Milpitas Mayoral Election: A City Ready for Accountability and Change

As Milpitas prepares for its November 3, 2026, mayoral election, voters face an important question: Is the city receiving the leadership and effective governance it deserves?

The four candidates are incumbent Mayor Carmen Montano, Councilmember Hon Lien, Voltaire Montemayor, and Santosh Sahoo.  Two most favorable candidates in the race are the current mayor and Hon Lien.   

Among the central issues in the race are Montano's leadership style, the handling of public resources, the treatment of community organizations, and the growing concerns over dysfunction within city government.

Concerned Voters Demand Answers

The Food Pantry dispute has become a symbol of the tensions surrounding Mayor Montano's approach to leadership. According to an October 6, 2026, Milpitas Beat report, Montano referred to supporters of the Milpitas Food Pantry as “bigots” and “haters” in social media comments amid a dispute over rent and operating hours. Her proposal to raise the nonprofit's rent from a nominal amount to more than $5,000 per month raised concerns about the future of a longstanding organization serving vulnerable residents.

Accountability matters, but so does compassion. A mayor should be able to address operational concerns without turning disagreements into public confrontations. Hon Lien's proposal to consider financial assistance for the pantry offered an alternative approach to addressing the dispute while preserving an essential community service.

The Steve McHarris lawsuit raises further questions about the cost of conflict within city government. The former city manager sued the city after his 2023 forcing out  by the Mayor Montano, alleging wrongful termination and other employment-related claims.  He alleged that the decision was retaliatory by the mayor for not keeping an employee that she preferred.   In August 2024, Milpitas Beat reported Councilmember Lien's estimate that legal costs had reached $300,000 and growing.

Regardless of the final outcome, taxpayers deserve to know why the dispute became so costly and whether it could have been resolved more efficiently. Lien opposed McHarris's termination, highlighting a different perspective on how the city should handle its senior management. Combined with concerns about management turnover, the case raises legitimate questions about stability, decision-making, and fiscal responsibility.

City Council meetings presiding by Mayor Montano have also drawn criticism over confrontational exchanges and the effectiveness of the governing process. Council meetings should be places for professional debate, public participation, and practical solutions—not recurring political drama. The mayor has a responsibility to maintain order, encourage constructive discussion, and keep the city's business moving forward.

Milpitas cannot afford to let internal conflict overshadow pressing issues public safety, economic development, housing, infrastructure, and essential municipal services.

A Common Sense Alternative

In the 2024 mayoral election, Montano received approximately 35.8% of the vote, compared with 32.5% for Lien and 22.3% for Anthony Phan. If it was not for Anthony Phan splitting the Vietnamese American votes, Hon Lien would have won.

Lien is presenting herself as an alternative focused on common sense, community engagement, and practical problem-solving. Her experience as a City Councilmember and former school board member, combined with her entrepreneurial background, informs her approach to public service and responsible spending.

Her campaign has highlighted endorsements from Milpitas Fire Fighters Local 1699, the South Bay Labor Council, the Santa Clara County Association of REALTORS® (SCCAOR), and elected officials at the city, county, and state levels. This broad coalition reflects her ability to build relationships across different sectors and political spectrums, bringing diverse groups together around shared priorities for Milpitas.

Milpitas Deserves Better Governance

The Food Pantry controversy, the costly McHarris litigation, and concerns about council meeting conduct all raise a fundamental question about Montano's leadership. .

Conventional wisdom demands a change from Montano.  Voters want a new mayor who puts public service ahead of personal conflict and egoistic agenda,  collaboration ahead of confrontation, and practical solutions ahead of political drama.

As voters evaluate the candidates, the standard should be clear: Milpitas deserves a city government with mayoral leadership that lead with common sense, responsible for a balance budget, focusing on infrastructure and economic development, and puts residents first.

Is San Jose City Councilmember Bien Doan a Convicted Criminal?

