8 Asians

As I noted in March, the San Jose City Council agreed to let a privately funded “Welcome to Little Saigon” to go up, replacing the previously named (and later recalled) “Saigon Business District.” On Sunday, the supporters of “Little Saigon” had a celebration, as reported:

“Billed as a celebration of their “Little Saigon” victory, about 2,000 Vietnamese émigrés reveled outside San Jose City Hall on Sunday, but the event also doubled as an informal kickoff to the attempted recall of embattled Councilwoman Madison Nguyen. In near-90-degree heat and shielded by umbrellas, activists pumped their fists and cheered as dozens took the stage during the five-hour rally…”I don’t care about the name,” said Brandon Tran, who along with his wife, Novalee, signed the petition Sunday. “It’s the way she treated the community that is unacceptable. She challenged the Vietnamese community.”

The anti-Madison Nguyen movement has also started the recall process for Nguyen. To get the recall on the ballot, proponents need 12 percent (3,162 signatures) of the registered voters in Nguyen’s district (District 7) bt September 13th to make it on the ballot for November.

Personally, I don’t care whether or not if a section in San Jose is called “Little Saigon” or “Saigon Business District,” (though I do think “Little Saigon” sounds better), nor am I sure if most San Jose residents care. But it is pretty clear that a vocal minority (and possibly a silent majority?) do care. I think though that there are probably more important things that the Vietnamese community could do to be more active in local politics that are on the minds of all San Jose voters (like possible budget cuts on education, etc.).