| CONTEMPORARY ISSUES History of the Assembly Bill AB78 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The Assembly Bill AB 78 has the purpose to introduce the "Secret War" (1961-1973) in Laos as a part of the curriculum in social sciences or in history at California Public Schools. The main part of interest concerns Hmong and other Southeast Asians' critical roles in the "Secret War", part of the Vietnam War, which is a part of the American History. It recommands to teachers from grade 7 to 12 to initiate students to this war. Veterans, experts as well as other existing documents will be sollicited to increase the awareness and knowledge of this historical event. In December 2002, this Bill has been initiated in Fresno by California AssemblyWoman Sarah Reyes, District 31 (Fresno) in consultation with a group of young Hmong women. For the support of this Bill, there was a mobilization by Hmong community through radio talk shows, petitions, TV shows, public meetings and lobby. The main supportive organization was Hmong Educational Task Force with its President, Peter Vang, and its two very active members, Doua Vue -- who proposed the idea of this bill to Assemblymember Sarah Reyes--, and Pai Yang, activist. This organization with numerous supporters and volonteers, well-known leaders and committed students, have strongly organized the support: lobby at the State Capitol in Sacramento, dialog with Veterans, private fundraising for transportation. Assembly Woman Sarah Reyes has initiated this bill for 3 main raisons: her first reason was political: she sank vote and popularity upon the Hmong community like any wise politician. The Hmong population represents 10% vote of the Fresno area. The second reason was feminist: she would like to enhance historical awareness among Hmong women, and the third reason was politico-educational: she acts toward minorities recognition, especially Hmong people at California schools : it helps to raise self-esteem among Hmong children: during 2001-2002, more than 8 Hmong teenagers have been committed suicide in the Fresno area. Something needs to be done. It was certainly this Bill. SUPPORTERS' RAISONS TO HELP THIS BILL When I collected signatures at various markets, many Hmong spontaneously offered to sign the petition, which was surprising to me. Because of my experience of researcher working within minorities community, I know that it used to be difficile to involve people. This discovery made me suppose that the bill AB78 is important for Hmong people. It answers to Hmong people's expectations from American politicians and leaders. The reasons why they supported the bill were: *AB78 will decrease gaps between Hmong parents and children *AB78 will decrease racism and cultural misunderstanding at school *AB78 will increase self-esteem of Hmong students towards teachers and outsiders, and participation of parents towards schools so that children will feel confident to success *AB78 will increase better understanding of each other's culture for better respecting each other, *AB78 will increase the awareness of sharing the same values of peace and of mutual support because of knowing each other's contribution to this American Nation *AB78 is important for children to remember the past so that they will know better how to build the future by not repeating the sames mistakes DIFFERENT STAGES OF PROGRESS The Bill has been approved by 1.) the Assembly Committee on Education - PASSED: March 19, 2003 2.) the Assembly Floor - PASSED: April 1, 2003 3.) the Senate Committee on Education - PASSED 4.) the Senate Floor - PASSED 5.) and the Governor Gray Davis' Office - APPROVED THE BILL AB 78 WAS AMENDED IN JULY 2003 PROBLEMS DURING THE UNFOLDING (other opinion and LA Times Newspaper) A group of about 30 Green Hmong or Hmoob lees have written letter of opposition to oppose the Bill AB78. The reason they opposed the bill was that they wanted to add the word "Mong" as a complementary term to the official ethnonym "Hmong" in the following spelling "Hmong/Mong". The green Hmong is a sub-ethnic group of the groupe Hmong. In the stage 3, the term 'Southeast Asian" was adopted to replace the term "Hmong" to avoid the internal conflict within the Hmong community. However, this replacement of the term "Hmong" by "Southeast Asian" has been already evocated by the Assemblywoman representative during the first meetings (Even before the issue of "Mong" came out) as a part of difficulty that we might face because it is not usual that a Bill only focuses on one ethnic group.This opposition has introduced visible consequences on the perception of Hmong as an ethnic group by Mainstream society in California. In the Central Valley, Hospitals or Public Institutions have removed the term "Hmong" as the official reference to the Hmong community, and replaced it by "Southeast Asian". Kao-Ly Yang (Nkauj Hli) Ph.D. Anthropology & Linguistics (Coordinator for the support of the Bill AB78 from February to April 2003 BACK TO THE TOP |
| CONTENTS Discussing: Contemporary Issues Challenging: Women Issues Reading: Research Article Learning: History Guessing: Proverbs & Riddles Studying: Literature Visiting: Photo Gallery Admiring: Art Gallery Listening to: Hmong Radios Enjoying: Tales for Children Taking: Courses of Cult & Language |
| Trilingual Website Français English Hmoob Index/Themes Index/Year |
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| Professional Background Hobbies Consultation Service Rules Website Spirit Copyrights 2002 to Kao-Ly Yang All rights reserved |
| TOPICS OF 2003 Janvier Kuv phooj ywg tus zoo tshaj Mon meilleur ami My Best Friend February Neeg no yeej paub tsis tag txog nws tus kheej Essai: commentaire et analyse du texte d'Alain "L'homme est obscur à lui-meme" Essay: Comment and analysis of the text of the French Philosopher Alain "Human Being is obscure to itself" February (Guest Writer: Zhang Xiao) Hmoob suav thiab Hmoob poob teb chaw puas yog tib pab t ib pawg neeg? Le fondement et les caractéristiques de l'identité miao et hmong Common basis and characteristics of the Miao and the overseas Hmong Identity April Maiv thawj tug hlub Le premier amour de May May's First Love August Poj niam kev mus ntseeg ntuj La raison de conversion des femmes hmong au christianisme A Hmong Women's Reason to Convert to Christianity Poj niam kev yeej pheej xaiv coj kev ntseeg La problématique de la liberté de croyance chez les femmes Women's Issues on Freedom of Beliefs September Kev ntsuas thiab luj khoom Quelques systèmes de mesure et de pesée Traditional Systems of Measuring and of Weighing October Paj huam hais txog cov neeg laus kev sib hlub Une histoire d'amour du troisième âge A Piece of Hmong Elderly Love November Niam Nkauj Ntsuab Paj Nra Yaj Miss Hmong Pada Yang November Kev cob qhia poj niam hmoob rov los pab haiv neeg hmoob Encouragement pour les femmes hmong aux actions collectives Encouragement for the Hmong Women to Collective Actions November Keeb Kwm Tsim txoj cai AB78 Histoire de la proposition de loi AB78 History of the Assembly Bill AB78 November Kev sib cog lus ua niam txiv sib hlub mus tas ib txhis Contract de mariage entre Nushilong et Gaojoua Marriage contract between Nusheelong and Gaojua Vim licas Saub tsis nrog hmoob nyob? Pourquoi Shao a t-il abondonné les Hmong? Why did Shao leave the Hmong people? November 24 Hmoob cov teeb meem cov loj tshaj rau xyoo 2000 Analyse des problématiques des Hmong Américains-recensement de 2000 Analysis of Hmong American most sensitive issues - Census 2000 December Kuv kev ntshaw rau peb Hmoob rau lub xyoo tshiab 2004 Mes souhaits de bonne année pour 2004: devenir conscient(e) des besoins d'éduquer une nouvelle génération de Hmong intellectuels My Wish for 2004: Becoming Aware of the Need to raise a New Generation of Hmong Intellectuals |