In these days, in Vietnam, while people in the Central region are struggling to cope with storms, the contrasting image of the September 2nd parade that cost thousands of billions has angered public opinion.
On one side, the people of the Central region are in tears, their houses are devastated, and children lack places to study, but on the other side, fireworks fill the sky, with the massive participation of more than 30,000 people. According to Professor Nguyen Dinh Cong, this is a sign of a rift in the relationship of “heaven, earth, and human” which is considered the pillar of the nation’s destiny.
Accordingly, in Eastern philosophy, “heaven, earth, and human” are the three pillars of balance in the universe. When all three are in harmony, the country will be peaceful, but when one pillar is shaken, the whole regime can collapse.
Most recently, on the night of August 29, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, storm named Nongfa is approaching the mainland and there may be heavy rain and strong winds that could affect the parade.
According to Prof. Cong, today, we are witnessing all three pillars cracking simultaneously. Specifically: The sky is angry, storms are continuously wreaking havoc in the Central provinces. Now it is threatening this unpopular “grand ceremony” of the Communist Party of Vietnam.
But what is more worrying is the “human” pillar – that is, the people’s hearts with rising resentment and fatigue. While people lose their homes and property, the government is busy showing off its power with an overly expensive parade.
The government propagates that the parade is a symbol of patriotism, of the strength of national unity, and has spent thousands of billions of dong on an unnecessary grand ceremony.
While hospitals are still lacking space, schools are dilapidated, and there are many other shortages? How can we call the military parade a patriotic act?
Public opinion sees that if that money were used to rebuild schools for children, or to support people in flood-affected areas, many people’s tears would be wiped away.
When the concept of “patriotism” is distorted and exploited, the noisy military parades have turned patriotism into a collective illusion. People jostle and push to see the military parade, then think that they have contributed to national pride.
But, in fact, it is just an exploitation of patriotism, replacing the concept of nation with a reactionary communist ideology.
More worryingly, each military parade costs tens of thousands of billions of dong, the labor of people, and has become an obsession for the whole society.
This show of power does not make the country stronger, but only deepens the gap between the government and the people.
History has witnessed many times that when the people are not in favor, when natural disasters and famines occur, but the regime is still busy showing off and having fun, then collapse will be inevitable and unavoidable.
Lessons from ancient dynasties, from the Tran Dynasty to the Nguyen Dynasty, all show that once “heaven, earth, and people” are out of balance, the country’s fortunes will be difficult to maintain.
The parade itself is not bad, if it takes place in conditions where the country is prosperous and the people are well-fed. However, in the context of natural disasters, when the poor are still crying, organizing a very expensive parade can be a sign that the country’s fortunes are on the decline.
If the leaders of the Communist Party of Vietnam do not look back soon, listen to the people and make adjustments, the government will have to face increasing anger. Certainly, the majority of people in Vietnam need good medicine and hospitals, not a parade that costs thousands of billions like that.
Tra My – Thoibao.de
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