Last week, hundreds of protestors crammed into Irvine City Hall to denounce councilmember Larry Agran's proposal to start a "friendship city" program with the Vietnamese city of Nha Trang. Among the protestors were politicians who denounced Agran for not respecting the anti-Communist opinions of residents of Little Saigon, the largest Vietnamese enclave in the world outside of Vietnam. Political observers had thought such fervent refugee politics were on the way out, with a new generation who isn't as adamant about anti-Vietnam policies on the rise. Agran ultimately shelved the proposal, but not before suffering a political embarrassment. How long will refugee politics continue to play a role in Orange County?
KCRW
