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Vietnam - Why does the shadow linger?
Oct 2, 2007

At Mamacuna Traders, we work with Fair Trade certified wholesalers and producers from around the world. Recently we imported some good from Craft Link of Vietnam. Craft Link is a non-profit certified organization that provides marketing and export support for many artisans and artisan groups; mainly women's groups. The income helps to bring these families out of poverty and gives them their dignity back. Their children are able to attend school and hope for a better life is more of a reality than a pipe dream. But when I mentioned that we received goods from Vietnam to a friend I received a tart comment in return. Basically, what lingered was a reminder of our involvement in the Vietnam war. Even though this individual was far too young to have fought in the jungles and deltas of Vietnam, he apparently still carried a resentment laid down by a previous generation. I reminded this person that my father, a career Army officer, spent over a year in the delta region when I was a child. After his return, he never displayed any dislike of the people or culture. In fact, during his tour he found time to visit markets and purchase items to please his girls back home. 

So, I found my friend's comments to be a bit ridiculous in this time and age. Even after explaining the benefit of working with Fair Trade programs, it was still the idea of working with Vietnam that bothered him. He would never buy anything from "that country."

It is my feeling that the more we can give people a chance at fair wages for products and services and a chance for a better life, then the chance of war diminishes. Every opportunity we have to embrace change for the better all over the world is one more step towards global peace.

I understand that for many veterans, the subject of Vietnam is still a sore one, but with the lessons of the past we have the chance for a brighter future and that means helping all people in the world today and healing the past so that it may never again be repeated.
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Posted: Tuesday October 2, 2007, 5:26 am
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Laura Burgess
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female, age 51, married, 1 child
Portsmouth, NH, USA
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