The United States and companies, if they want to be on the right side of history, must first acknowledge their crimes and dedicate themselves to bringing justice to the Vietnamese people.
The United States has an inclination to condemn other countries of abuses, violations, and crimes as the supposed “moral force of the world.” While some of these condemnations are valid and necessary to uphold basic human rights, we must rip off this veil of American moral supremacy and begin to look inward at our own present and past actions that are just as condemnable and just as egregious.
I refer to the Vietnam War - perhaps America’s greatest war crime that was started by purposefully misconstrued intelligence - in which U.S. corporate - military partnership has created Agent Orange, a chemical weapon that contains dioxin (a toxic chemical that causes cancers, defects, and disabilities).
From 1962 to 1971, the U.S. Air Force sprayed 19 million gallons of herbicides, 11 million of which was Agent Orange. Nine companies were responsible for making this Agent, some of which are the Monsanto Company and the Dow Company. These companies, under the U.S. Defense Production Act of 1950, sold the weapon to the U.S. government who then used it to ravage the Vietnamese landscape and the Vietnamese people.
People may ask why after fifty years, I bring up this major catastrophe. They may be shocked to discover that Agent Orange does not only affect the people who first inhaled it, but also their sons, daughters, and grandchildren who receive the effects genetically.
I urge everyone to remember these names and stories, for these are children who have to bear the burden of a war that they did not witness.
Choi, a boy of 19, who was born with severe spinal deformities and a heart defect. He is undergoing examination and cardiac surgery.
Khao, a girl of 10, who has severe intellectual disabilities and a condition that causes the joints to permanently contract.
Yenly, a girl of 17, who has arthrogryposis, the same condition Khao has. Her mother wanted to kill her at birth, for she thought it was by angry spirits.
Bounta, a man of 26, who is paralyzed and has malformed ankles and wrists.
And Diet, a young man who suffered from last stage heart failure to the point where he had to sleep standing up, for lying down was too painful. His parents, their love for their son is immeasurable, quit their jobs to stay in the hospital, taking care of their son 24/7. Diet, when questioned by a journalist of his condition, said, “I need help. The pain is unbearable. I can’t go on living like this.” Diet passed away just four years ago.
The fact that there are more than three million people - 150,000 of whom are children - who still suffer from defects. The fact that the fundamental function of the military-industrial complex has not changed at all. The fact that these companies are still roaming free, touting how there is no “concrete” evidence that dioxin’s effects are passed on to each generation and the fact that the U.S. courts can not prosecute them because of that is what should infuriate all people.
Around hundreds of millions of dollars sent by the United States have been invested in the cleanup of dioxin-filled areas. The Bien Hoa base is the last remaining Agent Orange hotspot in Vietnam.
However, I believe we can do more. We can always do more. In a general sense, the American war-seeking culture must end by expanding Congressional power over the war powers and over defense companies through nationalization, use every bit of epidemiological evidence to successfully prosecute companies like Dow and Monasto and, if the legal system allows it, force them to fund the next stage of our task - partnering with the Vietnamese government in constructing efficient public health infrastructure that will bring universal care to all Vietnamese people. Building hospitals, care centers, laboratories that will study dioxin related diseases and such in order to effectively treat and prevent continuation.
This was our war. Therefore, it is our responsibility.
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