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Hate Crime Against Vietnamese Family in Grants Pass
A man who survived the unthinkable as a child refugee says he is being bullied by some members of one Josephine County community. Someone even tried to bomb the family's home. Tonight why he says the hate crime and the harassment is only fueling his resolve to persevere and succeed. NBC5's Laura Cavanaugh reports.
About the Author
Laura Cavanaugh
Laura Cavanaugh anchors NBC5 News at 6 and 11.
She brings incredible experience to the NBC5 news team. In addition to producing television news in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Laura worked with Dateline NBC and ABC’s Primetime Live, Nightline, World News Tonight and Good Morning America.
She earned a Master's degree in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Arts in both Spanish and Business from the University of Michigan. Laura won USC's Annenberg Director's Award for Excellence.
While working in New Mexico, Laura was recognized by the Associated Press for outstanding work and won two awards from the New Mexico Broadcasters Association.
As a former Spanish teacher, Laura believes in community service. In her free time, she spends her weekends volunteering and fundraising for organizations that benefit children, animals and people in need. Those organizations include CASA, S.M.A.R.T., Women's Crisis Support Team, Southern Oregon Latina Scholarship Fund and Dogs for the Deaf.
Laura enjoys salsa dancing, reading, good music, working out and college sports. She also loves to spend time with her miniature dachshund.
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Medford, OR 97501
Comments (36)
Quite a thick accent for growing up here for 30 years
So your point is, it's ok what happened to them because of a thick accent?
I've been here since 1965, served in the US Army during the Vietnam debacle (drafted btw) and also still have my Dutch accent.
This family is better than many who choose to live on the dole.
Van, that was NOT my point, I just meant it was strange that after being here for 30 years he had a thick accent. Madonna went to England and lost her American accent in a matter of months. I have no negative feelings at all for these people, in fact, I am going to try out their food and if I like it I'll continue to eat it, just like every other place I go to eat.
Really?!? You are comparing and American moving to another English speaking country to a Vietnam orphan learning and entirely new language? Wow.
Grants Pass needs to rally around this family and let the narrow minded bigots now it is THEY who are not welcome in this town. Stand up for your neighbors and do the right thing.
Thank you for replying. I got the wrong impression about your post and I'm glad I was.
This family does need our support.
I've never tried Vietnamese food and after hearing this report I plan to have lunch there sometime this week. I am shocked that people in our community would be so hateful. That is NOT the Grants Pass I know. He needs, of course, to meet the legal standards for his business but after that, YOU GO MAN!
Please come today @ noon to have your lunch @ this family's food cart, bing a card to give them that says "thank you/we care/we support you"...we are spreading the word in Grants Pass that our community will not tolerate haters, and we stand with this family!!! Thank you!
I served in A Troop 3rd Squadron 4th Cav in the Republic of Viet Nam Attn: I know this couple personally they live less than 1/4 miles from my folk's home. I posted photos of their mobile food service on the 3/4 Cav page last month. As a service man that fought for their freedom there, I show my support by responding to this post, and showing support for these Citizens' liberty here.
I will drive from Central Point to buy his food, I love Vietnamese food and happy to support this man and his family!
Sorry...I mean JIM!!! Sorry Van
He hasn't worked for 24months. At least he is doing something and not living off of the system like many folks do. I thought this was a free country. I didn't realize that we had such ignorant, stupid, cruel people in this county. Pretty sad. Oh, and what goes around comes around. I think I will go get me some Vietnamese food, sounds better than ever!!!
Way to go GP! 19,000 people in your county is on welfare, you have one of the highest crime rates in the state and you are picking on a working family! way to go! all American city 1986, hold on to that title
This family has the right to be a Grants Pass community member, make a living and be happy. Let us remember that we as people, we are all the same. Let there be love and peace.
All of us are created equal. No one is better or more worthy of making a living than another. We are all immigrants! Some earlier than others. I applaud his entrepreneurial spirit. Frankly, in this economy we need more of it!
Not all accents go away. Just a thought!
I missed this story when it came out but saw the followup tonight about the support this family received since this happened. I want to add my support and condemn this hate crime. I would not want to live in a community that did NOT condemn this hate crime.
I also want to support their right to have their food cart. I wish there were more such food carts here with a variety of cuisines, like there are in Portland now and in many other places. I'd come downtown a lot more often if there were. Food carts - or pods of them, as they are called in other places - ATTRACT tourists and locals alike. They help area economies, not hurt them.
I applaud this man and his family for having the courage and drive to create a job for themselves in an economy that is very tough. They should be rewarded with praise for their hard working ethics.
Jim,
What is this thing about the accent? Many Americans have Italian, British, Scandinavian or Indian accent... even those who were born here. So if I have an accent, does that mean it is alright to bully, harass and intimidate me? Is that the American spirit? Is this the Land of the Free? I gasp in horror at such an affront and such bigotry.
Azmin
@Jim,
I have been in this country for 25 years, and I still speak English with an accent. So what? I learned English as a fourth language when I was in my late teens. Different people have different ability in learning new languages, and how fluent you become also depends on how old you were when you learned a new language.
Still I bet I speak more languages than you with or without an accent. I am a scientist by profession, and successful in my field. But I encounter people like you all the time who wants to be disrespectful just because I have an accent. Whats up with that?
You are going to mistreat someone just because they are different than you. Is that what you are saying? You are saying a foreigner doesn't speak English as well as a native speaker. Do you expect any different?
Your parents didn't do a good job raising you. Bigotry is taught at the dinner table.
