Bless those souls who passed away on this day 5 years ago.

Please help save another soul today.  Vien is my friend, and his father's life is at stake. Please help.

Two of my best friends are suffering from the biggest crisis their family might ever encounter.

Bien and Vien Dobui's father, Cong Thanh Do, was arrested in Vietnam on August 14th under false charges while vacationing. It has become apparent that the true reasoning behind his arrest is his political affiliation in the United States against the Communist Regime in Vietnam. He has been held now for three weeks and declared a hunger strike over 10 days ago. His health is our primary concern.

The U.S. government is taking action to get him freed, at a crucial time when Vietnam is looking to enter the World Trade Organization and open up free trade relations. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, Cindy Chavez, and a number of other political representatives are vying for his release, but what they represent in power and influence we need to represent in numbers.

Go to this website:
www.freecongdo.org/english
and sign the petition. Search under Google News for "Cong Thanh Do" to read the 100+ articles that have been published internationally on the topic for more information.

Bien and Vien and their mother have been toiling endlessly, keeping in contact with the press and with the countless human rights organizations that are working for Cong's release. I'm trying to do my part, and my best resource from all the way over here in Spain is to ask you all to help. Please, repost this bulletin for me, email it to your friends and family and neighbors. Signing the petition only takes a few seconds, and it's the best step we can take right now, today, to help them in this trying time.

Thanks so much for reading all this, everybody, and I hope you'll grant me this favor and take action.

-Gabe

For more information please contact Gabe Belmonte at originalgabe@gmail.com