 Just last week, a mailer sent by Van Le's campaign  to the community regarding whether San Jose City Councilmember Doan is a convicted criminal.  He is currently running for reelection this upcoming November.  

The mailer was a political attack piece in  respond to the Mercury News article published on  May 29, 2026.  The candidate questionnaire asked Bien Doan:  “Have you been convicted of any felonies? If so, when and of what?” His published answer was simply: “No.”

Councilmember Bien Doan promptly demanded retraction and threatened to sue for defamation against his opponent and  anyone who even considering forwarding the mailer or spreading this news.  He also ordered his staff to send out notices that anybody who knows somebody spreading this information, please report to Queenie Ngo, his trusted aide. 

A few days later, Viet Valley News reported the story fully in an article titled  "Criminal Court Records Concerning Bien Doan".   

www.vietvalley.com

Summary of the VietValley article as written by ChatGPT

The VietValley article, titled “Hồ Sơ Hình Sự từ Tòa Án về Biên Đoàn” reports that campaign materials from Van Le’s campaign cite historical Santa Clara County Superior Court records concerning Bien Trieu Doan, born November 23, 1964. VietValley says it reviewed Register of Actions records and certified court documents and identifies at least five case numbers from the 1980s.

The article describes several categories of records:

• E8527908 (1985): The article says the record shows a misdemeanor conviction under Penal Code §§484/488, with probation, a fine and 31 days of custody. It also says the original court file was subsequently purged under the court's records-retention rules.
• C8530335 (1985–1987): VietValley reports a nolo contendere disposition in 1987 involving petty theft with specified priors under Penal Code §666, followed by probation, fines and custody. It also reports a later certification of conviction.
• C8707482: The article reports felony allegations involving possession of a completed check and forgery. It says the charges were marked “Held to Answer” following a preliminary examination. That terminology indicates the case was allowed to proceed; it is not itself a conviction.
• C8733373 and 116360A: The article reports additional allegations involving witness-related conduct. In case 116360, it lists eight counts, including alleged check-related offenses, burglary, receiving stolen property, embezzlement/grand theft, bribery or influencing of a witness, and dissuading a witness. Again, the article describes these as charges/allegations, and the legal disposition of each count needs to be distinguished from the mere filing or prosecution of a charge.

An important qualification is that the article itself distinguishes between convictions and allegations. It reports at least two misdemeanor convictions, while separately describing felony accusations that were “Held to Answer.” The latter should not be characterized as felony convictions without evidence of a subsequent conviction.

Why the May 29 Mercury News answer is important

On May 29, 2026, the Bay Area News Group/Mercury News candidate questionnaire asked Bien Doan:

“Have you been convicted of any felonies? If so, when and of what?”

His published answer was simply:

“No.”

That makes the timing and framing of the VietValley article significant. The article is not merely reporting old criminal records in isolation; it was published in the context of a campaign controversy over what those historical court records show compared with Doan's answer to the May 29 candidate questionnaire.

Doan's answer was specifically about felony convictions. The VietValley article reports both misdemeanor convictions and historical felony charges. Therefore, the existence of felony charges or cases is not by itself evidence that Doan was convicted of a felony. 

After subsequent debates back and forth in various forums on the Internet by supporters and opponents of Bien Doan,  questions were raised from various voters demanding transparency from Bien Doan as a candidate running for office

1.  Have you ever been convicted of any felonies in Santa Clara County?

2.  Have you ever been convicted of any felonies in San Joaquin County?

( Bien Doan lived in Tracy after he left San Jose)

3.  Have you ever assaulted any of your former girlfriend(s) within the last 3 years?

The conventional wisdom is despite the voters demanding answers but it is unlikely that Bien Doan will response.   These are loaded questions and either for political theater or gotcha posturing.  He is currently the front runner with a landslide winning prediction, why risk anything?

