> Dr. Pao,
>
> YES, the choice is mine...and here's where I have issue with Hmong
> politic. All I'm saying was...there are times for political
> talks....and there are times for peace and enjoyment of peace. The
> festival offers a time for peace to enjoy life...hence the name "JULY
> 4 HMONG FESTIVAL". It's a time to reflect how far we have come and
> how much we have to go yet. It's not like Hmong doesn't have event
> catering specifically for political agenda...we do have plenty of
> those events. It's just "out of place" to use such event to promote
> political issues which the majority of the event goers probably pay
> little to no attention, let alone wanted to be part of the festival. I
> think this is "jungle" politic!!! If they wanted to promote important
> issues concerning the Hmong, there are better and more effective ways
> of promoting those issues.
>
> Bottom line is...If one were to examine closely, their MAIN ADJECTIVE
> is making MONEY...they LOVE to attach important political figures
> (i.e. VP/Mee Moua/Dr. YD, etc) to draw more crowds...more crowds
> equal more uncle bens and more masions being built for these cronies,
> that's it! No wonder Hmong politic goes nowhere after 30+ years,
> because the so call "hmong leaders" only play politic for money and
> where there's money to be made, there bounds to be politic. Ua
> tsaug!
>
> Jim
>
> On Jul 10, 9:09 pm, Pao dex.hmoob.net> wrote:
>

>> Whether we like it or not, VP will remain as a factor in the Hmong
>> life for some time.
>> He is still the mover and shaker even when he was arrested and was
>> locked away. Leaders like VP, who are not elected, are not known to
>> step down - they stay on for as long as people still remember them.
>> Some leaders may even still exercise more power from their graves!!!

>

>> So... sawvdaws es... just get used to that idea of VPism.

>

>> What we need to do, and are capable of doing exceptionally well, is
>> to study the man and learn and adopt all his good traits ... and at
>> the same time, learn from his bad traits and drop all - and never to
>> repeat them . It is time to surpass him if any one has "the calling"
>> and/or the gut to step forward.

>

>> VP may not the Genghis Khan for the Hmong but he has certainly changed
>> the Hmong history for ever - that fact alone is worth pondering on!

>

>> Pao

>

>> ps. All4One... all thiongs are political movivated. You can either
>> play politic or politic play you - there is no any other way!. It is a
>> choice that YOU must make but if you do not make your own choice then
>> YOU have given your power of choice for others to make the choice FOR
>> you already. Hence... it is still tour choice!!! (think about it) -
>> so no need to complaint about it!

>

>> All4One wrote:

>>> What never cease to amazes me was the fact that...almost every major
>>> Hmong tournaments/new years are use for political reason. Don't Hmong
>>> leaders know the meaning of what a "FESTIVAL" is from a political
>>> gathering? I realized that tournaments provide the public mass, but
>>> who's really going to listen to their speeches when people are more
>>> concern about meeting up with their families and friends? At best, a
>>> few die-hard old men and their women may gather to listen to the empty
>>> words shouted through the microphones in fading hopes. The people
>>> came to enjoy the sun and the company of relatives, NOT to listen to
>>> the past 30 years of failed political effort to overthrow the LPDR.
>>> Frankly, I'm SICK of public events being politcized with the same old
>>> political speeches by the former general. It's time to move on! Hmong
>>> CANNOT wins battles, let alone a war if we can't even differentiate
>>> festival from politic. ua tsaug!

>

>>> jim

>

>>> On Jul 9, 7:21�pm, "syang...@hotmail.com" hotmail.com>
>>> wrote:

>>>> after more than 30 yrs of residency in the US, one of the world most
>>>> efficient democracies, in which elections are frequently held to
>>>> evaluate leadership performance at all levels of governments, hmong
>>>> general vang pao, although he began preaching equality, opportunity,
>>>> and hmong national unity since his house arrest, neither grasps the
>>>> concept of democracy nor want to change his dictatorial attitude. in
>>>> his july 4, 2008, speech, the general asserts that "all organizations
>>>> are his" since he is the "father" of the Hmong and thus led them to
>>>> come to the US. such catch words are often spoke by communist leaders,
>>>> such Kim Il Sung, Mao Zedong, and Castro, implying that they are the
>>>> states and the states are them so that they are the rules of society
>>>> and thus control all means of production.

>

>>>> according to the law of the situation, the words might be appropriate
>>>> in communist states, but they are not appropriate in democracy. �since
>>>> a leader without policy direction to move his/her people toward growth
>>>> and prosperity in a democratic way in a world of democracy, is the
>>>> leader still effective? why or why not? if not, in what way will the
>>>> people do to choose a new leader?- Hide quoted text -

>

>> - Show quoted text -