Most recent public comments by YLan Nguyen https://nowcomment.com/users/16356 https://nowcomment.com/documents/36342?scroll_to=385388 https://nowcomment.com/documents/36342?scroll_to=385388 This paragraph exemplifies the United States' desire to be the savior, the rescuer. Refugees, specifically "good refugees" that succeed in the U.S. socioeconomically are used by various mediums (media, government) to justify the militarized presence of the U.S. in Southeast Asia. The successes of refugees like Nguyen and his family are virtually the only visibility of refugees in the dominant narrative that war is good, war is necessary that the military industrial complex thrives on. Nguyen points out the U.S.'s white savior complex with the ending of "The Green Berets" in which Wayne saves a young Vietnamese orphan "in need of his paternal benevolence." This shot that once again exemplifies the U.S.'s desire to be the friend and savior of Vietnamese people. This reminds me of Bee Vang's essay regarding Gran Torino where there is no father-figure and thus, Clint Eastwood must step in to be the paternal guidance, to show Thao the "ways of manhood." Nguyen ends this paragraph with an interesting comparison to the relations in the Middle East. The U.S. is clearly blinded by an incessant need to save the oppressed all around the world, thinking that the U.S. MUST save everyone when in reality, the people that supposedly need saving view the U.S. as invaders rather than liberators. The military industrial complex thrives on this need. Tue, 13 Oct 2015 12:28:40 -0400