Many generational differences, will Vietnamese voters in the US choose 'blue' or 'red'?

'Blue' here means voting for the Democratic candidate and 'red' means voting for the Republican candidate.

The back of the White House, which will change owners again after four years - Photo: HUU TAI

According to statistics from the Pew Research Center, the rate of people participating in elections in recent years has increased significantly compared to previous decades. In the Vietnamese community in the US, the election between the two candidates, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, is also becoming an issue of concern for many people.

Generational differences

There is a clear difference between the Vietnamese community in the US in the early years of immigration and the current community. In the early years of settlement, many people had to spend most of their time adapting, learning and rebuilding their lives, so voting was not their top priority. In addition, the majority of Vietnamese people at that time did not have US citizenship and were not eligible to vote. In many cases, even when they tried to take the citizenship exam, their main goal was not to vote but to legalize the sponsorship documents for relatives still in Vietnam. Therefore, the Vietnamese community in the US at that time did not care much about voting. Currently, the Vietnamese community in the US has grown strongly in many states. The majority of Vietnamese immigrants here have become citizens when they are adults, have families, and their children - born or raised in the US - now have stable jobs and a solid source of income. They are starting to pay more attention to social issues and issues that directly affect their lives, instead of just focusing on food and clothing as before. Therefore, for Vietnamese people in the US, election day has now become a hot event and is more concerned than ever. Although the US is considered a country with multi-party politics , in reality, there are only two major parties, the Republican Party and the Democratic Party, that have alternated in power throughout history. According to a survey by the Pew Research Center, about 51% of Vietnamese people in the US support the Republican Party, while 42% support the Democratic Party. The Vietnamese community in the US is considered the most conservative community among Asian communities. It should be noted that the word "conservative" here does not have a negative connotation but only refers to loyalty to traditional values ​​and classical views. When arriving in the US, Vietnamese people, especially those who rarely have the opportunity to return to their homeland, always bring with them images, memories and Vietnamese culture from their time living in their homeland. They always try to preserve those cultural features even when living in the US. This explains the "conservatism" in the culture of the Vietnamese community here, leading to the majority of Vietnamese in the US supporting the Republican Party. However, the Vietnamese community in the US is gradually getting younger over time, and this contributes to changing their ideology and culture towards a more modern direction.

Like many other communities, the Vietnamese community in the US is also facing ideological differences between the two generations. The first generation, those born and raised in Vietnam, although having immigrated to the US, still often consider themselves Vietnamese living in the US and consider Vietnam their homeland. Therefore, when participating in elections, they still focus on the interests of Vietnam. These people often have families in their home country, and they are very concerned about the rights and lives of their relatives in the country. In recent years, the dispute in the East Sea has also been a major concern for many Vietnamese living in the US. Most of them often support the Republican Party and especially trust former President Donald Trump because he often has strong critical statements about China.

New trend of young people

In addition, there is a second generation of Vietnamese, born and raised in the United States, with an ideology not unlike that of native-born Americans. These people often identify themselves as Vietnamese Americans rather than Vietnamese living in the United States. Depending on where they live, especially those who are far from the Vietnamese community, many in this group are somewhat disconnected from the country and culture of Vietnam. Therefore, they often pay less attention to issues happening in their homeland. Fortunately, compared to the first generation, the second generation of Vietnamese people growing up in the United States often have a solid economic foundation and support from their families. Most young Vietnamese people in the United States have degrees and stable incomes, which allows them more time to care about policies that affect their society and living environment. This group of Vietnamese people tend to support the Democratic Party more, because the policies of this party are often warmly welcomed by young people, such as gender equality, marriage equality and health insurance. The way young Vietnamese people in the US receive information is also very different from their parents' generation. With the advantage of language and being educated in the US, they have more choices in terms of political information sources. Access to information from many different sources makes it easier for them to verify information and distinguish between real and fake. Therefore, they often set stricter standards for the candidates they support. On the contrary, Vietnamese people who come to the US without learning the language and integrating into society often become victims of fake news, easily making wrong choices on the ballot.

The Vietnamese community in the US is growing stronger

Regardless of which party you vote for, a common positive point in the Vietnamese community in the US is the strong development, helping to affirm the position and influence of Vietnamese people in this country. Currently, more and more Vietnamese people are running for election, participating in political activities and holding important positions in the US Government . This participation helps the US Government to issue policies that are beneficial to Vietnamese people here.

Tuoitre.vn

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/nhieu-khac-biet-the-he-cu-tri-goc-viet-o-my-se-chon-xanh-hay-do-20241031222442583.htm