Van Tran for Congress

Human Events: California’s 47th U.S. House District - Tran vs. Sanchez

By John Gizzi
Political Editor of HUMAN EVENTS.
08/01/2010

“I felt as though I was on Schindler’s List,” recalled Van Tran, bringing to life the memory that never dims of trying to leave Saigon in 1975 as the invaders from Communist North Vietnam marched in for the takeover.

Like the Jews in Europe for whom being on the list in the movie meant a chance at survival, being on a list of names held by the U.S. Army and the soon-to-be-closed American embassy in Saigon meant a chance for a possibly bright future for many South Vietnamese who wanted to flee.

Ten-year-old Van’s name was on the list, as were the names of his parents. Jetting out of Saigon on a military transport plane, they arrived in the Philippines and, like so many of their fellow countrymen, settled in a part of California’s Orange County that would soon become known as “Little Saigon.”

For the Trans, life was good in their adopted home. Van’s father continued the teaching career he had pursued in South Vietnam and his mother became the first dentist in the Vietnamese community. As young Van went through school, his passion for politics grew. As he says, “I was one of the Reagan youth.”

…Whether the issue is TARP money for bailouts, stimulus money, “cash for clunkers,” or tax dollars for Planned Parenthood, Sanchez will be voting the Obama-Pelosi line without hesitation.

“Van is a man of destiny,” California GOP National Committeeman Shawn Steel said of Tran back when he first won a legislative seat. “He’ll be the first Vietnamese-American congressman!” Steel was proven wrong when Louisiana Republican Joseph Cao achieved that distinction in ’08. But Steel can still be right that Van is a man of destiny if conservatives help Van Tran take that next important step to Washington in his already exciting life.

For the full article visit: http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=38351