A group of friends and I were planning on going to Vancouver BC weekend after the 4th, but after seeing this I think our time will be better served in Oregon To visit their food stand. All I can say is...being a foodie; Their food better be GOOD! ::smile::
It appears the racism is institutional as the police have failed to respond to this family. I spent a short period of time in Grants Pass decades ago, and met with racism in a restaurant where the waitress was exceedingly slow about serving me even though the place was empty. I may have been the first Asian she ever saw in her life, and I'm sure she was shocked when I spoke perfect English as I was born in Hawaii as were my parents. So it comes as no surprise that this is happening to this man who is living the American dream and facing threats as he now tries to legitimately support his family and not live off the dole. How ironic is that.
Please support these fine people...from an Old Soldier..."All the Way"!
Y'know, I don't think it's really necessary to point out his accent. So what if he still has one after 30 years of living in America? You guys are acting like that's a point against him. Which is dangerously close to the mindset that fueled the acts of hate against him and his family. All he and his family want is to have the same rights and privileges that other citizens enjoy, that doesn't mean they need to be whitewashed.
These idiots that firebombed his home are spineless cowards and should die a horrible death.
And I didn't think there was much of an accent...more just a lot of mumbling.
The show of support is touching. But sadly, most whites are racist toward asians in AmeriKKKa. That's why I left. Don't want to fight anymore.
@Jim -shakes head- I'm trying to give you the benefit of the doubt, but your statement comes across pretty ignorant. I'm sure you didn't mean to offend which is why it's ignorance. Now you know hopefully. As someone pointed out, Madonna moving to England (where they speak the same language) is a poor example of what you are trying to say. Btw...I know a guy from Kentucky who still speaks with a Southern accent. Living in California you would think he'd change his ways!
This guy is a true American hero. No hating on the loser community, trying to do good for his family, keeping his head high; we should all be more like him.
Thick accent? No he doesn't. He has less of an accent than someone from Boston. Far less than anyone from anyplace in Europe, including the UK. "These people." Hmmm. Who are "These people?" You mean "Americans?" Its good that you don't have anything against "Americans." I'd hate to think that you've divided the world into "Americans" and then "These people."
As a person close to the family, I would think anyone commenting about the family should know them! They are good hard working people. You should only hope your family if torn apart by war would be able to do as well. Stand your ground and do not let a few ignorant people slow you in the least.
there are many "white" people living in Taiwan. whom speaks crazy Taiwanese... some with little accent, some a lot... no one in Taiwan seems to care, if this white person has heavier accent then they do.
But, language it's only a tool of communication. if you prefer to shut off another person's idea, because they speak with heavy accent... so be it.. it will only be your lose...
Who are these racist people? What they are doing is not good for the tourism dollars. Minorities from California or any place else would skip GP as a destination. Police should look for these bigots and keep them out of the city. And that folks is plain business, not even being righteous. The Mayor should intensely find these bigots, let's say if he even dislike Asians, for it is a black eye against the city's reputation. That is if he cares about the city. BTW who was in charge in that police station when the call was ignored? Who in his right mind would categorized a bomb as not a big deal?
As far as being righteous and God like comments here, I hope there's a lot(90%) of that in Grants Pass. Or you will branded a racist city.
Research GATT & NAFTA. These two economic killers messed up USA to start with. Who lowered the interest rates, so low during the real estate boom? The Fed.Reserve. Who supported these kind of things that is killing us all in the USA? Repubs and demos alike. Why? Monies. Who pushed it? Big Corporations. Who were/are these repubs & demos & corporate individuals who do not care about USA? YEAH this question is also for you ignorant BIGOTS who did this ugly harrasments,,,,Who....most of them were whites like you. Were they racist? No. They just wants us all to be peasants regardless of your accent, color of your skin, or you are of mixed race. Got it now BIGOTS? Maybe your parents are dumb and they learn their dumb bigotry from their parents. But research NAFTA & GATT Fed.Reserve. So to hate other people due to their ethnicity is just plain idiotic. Regardless of color or accent, it is the one that caused the negative ideals against their country. IF THIS WAS REVERSE whereby this honest hard working people were white in an Asian community, then the Asian community must rise up against the bigotry of the community.
Good report/journalism. Proud of being an oregonian for the comments here supporting this Asian family. Proud to be in Grants Pass for people that rallied against racial bigotry. Good questions are still unanswered. Who are the guilty parties? They should be on the web or online so we can see who these people are. Who was the one responsible or in charge in the police department when the call was pushed aside? Is the Mayor of Grants Pass or the D.A. doing anything about this? At least make a political speech or announcement condemning this ignorant act of intent to harm or harrasments, Did the Mayor or the D.A. do anything, anything at all ? Being silent, to me is an approval.
It's so reassuring to see the positive comments on this article and I'm with Mike in that the powers to be should follow up on this UGLY incident with their comment and put some pressure on getting the culprit(s) apprehended.
I also hope that the Vietnamese family is reading these comments.
A dear friend of mine who lives in Grants Pass, Oregon sent this article to me. The people of Grant's Pass who support this kind of bigotry need to investigate their own roots. We are Americans, which means that we are a mixture of all kinds of peoples from different parts of the entire world. How can they single out one person and decide they don't belong...that is Un American. Whoever that person is, and they know who they are, should be ashamed and pack their own bags and move out of town, because I do suspect that most of the residents in Grants Pass know who you are. If you own a business in town, be aware that your business will not be around much longer.....Karma steps in and that will take care of everything....
I am a Grants Pass resident and have confirmed the food from his wagon is very good. There has been some community resistance but the bulk of it has nothing to do with the owner's race. It is resistance to the mobile food cart- this is the first for Grants Pass. The mobile cart doesn't pay the same taxes and other overhead costs of traditional businesses. I hope all of the bigotry will stop and that those who don't like his business methods will use legal means to express their displeasure rather than cowardly intimidation.