Letters to the Editor

Readers write: Letters to the editor, April 13, 2018

Bill recognizes Hmong veterans

Alaskans are proud of our strong military heritage. We honor the service of those who bravely put themselves in harm's way to protect our freedoms. We have strong military installations and more veterans per capita than any other state — to keep Alaskans and Americans safe. That's why we need House Bill 125.

I am one of the Hmong veterans who fought side by side with American soldiers during the Vietnam War. I served as a lieutenant for Maj. Gen. Vang Pao in the Royal Lao Army. From February 1961 to May 1975, Hmong fighters from the hill country in Laos risked our homes, our families, and our lives to join the United States and South Vietnam in the fight against communist oppression.

Under the leadership of the general, Hmong forces rescued nearly 50 pilots and were responsible for saving countless American lives. Many do not realize that during the conflict, heavy bombing campaigns decimated the agricultural livelihood of the Hmong people. More than 20,000 died and far more were displaced. When Laos finally fell to communist forces, tens of thousands more were forced to flee to avoid retribution. The lethal legacy of Laos's Vietnam War experience did not end with the war. More than 580,000 U.S. bombing missions made the country the most heavily-bombed nation, per capita, in history. And the dormant devices are still exploding, claiming 50 lives a year.

We were promised veterans status for our service, but for more than 40 years legislation was stalled in the U.S. House and Senate. After so many years, many of our fellow soldiers across the country died before being recognized. I worked with my representative and members of the Alaska Legislature to get a state resolution in support of the federal legislation. Alaska's House Joint Resolution 17 passed unanimously on the House Floor in the same week as the U.S. Congress amended the Veterans Administration appropriations bill to add the Hmong Veterans' Service Recognition Act to allow full military burials as promised.

Hmong veterans have worked tirelessly for years for this recognition, but there is more to do. Alaska Hmong veterans shouldn't have to wait another 40 years to get state recognition.

House Bill 125 has passed the House, has bipartisan support, and waits for a hearing in the Alaska Senate. It would allow a qualified Hmong veteran to receive a veteran's designation on our Alaska driver's license. We could use this to receive a veteran's discount at businesses. While it may seem minor, it's the long-awaited recognition that would mean so much to all of us.

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We were moved by the words of Rep. Chuck Kopp during his floor speech in support of HB 125 when he said, "we have never had a group of people that made such a complete and total sacrifice, basing their allegiance to the U.S. government on our word, on our honor that we would take care of them."

We ask the Alaska Senate to pass HB 125 and we invite the Alaska community to come celebrate with us on May 15, the Hmong Memorial Day. It will be held at the Boys and Girls Club in Mountain View. Together we can share these significant legislative victories for Hmong veterans of Alaska.

— Pasert Lee
Anchorage

Support bills to fix SB 91 flaw

It defies logic that a judge can learn the nature of an arrested person's out-of-state crimes — including felonies — but, in some circumstances, cannot impose bail conditions that reflect community concern for those out-of-state crimes. Worse still, it matters not what the nature of the out-of-state crime is, whether it is relatively benign or especially heinous. Instead, if the new pre-trial release rubric requires mandatory release, the judges must release.

We are the only state in the union that thought that this was a good idea.

House Bill 295 or Senate Bill 150 are the cure for this flaw in Senate Bill 91.

Emails to legislators supporting this legislation are well-advised.

— Rep. Andy Josephson
Anchorage

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