Vietnam Untold Stories - Challenges, Successes & Tragedies

Vietnam War: Untold Stories from the South – Trials, Triumphs & Tragedies is a Vietnamese-centered documentary series that revisits the war through South Vietnamese civilians, soldiers, families and American allies—voices often absent from mainstream accounts. Blending first hand testimony with historical framing, the series traces a longer Vietnamese timeline from the anti-French nationalist struggle and the 1954 Passage to Freedom to the South to the escalation of insurgency, village intimidation, and the long aftermath of rupture and displacement. A defining emphasis is chronology: the film underscores that Hanoi launched armed attacks and escalated infiltration into the South beginning in 1959, years before the U.S. Marines arrived in 1965, challenging the assumption that the conflict “began” with American ground troops.

Across its chapters, the series explores contested leadership narratives, contrasting land reforms, civil-society institutions such as labor unions, rural security efforts like the Strategic Hamlet Program, and the cross-border logistics of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. These historical milestones are presented through the human consequences they produced—fear in villages, impossible moral choices, and families forced to rebuild their lives across generations.

The signature contrast arrives in Tet 1968: Admiral Huan Nguyen’s family tragedy, largely unknown because no camera recorded it, is placed beside Eddie Adams’ iconic execution photograph, illustrating how a single image can define global memory while countless civilian losses remain unseen. The result is a humane, urgent record—preserved before witnesses are gone

The film approach is testimony anchored in context—memory paired with documentation and the viewers from all political spectrums will discover something new.

The film is produced by Nam Pham (Next Vietnam Foundation) and directed by Duc Nguyen,  Emmy Winning Director.   The event is organized by Trieu Ha (Vietnamese American Community of Northern California) and Quinn Tran (IRCC and Viet Museum)

Viet Museum and History San Jose, IRCC Taking Action to Keep the Museum Open

 The Viet Museum located at History Park is one of the most important cultural institutions of the Vietnamese American community in San Jose. For over two decades, it has served as a place to preserve and display the refugee journey and heritage of the Vietnamese diaspora.

The museum was founded by Loc Vu (recently deceased) and has been operated by the Immigrant Resettlement & Cultural Center (IRCC). For almost 20 years, IRCC has maintained a leasing agreement with History San Jose, the nonprofit organization contracted by the City of San Jose to manage History Park. Under this agreement, the Viet Museum has operated out of a Victorian house within the park. 

Since December 2024, however, the museum has been closed by History San Jose due to an internal governance dispute within IRCC.  Additional backstory can be found

https://littlesaigoninside.blogspot.com/2025_01_05_archive.html

In late 2025, Bill Schroh, President and CEO of History San Jose, issued notice to IRCC that the organization intends to terminate the leasing contract with IRCC and release a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a new operator to manage the Viet Museum by the end of December 2025. The stated reason is that IRCC has not provided sufficient proof that the current IRCC leadership represents the controlling management of the organization.

The current IRCC Board of Directors was elected by IRCC members on January 11, 2025, in accordance with the organization's bylaws, which require board members to be elected annually by IRCC members. Following this election, Quinn Tran, a retired high-tech executive and former CEO of the American Red Cross of Silicon Valley, was appointed President and Executive Director to replace Loc Vu, who stepped down from those roles.

Since assuming leadership, Quinn Tran has focused on reopening the Viet Museum so the public can once again visit and learn about the Vietnamese American refugee experience. IRCC has provided complete legal documentation to History San Jose—including corporate governance records and board election documentation—and has participated in mediation proceedings aimed at resolving internal governance conflicts.

Despite these efforts, Bill Schroh and Michelle Duncan, Director of Operations at History San Jose, have continued to move toward its threats as mentioned above.   As a result, IRCC now faces the potential permanent closure of the Viet Museum.

History San Jose is seeking to terminate IRCC’s contract without clear legal merit while making unilateral decisions without meaningful communication with IRCC. At the same time, the organization has threatened to bring in a new operator to run the Viet Museum without acknowledging that the artifacts housed in the museum belong to IRCC, which spent more than 20 years collecting and preserving them.

