quotes operation babylift

Question 1

Displacement

Answer 1

Displacement: • Moving people away from their own culture and lifestyle.

• Many had already developed a sense of culture.
• U.S Salvation Officer “We are taking them out of their environment, away from the people they know, the language and culture they understand”.
• Tran Thi Ngo “I think it is wrong to leave the country at a time when it is difficult”. “I think its important to stay with other people to help re-build the country.”
• Who is going to stay and put forward cultural norms.
• It is wrong to take away the future in a time of need.
• Dr Ran Lucas “The population were desperate, to give what they perceived as their babies the only chance that they had”.
• Many lifestyle changes associated with the move. (Martine not used to her soft bed).
• Gen. Mai Chin Tho “It was a big shock for us” “Why were thousands of Vietnamese babies taken abroad at that time, what for? For them to come back and search for their parents?” “By taking them away they have lost their cultural roots”.

Question 2

Adoption: Christina

Answer 2

• Negative experiences, troubled.
• Teenage years subject to conflict.
• Negative pessimistic person.
• “My upbringing wasn’t that great, there was a lot of arguments during my teenage years, I felt very unwanted”.

Question 3

Adoption: Shane

Answer 3

• Positive experiences, he is happy and content with his upbringing in Australia.
• Has adapted and grown to fit into the Australian culture.
• Has no interest in finding his biological parents, “what do I do when I find them?”.
• “I certainly don’t want to search for my parents, it is a waste of time as far as I am concerned.”
• “I am just happy with the way that things are now”.

Question 4

Adoption: Martine

Answer 4

• Generally a positive person, has a positive pre-disposition.
• Feels she has the best of both worlds knowing both families. • Is a naturopath, generally a calm person.
• “I felt like I needed to connect with my past and my roots”.
• “Finding them would be like finding a needle in a haystack.

Question 5

Context:

Answer 5

• Humanitarian view of U.S.A
• Children sent to UK, America, Canada
• Vietnam War
• Fall of Saigon