa Waiver.

Since Guy’s parents immigrated to the U.S. through asylum/refugee status, he decided to apply for asylum at INS to seek the opportunity to stay closer to his parents whom he had lost as a child during the war. Unfortunately, the Vangs were forced to wait 10 years to get a response that they did not qualify for asylum (in 2000). Even then, the government continued to renew their work authorizations and allowed them to build their lives in the U.S. Now, 18 years later, this family is being punished and forced out of the only country they consider home.

How can I help?
Their last hope is a private bill that one of the senators can create to stop their deportation (pending as of April 2009). This important bill would have to go through the Senate and House of Representatives. The family desperately needs for everyone to contact Michigan lawmakers U.S. Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow, and U.S. Representatives Sander Levin and John Dingell. The more lawmakers contacted the better! Voice your concerns about the injustice of the family’s impending deportation by signing this petition which will be delivered to Congress members:

Do you know someone who is also facing an immigration/deporattion issue?
Click here to use our contact form to share your story.

Sign the Vang Family Petition at ipetitions:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Vang_Family/

By Noah Vang

Xao Yang, 75, of Oakdale, Minn., isn’t voting for presidential aspirants Sens. Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton.

“We are not ready for a black president,” says Xao, who came to the US in 1989 and became a citizen in 1997.

Neng S. Yang, of Cottage Grove, Minn., disagrees.

“This election is what I have been waiting for,” Neng says, who is an Obama supporter.

Xao is neither racist nor sexist. “All my life,” she robustly says, “there’ve been just white men running this country.”

Neng claims: “Obama reflects my life struggles. He knows the kind of life that the underrepresented Americans go through.”

Xao feels uncomfortable having someone different being president of the United States. “Poj niam tseem ua tsis tau tus nom nyob teb chaws Ameliskas no,” she adds, which translates that woman (Clinton) is not ready to be president yet.

She assures herself that she will be voting for Sen. John McCain, the preemptive Republican nominee.

“I think this country can use a different person, whether it is a black or woman president,” Neng says, “we are ready for a Democratic-lead country.”

When asked how rare of an occasion the US will have another black man and woman running for president again, says Xao: “I might not see this happening again.”

“Obama and Clinton have opened the door that all Americans, too, can achieve beyond the glass ceiling,” states Neng.

The fact of the matter is: Is America ready for a black or woman to be president? And, whoever becomes the Democratic nominee will face McCain in the general election.

“America is ready, the world is ready,” Minnesotan author Bryan Thao Worra says.

Although Xao’s view differs, but some Asian-Americans concur that this county has transcended beyond the issues of race and gender.

“The United States is extremely diverse and will continue to become even more diverse,” says Hlee Xiong, of Michigan, “it is only critical that our leadership reflects this.”

According to the 2006 US Census, a general view of the US population consists of about 80.1 percent white, 14.8 percent for Hispanic or Latino origin, 12.8 percent for Black or African American and 4.4 percent is Asian.

In a survey conducted by CNN, Essence Magazine and Opinion Research Corp., majority of the 2,184 voters say that America is ready for change. Of the survey, 76 percent say the country is ready for a black president, where 78 percent of whites and 69 percent of blacks agree.

The number appears to be lower if America is ready for a woman president: 65 percent of whites and 59 percent of blacks agree.

Lee Her, of Minnesota, believes America, too, is ready for anyone to lead.

“I do believe America is ready for an African American or woman president,” Lee says, who is a Clinton supporter. “There’s no more reason to deny this because if we look at the unprecedented momentum behind Hillary and Barack, none of us would have predicted this to be the case…”

She continues: “In my opinion, previously when everyone simply rendered it impossible for a non-white or non-male candidate to run, much less get this far, it had a lot to do with the fact that it was assumed no one had the audacity to run. Now that Hillary and Barack have transcended that marker, from now until the national conventions, it’s just a matter of who can sell themselves best.”

The Democratic race is far from over yet as Obama and Clinton are still competing for the party’s nominee. They both are virtually tied in the polls. With the Pennsylvania primary on April 22, an NBC/WSJ poll shows the candidates are square at 45 percent each.

Xiong states: “It’s hard to tell right now [who will win] because there are so many different polls and speculation from all sides of the spectrum.”

Lee has another prediction about the Democratic ticket. “I think Obama will get the Democratic endorsement,” she says.

However, she thinks McCain will be president. Says Lee: “This will not be because America wasn’t ready; because McCain will be more successful than Hillary [and] illustrating Obama [as] inexperience…”

“This isn’t to say those qualities won’t factor in, won’t be used as weapons for or against a candidate during an election,” Worra says, “but ultimately I think we’ll find people who will accept and prefer being governed by people we trust over how they look like.”