The Public Policy Institute of California defines hate crimes as “crimes with reasonable evidence of motivation based on a victim’s race/ethnicity, gender, or other personal characteristics.” After reaching a low point in 2014, reported hate crime numbers began rising slowly before spiking dramatically in 2019 – Newsom’s first year in office. A troubling trend has continued, with hate crimes more than doubling in California from 2019 to 2022.

Blue Cities See Hate Crime Spikes

This alarming rise in hate crimes cannot simply be dismissed as the byproduct of racist, right-wing ideologies. The data shows liberal cities at the forefront of this disturbing increase in hate-motivated offenses.

In 2022, both Sacramento and Los Angeles reported record levels of hate crimes within their cities. San Francisco, widely regarded as one of the most progressive cities in America, became a hotbed for anti-Asian hate crimes over the same period.

The inescapable reality is that hate has proliferated in deep-blue, Democratic-run cities throughout California – a state with no Republicans holding any statewide elected offices.

Newsom’s Leadership Failures

The surge in hate crimes is just one of many crises that have drastically worsened under Newsom’s leadership as governor. During his tenure, homelessness has increased, drug overdose deaths more than doubled, violent crime rates jumped well above the national average and California even lost population for the first time in its 170-year history.

Rather than focusing on solving the myriad issues gripping his state, Newsom has attempted to build a national political brand by lecturing Republican-led states like Florida and Texas about their governing philosophies and policies.

This posturing rings incredibly hollow when viewing the quantifiable decline California has experienced across nearly every quality of life metric under Newsom’s watch. The governor has presided over a state plagued by soaring rates of hate, homelessness, addiction, violence and lack of affordable housing – the opposite of a shining liberal utopia.

An Unlivable State for Most?

California’s governance under Newsom seems tailored to prioritize the elite liberal class at the expense of working and middle-class families. While the state remains a highly desirable place to live for the ultra-wealthy, it has grown increasingly unlivable for most due to its skyrocketing cost of living, lack of housing availability, rising crime rates and now – unchecked hate.

Until Newsom deals with the multitude of critical issues facing Californians from all walks of life, his constant rhetoric about the superiority of the state’s governance will continue to ring hollow. His focus must urgently shift from building a national political brand to providing basic security, affordability and quality of life for his constituents.

Rather than lecturing others, Newsom needs to display capable leadership at home first. Doubling down on failed policies while overseeing compounding crises is not a promising recipe for future electoral success. Californians – and all Americans – deserve far better from their elected leaders. I sincerely hope you find this “Hate Crimes in California Skyrocket Under Newsom – What’s Behind the Surge?” article helpful.

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Saigon’s Fall and the Start of a Vietnamese Exodus

April 30, 1975 was the day Saigon fell to North Vietnamese forces. It marked the end of the Vietnam War and the start of a mass exodus of Vietnamese seeking refuge abroad. Many faced imprisonment re-education camps, or even execution at the hands of the communist regime.

The memorie remain raw for Vietnamese-American like state Senator Janet Nguyen. Her uncle a South Vietnamese Army officer was brought before his village and killed after the fall. Her parents were jailed for trying to escape.

For Assemblymember Tri Ta, April 30th brings back memorie of his father’s years in a re-education camp for daring to write books critical of communism.

Stories like these are common among the 2.3 million Vietnamese-Americans living in the U.S. They refer to April 30th as “Black April” and observe it as a solemn day of mourning and remembrance.

So when the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisor declared the date “Jane Fonda Day” to honor her activism the Vietnamese-American community was deeply offended.

To them Jane Fonda represent something very different. Her controversial 1972 visit to North Vietnam earned her the derogatory nickname “Hanoi Jane.” Photo of her laughing with North Vietnamese soldier and sitting at their anti-aircraft guns caused lasting anger among many Vietnamese refugees and American veterans.

Assemblymembers Call for Reversal of Jane Fonda Day, Citing Offense to Veterans’ Sacrifice

That is why Assemblymembers Tri Ta and Stephanie Nguyen quickly authored a letter decrying the honor as “an affront to the service and sacrifice of American and South Vietnamese soldiers.” Signed by nearly every Republican in the Assembly it urged the supervisors to rescind Jane Fonda Day.

The designation was not meant as an intentional slight according to a spokesperson for the supervisors. The date was simply chosen because it coincided with a regular meeting for issuing proclamations. Nonetheless the board soon voted to rename the occasion out of respect for the Vietnamese-American community.

To many the incident reflects a broader lack of awareness of Vietnamese-American history and sensitivities. Other examples include a 2017 bill to repeal California’s ban on communist government employees. Fierce backlash from Vietnamese refugees forced the legislator to quickly withdraw the bill and issue an apology.

Senator Janet Nguyen now make a point of introducing anti-communism resolutions in the very liberal California legislature. As she explains, escaping communist rule is precisely what allows Vietnamese-Americans to “treasure democracy and freedom” today.

Controversy Surrounding Jane Fonda Day

So while Jane Fonda Day may have been well-intentioned it touched a nerve for California’s over 500,000 Vietnamese-Americans. Black April remain a solemn memorial to the suffering, loss, and sacrifice endured under communism in Vietnam. For many refugee and their families, the painful memorie are still too near. Honoring controversial figure like Jane Fonda on that symbolic date can come across as profoundly disconnect from their communal trauma and identity.

It is only by learning this collective history and perspective that politicians and communities can avoid similar missteps. The outrage over Jane Fonda Day presents a teaching moment and a chance at greater understanding between Vietnamese-Americans and their neighbors. Through open dialogue, commemorations like Black April can perhaps become occasions to acknowledge the past while still envisioning a more inclusive future. I sincerely hope you find this “Vietnamese Reaction to Jane Fonda Day in L.A County – why is it considered significant?” article helpful.

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