Any new operator selected by History San Jose would therefore likely inherit only an empty historic building rather than the museum collection itself.

As a last resort—after attempts at dialogue and mediation failed to produce a mutually acceptable resolution—IRCC has filed an action seeking declaratory and injunctive relief relating to the operation of the Viet Museum at History Park.

2026 Tet Festival in San Jose - Year of the Horse

 

   

Dr. Truong Duy Nong

March 13, 1958 - January 20, 2026

In Memoriam of Trường Duy Nông, PhD

 The passing of our ICEVN founder, president and board member, Trường Duy Nông, on January 20, 2026, has undoubtedly left an emptiness in the hearts of all who knew him. Though we were aware of his long struggle with cancer, his congenital intestinal illness, and the many health challenges he endured throughout his life, his death still felt sudden and unreal. He had always seemed to overcome adversity with saintly resilience and determination. We were optimistic that he would be well enough by February to celebrate the Lunar New Year with his family and colleagues. Even in his final hours, as cancer aggressively spread to his lungs, his thoughts remained steadfastly focused on others - he was still asking about preparations for the upcoming youth leadership camp.

Born in Vietnam and grew up in a devastating war that tore families and nations apart, Trường Nông carried within him a restless sorrow intertwined with a deep passion for the human condition, the fate of the Vietnamese people, and the destiny of his homeland. This enduring compassion was also shaped by his family’s legacy of military services fighting for freedom against communism, and Vietnam’s long history shadowed by colonialism, exploitation, and independent wars.  

These experiences did not harden him; instead, they deepened his empathy and strengthened his sense of responsibility.  He spent his professional life as a math educator,   but like many Vietnamese of his generation and those before, his mind never ceased asking how he could help create a better future for the Vietnamese people. With unwavering perseverance and resolve, he anchored his life’s work in the  social vision of the great patriot Phan Châu Trinh: “Enlighten the people’s mind, strengthen the people’s spirit, and improve the people’s being.”  

ICEVN was born with these goals -  to expand knowledge, awaken moral courage, and nurture a sense of responsibility that would allow individuals and communities to develop economic independence, and political self-determination.

In his quest to help rebuild Vietnam, the ICEVN journey with his devoted and loving partner, Anh Lan Nguyễn, PhD, that began in Houston gradually expanded in scope and purpose. ICEVN’s mission to promote social responsibility, civic rights, engagement, and duty evolved beyond national boundaries, becoming relevant to global communities striving to advance the common good. Through this work, his legacy transcends geography, reminding us that service, conscience, and compassion know no borders.

We sometimes reflected on how our lives came together by circumstance, walking on the boundless, never-ending road of Vietnam, a road filled with torn lives and shattered hearts.  Like generations before us, our footsteps carry burning resolve to help rebuild home and homeland for we know that this road will lead us to a time and space where Vietnamese people will rise proudly in tranquility and carry forward the will of its glory history.

Trường Nông lived a full life of quiet strength, clear purpose with humility, and compassion for humankind. His legacy endures not only in the institution he built, but in the countless lives he touched, inspired, and guided.  He left the earthly bonds that constrained his physical being and touched the face of heaven, but his spirit continues to walk with us on that Vietnam road as we follow his indelible footprints. And as of now,  the wind would have carried his heart across all corners of the earth, allowing his selfless love and passion for humanity to take root and continue to grow.

