If history later recalls the journey fighting against dictatorship of the Vietnamese people in the early 21st century, the outstanding images will be those of women's. Amongst these courageous women, there is the face of an ordinary citizen who resolutely stands up against the powerful totalitarian regime: Bui Thi Minh Hang it is!
If later reading back the heroic amid arduous first decade of the century, we will find the images of the indomitable prisoners who, after being released from prison, still steadfastly look past their days of harsh imprisonment, still accept the reality that they can be returned to communist-hell jail cells to continue their fight. Among these are the women: Pham Thanh Nghien, Do Thi Minh Hanh, Le Thi Kim Thu. The fourth is Bui Thi Minh Hang.
Bùi Thị Minh Hằng.
She is not a strategist who would know battle theories, strategic plans, or political calculations. She represents the typical ruled-class: "I'm being oppressed, I stand up to fight". She doesn't label herself as a blogger, a dissident for democracy, or a human rights advocate. With the words tatooed heavily on her shoulders "State Debt-Patriotic Duty", with her own steps forward, she is a fighter; an ordinary Vietnamese citizen who fights back.
She fights back on all fronts, for all issues that need to be fought. China's invasion: she is in the front lines - Saigon, Hanoi cities. Her chantings have become the sound of the patriotic protestors. Government officials robbing lands from peasants: she marches alongside with peasants to demand back what belongs to them. Fellow brothers and sisters being arrested: she protests for the release of her patriots. Religious freedom: she participates in their fight. Exposing the wrong-doings of the regime, and those of the security police: she - someone who once began by typing with just one finger - has created her own blog, and using Facebook to speak out. Vung Tau city, the night before when state-sponsored thugs threw fermented dead fish into her home, the next morning the whole world learned of the immoral acts of Ho Chi Minh's trained security police and their hired hands. Saigon city, the night after, Chinese officials threatened to invade our seas, she and her fellow compatriots raised high their protest banners: "Even women have the duty to defend their nation".
Fighting from a virtual blog all the way to the streets is the typical Bui Thi Minh Hang. Fighting not only with a pen but also by protest, marching forward, standing up straight with her head held high is Bui Thi Minh Hang.
Every individual chooses his or her own way to fight. Some fight back against corrupted security police by exposing their oppressive acts and immoral wrongs through articles posted online. Some fight them by opting for logic and reasons of the mind, in the hope of ending oppression by showing compassion. She "fights" corrupted security police with her straight-forward attitude: zero tolerance for injustice. She "fights" in the middle of the streets with her words of condemnation. She "fights" with her reasonings spoken to security police but ultimately aimed to be heard by the people. In a society where fear still clouds over, there are very few people who have witnessed those who no longer fear.
There are some who criticize that her attitudes and reactions may project a "negative" image upon the democracy movement. That's normal due to concerns for the common goal. Sometimes it is also the "self-imposed duty" of theorists, strategists, or those who think they will be leading the people in the future. Nevertheless, it is impossible when they want the oppressed to react in a conforming way.
The last image of a revolution between right and wrong, between the oppressors and the oppressed, will be the image of outrage. That is the truest form that history will witness and that will also be the image of Bui Thi Minh Hang.
The last image of the revolution in Vietnam will be of the pioneer women's. Pioneering in the meaning of those who were first in line, and from the beginning of the early days when a revolution just emerged. They would not be the images of those who were at the front line but only surfaced when the dusk had set on the tyrannical regime.
At that very moment, even if Bui Thi Minh Hang is still in a dark cell, the image of those pioneers will still project her figure: a lady whose fist raised high, feet marching forward, mouth chanting loudly, and expressing her every true and sincere emotion along the historic journey. That is the image of an ordinary citizen who stands up to fight back. That is the very image of Bui Thi Minh Hang.
