from what i gathered, they were not really there to listen to what brian had to say, they had already made up their minds that they wanted his exhibit to be taken down and were there to tell brian and college to do so.
apparently a vietnamese newspaper reported that brian had paid the college to exhibit his work after the show in santa ana was shut down. LIES! this exhibit has been planned for over a year and we never pay our artist to exibit (we just don’t have that kind of money). the artist that show their work at the college are all invited and never paid.
yes, i know they went through a lot under ho chi minh, i understand that it was painful and i do sympathize, however brian didn’t do this to hurt anyone. it happens to hurt some people, but to demand his right to freedom of expression be taken away is no better than those who tried to oppress others in vietnam in the first place. they are against the oppression they felt in vietnam and are now here trying to do it to other people. had brian done this work in order to hurt perhaps i would feel differently, but his intent was to inform and that makes all the difference to me.
the college will not be taking the exhibit down.