 ICEVN Board 

 

Tưởng Niệm Tiến Sĩ Nông Duy Trường

 Sự ra đi của nhà sáng lập, chủ tịch và thành viên Hội đồng ICEVN, Tiến sĩ Nông Duy Trường, vào ngày 20 tháng 1 năm 2026, đã để lại một khoảng trống khó có thể lấp đầy trong trái tim của tất cả những ai từng biết đến anh. Dù chúng ta đều biết anh đang chống chọi với căn bệnh ung thư, chứng bệnh bẩm sinh về đường ruột, và vô số thử thách sức khỏe mà anh phải chịu đựng suốt cuộc đời, sự ra đi của anh vẫn đến quá đột ngột và khó tin. Anh luôn là người vượt qua nghịch cảnh bằng một nghị lực phi thường và một tinh thần kiên định như của một vị thánh. Chúng ta vẫn hy vọng rằng anh sẽ đủ khỏe để đón Tết Nguyên Đán cùng gia đình và đồng nghiệp vào tháng Hai. Ngay cả trong những giờ phút cuối cùng, khi ung thư lan nhanh đến phổi, tâm trí anh vẫn hướng về người khác—anh vẫn hỏi về công tác chuẩn bị cho trại huấn luyện lãnh đạo thanh niên sắp tới.

Sinh ra tại Việt Nam và lớn lên giữa cuộc chiến tàn khốc phân chia đất nước , Tiến sĩ Nông Trường mang trong mình một nỗi ưu tư không nguôi, hòa quyện với niềm trăn trở sâu sắc về thân phận con người, thân phận của người dân Việt, và vận mệnh dân tộc, tương lai của quê hương thần thoại.  Lòng trắc ẩn bền bỉ ấy còn được hun đúc từ truyền thống gia đình phục vụ quân ngũ, chiến đấu cho tự do chống lại chủ nghĩa cộng sản, và từ lịch sử dài đau thương của Việt Nam dưới bóng thực dân, áp bức và những cuộc chiến giành độc lập.

Những trải nghiệm ấy không khiến anh trở nên cứng cỏi; trái lại, chúng làm sâu sắc thêm lòng nhân ái và củng cố ý thức trách nhiệm của anh. Dù dành phần lớn cuộc đời cho nghề giáo dạy toán, anh vẫn luôn trăn trở—như bao người Việt cùng thế hệ và những thế hệ trước—làm thế nào để góp phần xây dựng một tương lai tốt đẹp hơn cho dân tộc. Với sự kiên trì và quyết tâm không lay chuyển, anh đặt nền tảng cho sự nghiệp của mình dựa trên tư tưởng xã hội của nhà chí sĩ Phan Châu Trinh: “Khai dân trí, chấn dân khí, hậu dân sinh.”

ICEVN được hình thành từ những lý tưởng - mở rộng tri thức, đánh thức dũng khí đạo đức, và nuôi dưỡng tinh thần trách nhiệm để mỗi cá nhân và cộng đồng có thể xây dựng nền tảng kinh tế độc lập và quyền tự quyết chính trị.

Trong hành trình tìm cách góp phần tái thiết Việt Nam, ICEVN bắt đầu từ Houston cùng người bạn đời tận tụy và yêu thương của anh, Tiến sĩ Anh Lan Nguyễn, dần mở rộng về quy mô và mục tiêu. Sứ mệnh thúc đẩy trách nhiệm xã hội, quyền công dân, sự tham gia và bổn phận công dân của ICEVN đã vượt khỏi biên giới quốc gia, trở nên có ý nghĩa đối với các cộng đồng toàn cầu đang nỗ lực vì lợi ích chung. Qua công việc ấy, di sản của anh vượt lên mọi ranh giới quốc gia, nhắc nhở chúng ta rằng phục vụ, lương tâm và lòng nhân ái không hề có biên giới.

Đôi khi chúng tôi cùng suy ngẫm về cách cuộc đời đưa đẩy chúng tôi đến với nhau, cùng bước trên con đường Việt Nam vô tận, một con đường chất đầy những tan vỡ và tổn thương. Như bao thế hệ trước, bước chân chúng ta mang theo ngọn lửa quyết tâm xây dựng lại quê hương, bởi chúng ta tin rằng con đường ấy sẽ dẫn đến một thời khắc mà dân tộc Việt Nam sẽ đứng dậy trong bình yên và tiếp nối hào khí của lịch sử.

