Reps. Alma Smith, Green, Vagnozzi, Dean, Sak, Bieda, Clack, Condino, Constan, Hopgood, Rick Jones, Leland, Lemmons, Pastor, Polidori, Tobocman, Valentine and Warren offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 16.

            A resolution to recognize the Vietnamese Freedom and Heritage Flag as the flag of the Vietnamese-American community.

            Whereas, The people of the former Republic of Vietnam were valiant in their resistance to the aggression of communist North Vietnam, and thousands of Vietnamese men and women made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of freedom; and

            Whereas, Many officers and enlisted personnel of the former Republic of Vietnam, as well as teachers, intellectuals, and artists, were imprisoned as enemies of the state; and

            Whereas, The current government of Vietnam continues to harass, interrogate, and arrest individuals advocating democracy; and

            Whereas, The flag of the free Vietnamese people consists of three horizontal stripes of red upon a field of gold, and this flag is an eternal symbol of the hope and love of freedom for all people of Vietnamese descent, just as the American flag symbolizes these virtues for citizens across the United States; and

            Whereas, Dating back to 1948, the red and gold striped flag has a history in Vietnam and is a broad symbol of resilience, freedom, and democracy for the Vietnamese-American community; and

            Whereas, This flag remains as a poignant reminder of the threat of communism and the imperative of remaining vigilant in opposition to tyranny of all forms and actively supporting human rights; and

            Whereas, The end of the Vietnam conflict produced an exodus of over 2 million Vietnamese seeking political asylum in the free world who bravely risked their lives to live under the prosperity of democracy; and

            Whereas, Many of these refugees settled in Michigan, and thousands of Vietnamese Americans and residents of Vietnamese descent live in Michigan; and

            Whereas, Numerous municipalities across the country and several states have taken the formal step of extending recognition of the red and gold striped Vietnamese Freedom and Heritage Flag as the symbol of the Vietnamese-American community; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we hereby recognize the Vietnamese Freedom and Heritage Flag, with three red stripes set on a gold background, as the flag of the Vietnamese-American community; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Office of the Governor and the Vietnamese-American Public Affairs Committee.