Trangdai’s Memorial Day message to an unresponsive Anaheim council.

After Trangdai Glassey-Tranguyenthe experience of the April 16, 2024 Anaheim Council meeting on DisneylandBefore, which has gone viral on YouTube with over 1,600 views so far, she composed the following message to be read at the May 21 meeting. But with her busy schedule as a teacher and mother of three, she couldn’t make it happen. The speech refers Remembrance Daywho had six days off, so we thought we should post it today.

Anaheim Council!

During the week of April 15-19, 2024, approximately three million third- through eighth-grade students in the state of California took the California Assessment test. In addition to proctoring the test, teachers still had to follow the regular schedule for that week, so you can imagine how busy and tired our students, teachers, and their parents were.

As a full-time teacher and mother of three, it was an extremely busy week for me. So the last thing I needed was another meeting on Tuesday evening, April 16, only the second day of testing week. Yet, I took the time to come here to express my concerns, because it was my inalienable right in our American democracy to have a say in a public matter that would negatively impact the lives of my family.

You get paid with tax dollars to be here, but residents like me don’t. We take the time to be here. It was my right and my responsibility to speak. But did you listen? Here is a visual aid for your edification:

Mayor Aitken and Councilmember Rubalcava, please take a very close look, as some of my students were observing your behavior during my comments and reviewing them over and over again. Your behavior intrigued them. Their biggest question was: What is the state of democracy in Anaheim? This video gives a very clear answer!

As is well demonstrated here, you deliberately chose NOT to LISTEN when a mother spoke her heart out about the endless concerns about the safety and mental health of her young children. So who do you listen to? The donors who funded your campaigns so you could vote in their interests over the public’s concerns?

As elected officials, when you failed to listen, you robbed me and my fellow citizens of our democratic right to voice our concerns and be included. You have canceled our place in the civic life of this city. Your disruptive behavior has rendered my efforts and the public hearing process useless. As such, democracy was not defended at the Anaheim City Council public hearing that evening. But it shows that you had a selective hearing as we all witnessed your attention to the candidate’s statement and those who supported the DisneylandForward proposal.

I could never imagine having a side conversation when one of my students is speaking – especially when it’s THEIR turn and the situation requires them to share their thoughts. Your thoughtless and disrespectful behavior proves that you do not deserve to hold public office, because if you are a public servant, as you should be, then you should at least pretend to do your job and take care of the public’s concerns.

Your behaviors showed that the voices of concerned Anaheim residents are worthless in this city hall during a very important meeting, where citizens were forced to wait outside for several hours in the dark, cold and windy night to be able to speak. A very gloomy picture of democracy indeed!

Your behaviors have shown that the people of Anaheim cannot trust you to make big decisions for us because you have failed in even something as small as listening to public comment.

Your behaviors showed that you stood FAR above the law, because even in such an important council meeting that made headlines the next day, you didn’t even want to pretend that your constituents’ votes were being taken into account. These behaviors are part of a pattern of disregard for public concerns during the lightning-fast approval of DisneyForward, even those of thousands of Anaheim residents – many of whom have lived here their entire lives and grew up before the arrival of Walt Disney in town.

My students were watching the meeting as well as the video of the private conversation between Mayor Aitken and Councilor Rubalcava during my public comment. They asked me, “Why did they act like they were at a sidewalk cafe?” Are elected officials supposed to act like this during a public hearing? My response was: “No!” » They could never and should never understand why the mayor and councilwoman had a side conversation and ignored a public comment, simply because it was an unlawful act.

I would like to hear your explanation for such behavior, but one of my students suggested that there should be NO tolerance for such behavior in a functioning democracy. Because in this public civic building, you acted LESS like elected officials. A school-aged student knows much better. When you don’t listen to our voices, our concerns and our needs, you shouldn’t be sitting in those chairs up there.

A book that echoed my April 16 dilemma is “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten” by Robert Fulgum. I have worked with students of all ages, from preschool to middle school, and I remember reminding my elementary school students of the importance of listening. We first put our hands to our ears and say: “Ears that listen.” Then we put our hands on our heart and say, “Hear that listens,” and so on. Listen to the whole body. This isn’t just a lesson for kindergartners. This could be very useful here, in this room, especially during public hearings.

We should ask ourselves: “CAN THE SUBALTERN SPEAK?” » during the meeting on April 16, to use the words of Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak. Why was my public statement ignored and not the plaintiff’s? Was it because I’m just another Asian woman you can push aside? Your behaviors showed me that YOU HAVE SILENCED MY VOICE, right here in the city hall of Anaheim, far from the Spivak specifics of political, social and cultural hegemony that silenced the voices and agencies of women.

Speaking of silencing voices, it seems I’m not the only one being silenced here. If Charles Dickens were here, he would be too! Funny thing! As colossal and relevant as he is to today’s society, Charles Dickens would mean NOTHING to this board. No matter the ghosts of yesterday, today or tomorrow! Just follow the impulse of greed. Vote NO with your conscience but with your campaign donor lists. It doesn’t matter who you hurt when voting! Just follow your checkbook. It’s time for revenge. Let’s move Disney forward. It doesn’t matter whose lives your votes take away! It doesn’t matter if your vote will make certain neighborhoods the unhappiest place on earth. But you know, this guy Charles, he knows some things we should care about, like “Hard Times.” And maybe the ghost of yesterday has something very relevant to say to former Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu right now!

Your behaviors during public comment have shown that the citizens of Anaheim CANNOT trust your votes on April 16, 2024 because you DID NOT listen to the multitude of concerns and suggestions we made. Your decision was already made, so our voices meant nothing. If the voices of Anaheim residents DON’T mean anything to you, then you shouldn’t be sitting here, in these seats, making decisions that affect us all, decisions that will have ramifications not only for ourselves, but also for our children and future generations.

I command you to keep Anaheim accountable to ALL citizens by listening to our voices and incorporating them into the decisions YOU make on our behalf. Otherwise, you are proving that you are working for special interests and NOT the people of Anaheim. A recall is costly for ALL of us. This takes away public funds that can be put to good use to meet many of the urgent needs of residents. But when a booster is needed, the fund is not only put to good use. This is the best use.

Memorial Day is only six days away. Today is Memorial Day. It is still an important day for me because as a refugee I have the greatest gratitude for the freedom and democracy that allowed me to be here today, fully aware of the human costs and complexities historical trajectories of the United States. Countless brave people gave their lives so that I could be here today. I stand with all concerned citizens of Anaheim to ensure these lives are not lost in vain. I will ensure that my freedom is NOT taken for granted or usurped by the votes of the city council in favor of special interests. As we celebrate Memorial Day this year, many of us will ensure that democracy is served here in Anaheim by saying YES in the recall election in District 3 and demanding transparent and accountable government right here in our city .

Good day to all ! ****–

Trangđài Glassey-Trầnguyễn, Ph.D.
Founder/Director, Vietnamese Diaspora Projects
Life Member, Fulbright Association
Life Member, Dana Point Historical Society

Latest publications:
Forty-five years later: two poems (2021)
Six selected bilingual poems (2020)
UN/Earthing Borderland-Motherland (2019)
www.trangdai.net
Squatting in Berlin (2016)
Biểu Đạt Căn Tính Di Dân (2016)
Articulation Refuge-endity (2015)
Ten selected bilingual poems (2014)
Selected poems (2013)
Selected poems (2010)