Tiến sĩ Nông Trường  đã sống một cuộc đời trọn vẹn với sức mạnh thầm lặng, mục đích rõ ràng, sự khiêm nhường và lòng nhân ái dành cho nhân loại. Di sản của anh không chỉ tồn tại trong tổ chức mà anh đã xây dựng, mà còn trong vô số cuộc đời anh đã chạm đến, truyền cảm hứng và dẫn dắt. Anh đã rời bỏ những ràng buộc trần thế từng kìm hãm thân thể anh và chạm đến cõi trời, nhưng tinh thần anh vẫn tiếp tục đồng hành cùng chúng ta trên con đường Việt Nam, tiếp nối những dấu chân không thể phai mờ của anh. Và giờ đây, gió chắc đã cuốn mang trái tim anh đi khắp bốn phương trời, để tình yêu vô ngã và niềm đam mê dành cho nhân loại của anh tiếp tục bén rễ và lan tỏa.

Loc Vu, IRCC and Viet Museum Founder, Passed Away at 92

 

Over the past week, the Vietnamese community in San Jose, and across the United States, has come together in writing and reflection to mourn the passing of  Vũ Văn Lộc (Former Colonel of Republic of South Vietnam), a man whose quiet resolve and lifelong dedication helped shape the Vietnamese community in San Jose, and whose influence continues to be felt across generations and across the Vietnamese diaspora.

For more than five decades, Vũ Văn Lộc committed himself to a singular purpose: to help a displaced people rebuild their lives with dignity, and to ensure that their history would not be forgotten.  The institutions he envisioned and founded—most notably the Immigrant Resettlement and Cultural Center (IRCC) and the Viet Museum—stand today as enduring pillars of San Jose community.  At a time when refugees arrived with little more than memory and hope, these institutions provided not only material assistance, but also something far less tangible and far more enduring: a sense of belonging, and the assurance that their experiences mattered.

Shaped by two wars that defined the fate of the nation, he carried within him a quiet yet profound anguish over the human condition and the fractured fate of the Viet people divided by civil conflict. Vũ understood that survival alone was not enough. A community, he believed, must also remember. Through his writings—marked by human compassion and historical witness—he recorded the painful refugee journey,  the struggle of rebuilding in exile, and the determined emergencof a diasporic identity. In doing so, he gave voice to stories that might otherwise have been silent, stories of loss and perseverance, of assimilation and resilience, and of lives shaped by the long aftermath of war

Many regard the Viet Museum in San Jose as Vũ Văn Lộc’s most impactful legacy. Built nearly from nothing but humility, sustained by conviction rather than resources, it stands today not merely as a collection of artifacts and documents, but as a living space of collective memory.  It is also a bridge between past and future shaping identity and historical awareness of the diaspora journey.

The Legacy of Viet Museum Is Under Threat

In recent online discussions, some opinions have suggested that the disputes surrounding the Viet Museum, which began during Advent of 2024 (Christmas 2024), caused profound emotional distress to Vũ during the final months of his life.

During the Advent season of 2024, the community was deeply shocked when Nguyễn Đức Cường and Phan Quang Tuệ publicly made accusations against Vũ, alleging “impropriety” and the theft of IRCC funds, while simultaneously calling for his expulsion from IRCC and the Viet Museum.  So far Nguyễn and Phan offered no proof of such accusations.   The conflict started when Vũfound out that Cao Hồng who was hired by him to help manage Viet Museum had tried to undermine his authority and wanted to take over IRCC. 

Subsequently, Nguyễn Đức Cường, Phan Quang Tuệ, Phạm Mỹ Linh, and Hồ Quang Nhựt , acting in the name of the Board of Directors, assumed control over the administration of the Viet Museum and IRCC. These developments caused Vũ great sorrow and adversely affected his health; not long afterward, he suffered a cerebrovascular stroke.  Within 8 months, he passed away from complications.

