The event that singer Khanh Ly sang the song “My Mother’s Wealth/Legacy,” a song in the collection of Ca khúc Da Vàng by musician Trinh Cong Son, is stirring up fierce debates in the country. Those who opposed Khanh Ly and the existence of the Republic of Vietnam culture in Vietnam, at this time used very heavy words, even calling her a conspirator of political propaganda in Vietnam.
There is no clear argument, but most of the arguments against singer Khanh Ly are based on the words that the song describes as “civil war” to attack. The State of Vietnam has long said that the war to liberate the North and South is a divine liberation to unify the country. The content saying “civil war” is considered to be against the line and policy of the Communist Party of Vietnam.
But surprisingly, there is no line criticizing the person who wrote this song, musician Trinh Cong Son. Besides, the wave to protect singer Khanh Ly and the separate cultural line of the Republic of Vietnam also exploded with excitement.
On many Facebook forums, there were comments saying that the video recorded by Khanh Ly singing in Da Lat the song “My Mother’s Wealth/Legacy” was planted by the police to attack her show.
Writing on his home page, news commentator Duong Quoc Chinh from Hanoi wrote that “Internal political security has come into play due to ‘public accusations’! In fact, the masses here are the red bull brothers [public opinion shapers]. This story caused intense anger because the brothers, due to their sclerosis and mechanical mentality, saw a banned song and were automatically outraged when someone dared to perform illegally. They don’t understand that banning it is useless. Because listening offline can only have a maximum of 1,000 people, but listening online, millions of people and hundreds of millions of people over the past few decades, can it be banned? That’s not to mention when the press was buzzing, the young people search for it out of curiosity, making the song even more popular. So the more the cows go, the more it helps to promote the song, which is counterproductive.”
Many people also mentioned that the song “Mother’s Wealth/Legacy” as well as many songs before 1975 that were not circulated in life, did not have a specific ban.
The fact that singer Khanh Ly sang one more song outside of the list of 24 allowed songs, is a common thing on the Vietnamese stage, especially when requested by the audience. But with singer Khanh Ly, it must be another “sensitive” case, so everything becomes tense. The Department of Performing Arts in Hanoi said that after the Lam Dong Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism finishes handling, it will be the turn of this Department to make a decision.
In a comment titled “Clumsy defense,” journalist Vo Van Tao in Nha Trang wrote “Borrowing the excuse that the song “Mother’s Wealth/Legacy” is not in the list of songs licensed to perform on June 25 music night in Da Lat, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism as well as the Performing Arts Department of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism both confirmed that there were mistakes in the organizing committee of the concert, Lam Dong Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism followed the regulations when invited to work on music night? Sorry! I am totally sure that if that night Khanh Ly exceeded the list of licensed performances at night with the song “Like Uncle Ho on a great day of joy and victory,” even department supervisors would not dare to “invite the organizers to work. Is it right?”
There are similar comments, appearing in many places, as if there is a way of directing joint action, saying that the song “Mother’s Wealth/Legacy” is against reconciliation and harmony, evoking hatred among Vietnamese people, so it should be banned. However, many say this is a catch-all way of saying it. Many songs of North Vietnam during the war are still in circulation today, full of incitement to hatred.
For example, the song “Going to Saigon” by author Huynh Minh Sieng has the lyrics “advance to Saigon, we will wipe out the enemy.” This song was played continuously from 1974 until later when there was only a confrontation between the two sides of the Republic of Vietnam and the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Since 1973, allied forces of the Republic of Vietnam have completely withdrawn from Vietnam, so the “enemy” here is clearly only the South Vietnamese government.
The issuance of a performance license, strictly controlled like the show Entire Viet by singer Khanh Ly, also shows that there is something unusual about Hanoi’s Decree allowing the free performance of songs before 1975. It was reported by many local newspapers.
According to Decree No. 144/2020 on performing arts activities issued by the Government, from February 1, 2021, it is clear that the mandatory regulation of licensing Southern songs before 1975 will be abolished. The distribution is no longer required to be licensed, in other words, all songs are freely performed. Songs that are particularly “problematic” will have their own ban list. But Mother’s Wealth/Legacy has never been announced as a banned song, so the public is wondering if this song is becoming a controversial event, and what is the violation of what content?
And so, Lam Dong Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism are applying its rules or government decrees are worthless, only announcements are given for yes. And now, the way to connect to “work” with Ms. Khanh Ly’s program, is it an unusual policy of the Vietnamese cultural censorship system?
Thoibao.de (Translated)
