Trịnh Công Sơn's Music Protested Against!





































There is another protesting taken place in California. This time it is against the famous composer, musician and songwriter, Trịnh Công Sơn. The reason it seems that a number of his music were favoring the communists in Vietnam. During the time of the Vietnam War, Trịnh Công Sơn spoke out against the war and urged the soldiers to not take part in the war. When the communists took hold of South Vietnam, he went on the radio and sang the song “Nối Vòng Tay Lớn” (roughly translated as “tying or spreading the big hand”). People saw that as pulling down the soldier’s will to fight and he was seen as a traitor. His music was banned and he was stopped from producing more songs. There were some protests and such against him at the time. Today, protesters are speaking out and want to ban Trịnh Công Sơn's music from being performed. Well at least in the U.S. and for U.S. singers that is. But I wonder why now? Trịnh Công Sơn passed away in 2001, and I think the Vietnamese community should somewhat respect him, or at least respect the dead. To ban his music is a sad thing, because only a small amount or even one particular song didn’t sit well, however that doesn’t mean all of his music are trash. It is an unfair thing against him, and for music as a whole. Trịnh Công Sơn produced over 600 songs, and many of them are great classics. He contributed greatly to the Vietnamese music industry. One of Trịnh Công Sơn's closes associations is veteran singer Khánh Ly who each year around his birthday created some kind of celebration for him. Khánh Ly popularized many of Trịnh Công Sơn's music and she also received much popularity from his many hits. Khánh Ly is also currently a target of the protesters, since she refuses to stop singing his songs, let alone protest his music. It seems that each month, or even each day, new people are found to have ties with the communists. When is it going to stop?

Comments

Anonymous said…
i don't know either, but i gotta tell you i know something. your writing style is just like those of the communist propagandists. you know like the movie enemy of the gates? remember it's 2008, people aren't dumb to be brainwashed anymore, so stop writing like a 40 communist sympathizer!
GeeNie said…
to anonymous: how is she writing like a 40 communist sympathizer? it sounds as if you're aggreeing with the protesters.

to viet accent: i completely agree. these protesters need to seriously shove it. it's like they have nothing else to do so they're going to start shizz with a dead composer, it's pathetic.
Anonymous said…
please check your grammar, spelling, and word usage!
example: traitor not trader
Anonymous said…
if i were you, i would use my talent to expose to the world about human trafficking and all the corruption that's happening from the board of education up to the highest so-called diplomats under the current communist regime in Vietnam. Like you and your supporters say, "you guys don't see the point of these protesters." Why care when they're not stealing money from your people nor they're a threat to your society, might as well use your knowledge to do something that has a point. ::cough:: ::cough:: how people get to sit in the black room if they come out and start singing, "nay cong dan oi...." in Vietnam
You get the point.
Anonymous said…
I'm from south VN but man these protesters are annoying. I mean, the north won because they were busy doing stuff, while I bet these guys were sitting around complaining. Now, 30 years later, they're still at it!
Anonymous said…
the north won because our parents were sitting around doing nothing? do you even have common sense?
Why was there even a war in the first place? Because our parents and the south citizens were defending mien nam from the communist invasion. If you call that "not doing anything," there's not point for me to continue on with this conversation.
Karly said…
I'm sorry if my writing bothers you that it is like 40-year-old communist propagandists. That is how I write and I'm not going to change much.

As for my grammatical errors and such, most of time I write these things in a rush, but that's no excuse. As long as you understand what I'm saying and enjoy my posts as some sort of entertainment and partly news, then I’m happy. My blog is a personal thingy – there is going to be some bias and so on. I’m not a professional writer or news reporter.
I was hoping that you guys can comment more on the topic I post about and or the content of my writing and not just correcting silly grammatical mistakes.

I enjoy doing what I do and I’m happy to know that at least a handful of people are reading and enjoying my posts. I don’t see it as a waste of talent or anything. It is all in the eyes of the beholder pretty much.

Thanks for visiting this blog and for posting. :)
Anonymous said…
I swear Vietnamese in Cali have nothing better to do but be bitter and attack people. I hate Viet Cong but don't get me wrong Americans were JUST as BAD! Mainly Saigon people are stirring up the drama and accusing people of being VC. There is no right when it comes to war. But they act like the Americans were angels which is very offensive to me when I am from Hue and they were the one raping young girls and women and burning down villages! I swear some of those Saigon Vietnamese thinks that the war only happen in Saigon and nowhere else.
Myson Nguyen said…
o god...another comunist prob..typical
Anonymous said…
I think people need to go back and read some history books (unbiased ones that portrays two and more sides of the stories).
Anonymous said…
Instead of striking against the entertainment business, they should invest those time to bring forth the more important human rights issues.

Trinh Cong Son believed in peace end of story.

Karly has the right to say whatever she wants on her site.

