CC - Item 4C - Display of The Vietnam American Heritage and Freedon Flag with the United States of America Flag Along Valley Blvd. As a Symbol of Freedom and DemocracyROSEMEAD CITY COUNCIL
STAFF REPORT
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
FROM: JEFF ALLRED, CITY MANAGE
DATE: MARCH 22, 2016
SUBJECT: DISPLAY OF THE VIETNAM AMERICAN HERITAGE AND FREEDOM
FLAG WITH THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FLAG ALONG
VALLEY BLVD. AS A SYMBOL OF FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY
SUMMARY
The Vietnamese Refugee Community of Los Angeles County is again requesting that
the City Council support the Vietnamese American citizens of the Rosemead community
by authorizing the display of the Vietnamese American Heritage and Freedom Flag
along with the United States of America Flag as a symbol of freedom and democracy on
Valley Boulevard from Sunday, April 24th through Sunday May 1st. The display of the
flags together side -by -side is consistent with the protocol specified in the United States
Flag Code. The flag display will commemorate the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975.
Staff Recommendation:
That City Council APPROVE the request of the Vietnamese Refugee Community of Los
Angeles County to display the Vietnamese American Heritage and Freedom Flag side -
by -side with the United States of America Flag along Valley Blvd. from April 24 2016
through May 1, 2016 in accordance with the protocol specified in the United States Flag
Code.
BACKGROUND /DISCUSSION
For the past several years, the City has authorized the Vietnamese Refugee Community
of Los Angeles County to display the Vietnamese American Heritage and Freedom Flag
along Valley Boulevard in commemoration of the fall of Saigon on April 30 1975. This
historic event ultimately resulted in the immigration of tens of thousands of Vietnamese
refugees to the Untied Stated where they have made significant contributions to our
community, state, and nation.
The Vietnamese Refugee Community of Los Angeles County is once again requesting
authorization to erect the Vietnamese Freedom Flag on light poles along Valley
Boulevard to be displayed side -by -side with the American Flag in accordance with the
United States Flag Code Section 7, which reads as follows: When flags of two or more
ITEM NO. 4.0
City Council Meeting
April 14. 2015
Page 2 of 2
nations are displayed, they are flown on equal separate staffs of the same heights. The
flags should be of approximately equal size. International usage forbids the display of
the flag of one nation above that of another nation in time of peace.
All costs associated with the display of the Vietnamese American Heritage and
Freedom Flag along with the United States of America Flag will be borne by the
Vietnamese Refugee Community of Los Angeles County.
Attachment: Letter from The Vietnamese Refugee Community of Los Angeles County
The Vietnamese Refugee Community of Los Angeles County
P.O. Box 7694, Torrance, CA 90504
TEL: (310) 381 -9629 - (626) 421 -0940
Email: congdongvnla @sbcglobal.net *State No. CA 2502787
March 1, 2016
Dear Honorable Mayor Margaret Clark
Mayor Pro Tem Sandra Armenta
Council Member Bill Alarcon
Council Member Polly Low
Council Member Steven Ly
The Vietnamese Refugee Community Of Los Angeles County would like to ask the
Mayor and all city councils to support and grant the permit for the Vietnamese American
citizen in city of Rosemead to the commemoration of the Black April 30, 2016 by
displaying the Yellow flag with Three Horizontal Red stripes as side Vietnamese American
Heritage and Freedom a symbol of "Freedom and Democracy in Vietnam" side by side
with the American flag on the light post, on Valley Blvd. Beginning at the corner of N
Charlotte Ave thru corner of Mission Dr, from the day of Sunday April 24, 2016 thru
Sunday May 01, 2016.
Once again, thank you very much for the Mayor and city councils support this event.
We wish you and your family all the best. May you always be in the loving hands of God.
Sincerely,
Long Nguyen
President of the Vietnamese Refugee Community of Los Angeles County