During this same period, Bill Schroh, Director of History Park San Jose—the entity contracted by the City of San Jose to manage History Park—issued a decision, at the request of the board, prohibiting Vũ  from continuing to access the Viet Museum premises, while granting access and operational authority to Cao Hồng.

Vũ sent a letter to Schroh protesting the unlawful denial of his right to access the Viet Museum, and asserting that the IRCC Board of Directors led by Nguyễn Đức Cường lacked legitimacy.  In light of the ongoing dispute, Schroh decided to temporarily close the Viet Museum until the conflict could be resolved.

According to the IRCC Bylaws, IRCC is the legal entity that owns the Viet Museum. The IRCC Board of Directors is established through annual elections conducted by its paid  members in accordance with prescribed procedures. The board represented by Nguyễn Đức Cường and Phan Quang Tuệ did not undergo this electoral process; therefore, this contested board is neither recognized nor legitimately constituted.

At present, based on public records from the California Secretary of State, IRCC has a newly elected Board of Directors chosen by the organization’s members by an election in early 2025.  It has assumed governance responsibilities since then.

The current Chair and President, Quinn Trần—elected by the IRCC Board of Directors, has repeatedly requested intervention from the San Jose City Council to facilitate the reopening of the Viet Museum.  Trần was former high-tech executive as well as former Executive Director of the Bay Area Red Cross.

However, the museum has remained closed for nearly a year, preventing it from participating in commemorative activities and from continuing to provide communal space during the 50th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon. 

The question of when the Viet Museum can reopen remains a major concern for the community, particularly in light of a recent email from Bill Schroh to IRCC, in which he indicated that another group may be appointed to manage the museum if the current conflict is not resolved.

The Mayor and City Council have chosen to be silent instead of taking responsiblity to open Viet Museum for the public.  The staffing the museum were mostly IRCC volunteers and the political power that be has absolute influence to force History Park San Jose to open the museum.   San Jose Park & Recreational Services is the agency that holds the contract with History Park San Jose, its management said that they can review its contract with Bill Schroh to see if he has the best interest in serving the community.

Wednesday of the Second Week of Advent, 2025

During Advent, the Catholic Church invites the faithful to prepare their hearts in anticipation of Christmas, the coming of Christ, who brings salvation to humanity. The Gospel according to Matthew reminds us:

“For I am gentle and humble of heart; take my yoke upon you and learn from me, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:29)

Jesus calls those who wish to follow Him into eternity to live in love, gentleness, and humility. Those who learn from Him and live according to His teachings will find peace of the soul,  a peace that transcends the trials and tribulations of our daily life.

Although not a Christian, Vũ’s humble and gentle manner earned him widespread trust, forming the foundation for his tireless efforts to build a precious legacy for the community.

That legacy is now being eroded by prolonged conflicts in the final years of his life with individuals whom he once promoted their status in the community and trusted to support his work upon retirement. Phan Quang Tuệ, Nguyễn Đức Cường, and Hồ Quang Nhựt are in their mid-80s.  Phạm Mỹ Linh, the youngest among them, is about to turn sixty years old.  Cao Hồng is in his 70s and was an employee hired by Vũ to work for IRCC.

This writing reflects the opinions and sentiments currently present within the community as they bear witness to a turbulent period of disputes surrounding a communal symbol. While these assessments must be approached with fairness and caution, they nevertheless prompt questions on moral and ethical responsibility toward those who devoted their lives to preserving the shared memory of the community.

His passing during the Advent season, therefore, is not merely a loss, but also an invitation to pause and reflect—on how we safeguard our heritage, how we treat one another, and how we continue the spirit of sacrifice.

It should be remembered that the Viet Museum, is merely a name placed on physical facility owned by the City of San Jose.  The artifacts and documents are the possessions of IRCC. What truly constitutes the Viet Museum does not lie in that physical space or the objects inside, but in the spiritual essence imparted through the quiet sacrifices and steadfast dedication of Vũ Văn Lộc to preserve the community’s heritage and carry it forward across generations.