~elle
Anonymous said…
there are 2 things I can conclude about this:
1. propagandists admit that they're not professional writers.
2. they want people to read their post, but when people challenge their point of view, they get mad.
the end.
Anonymous said…
Karly - not to take away from the topic or to switch subjects but did you see Nhu Quynh new concert pictures on her website. She's looking much better and healthier.
Karly said…
Hi. I haven't seen the NQ pics. I'm glad she is doing well
Anonymous said…
Karly, I enjoy your writing. 1) Great appreciation to the efforts that you spend on updating these days.
2) In regarding to your recent post, I think it's ridiculous for people to protest against TCS's music, and wanting to ban it now. (partly agreeing to your point).
3) I find your writing relaxing and entertaining. Your way of delivering the text is clear and to the point. You do a small good explanation of your points of views and a short conclusion, which backs up your previous points. However, the interpretation that is implemented into each of your reader varies, depending on how they want to take it.

Anyway, keep updating us with news!
Anonymous said…
Well, for people who are complaining, you don't have to read it if you don't like it.
Anonymous said…
I think TCS was a great artist, and very talented. He helped make our music as rich as it could be. I think he was just against the wars and not really taken any sides.

We should be so proud to have his music in our lives.
Anonymous said…
Yes, i'm totally agree with Anonymous (11:17 AM). Anyway, he passed away please let him RIP.
Anonymous said…
Its funny, us as Vietnamese want freedom, yet we want to restraint other from having freedom of expression. I personally careless of what people said about Trinh Cong Son or Khanh Ly, I still support them.

Anonymous...dont be a hater...US if you dont like TCS music or whatever people said on this site...then turn your back around.

Also, you talked about Human right...i think back in the olday...im talking about VNCH...there were major curruption too as well as other human right.
Anonymous said…
The war is over, get a life....Its funny cuz the older vietnamese folks protest anything that moves. Then even protest Quang Dung and others vietnamese singer who come here to sing in a concert... comeon now...
Anonymous said…
The fact that no one has an accord with this TCS problem goes to show you that the Vietnam War was, and still is, very complicated. I'm not supporting any sides here but merely looking at it via third person perspective. I think TCS's ultimate wish was peace and no more fighting, even if it meant siding with Communists at a certain point. Whether or not that was good or bad, that's the debate right there. I think for him, he was looking at it in a Machiavellian sense with "ends justifies the means". Unfortunately for TCS, he felt Communists would bring that peace. Oh well. These things bring out war and adds fuel to the fire.
Anonymous said…
Corruption had happened before and after the war. There is nothing new. Corruption is part of human's bad trait. It exists everywhere around the world though in different forms. Now that we lost the war, our parents' generation tend to use it for this regime so that they "feel" better? I don't blame them. However, us, as the next generation of Vietnamese, we should stop feeling tbitter. Just be happy that Vietnam finally doesn't have anymore war. At least, Vietnamese families finally live in "PEACE". Of course, Vietnam is still poor because of all the years of war.

Whether we are American, French or what not, we are still Vietnamese in our blood. I don't know about you, but a better and richer Vietnam will make me proud to be Vietnamese of origin.
Anonymous said…
"Noi vong tay lon" is a beuatiful song, I love it! In this video it is sung at the end by Richard Fuller (in eng and vietn.) who is a great TCS-Fan:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnR6_0Y-mww Enjoy!
Anonymous said…
hey uh, i like a lot of the songs by TCS and the female singer

but your writing has too much decadent western imperialism influence.
Anonymous said…
this is a comment from movingstone
thinh1@sbcglobal.net..

I bet half of these comments are from younger generation, if so stop it.. you guys was not there (I included) at the time of the war so you pretty much have no rights to comment on such because most are bias base on your upbringing..

As for the older people, it is all history .. go ahead protest all you guys want, you guys have the rights for such protest but what a waste of time.. there are other more useful stuffs to do out there to help the world more so than this.. get over it.. music are just music..

as for some anonymous, attacking the writer instead of the issue is a poor argumentation skill, not only that this anonymous ass-u-me people who argue his/her points are communist sympathizer etc... such hypocrisy..

as for the subject, good music are good music.. a person like me listen to music to relax, so in my view there is no reason to ban good music.. as for people who try to take alway the opportunity of other to listen to good music sound pretty much like dictatorship and communism and hypocrite..
Anonymous said…
Geez.. someone comes from Viet Nam or whateer and then everybody is a Viet Cong.. pfft, cmon man..
Anonymous said…
Hey guys. Today is Trinh's birthday. Let's pay some respect for him. His music has been and will be with us forever.
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Anonymous said…
People have the right to voice their opinions and people have the right to protest. If you have a family member killed by Viet Cong or spending 10 years in so called "Re-Education camps" without knowing what tomorrow will be then you would be pissed as well. To me Trinh Con Son death is a good riddance for many Vietnamese. Karly has the right to say how she feels about his musics but at the end of the day...That dead dog Trinh Con Son is a "Traitor" to me.
Anonymous said…
I am a Vietnamese and a son of former ARVN. As much as I do not like communist but I have to disagree with the protest. What was and is the reason for South Vietnamese to fight against communism? It's for her people and that goal shouldn't change. If you protest against someone who contributed greatly to Vietnamese culture and art, you are depriving Vietnamese youth and world from learning vietnamese history. I see similar trend against Vietnamese companies collaborating or operating in America. I see this as opportunities to create new jobs and learnings for the Vietnamese people. If you fought for Vietnamese people, then why are you depriving Vietnamese people from better economy? I think instead of protesting, we should find a way to increase more collaboration between vietnam and democratic countries. This in turn will give the Vietnamese people a better perception and understanding and reduce poverty in Vietnam.