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The Rocky Road to Liberty - Book Release Event
- Celebrate the 160 years of immigration history of Chinese Americans in the US
- Raise awareness of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882
- Support immigration reforms for the new century
Date: 3-5PM March 27 th, 2010
Location: California Historical Center (Near Flint Center in De Anza College)
21250 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino, CA 95014
Event Organizer: Chinese American Society
Co-Sponsors: Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation and California History Center
详情见网站： http://ca-soc.org/wpmu284a/event.php
《通向自由的坎坷之路》--编者前言 （http://ca-soc.org/wpmu284a/rockyroad.php）
19 世纪中期华人首先作为淘金者来到美国，也许有人找到了黄金，而更多的人一无所获。然后更多的人来到美国修铁路，第一条横跨美国大陆的铁路。这些人也许是自愿前来，也有人是被迫离开家园。他们工作努力，成果卓著，但被蔑称为“苦力”，而且被当时的社会无情蹂躏。更后来，虽然知道当时的美国社会充满难以忍受的种族歧视，但是他们还是前赴后继地赶来，因为那时他们的祖国战乱不断，难以生存。
1882年，旅美华人的噩梦正式开始了，那年美国国会通过了“排华法案”，然后在接下来的数十年之中多次被修正加强，以达到排斥中国新移民，限制已经居住在美国的华裔移民的权利和行为的目的。当时的排华浪潮是从华人聚集的加州开始的，很快蔓延到全国。除了种族之间文化隔膜的原因，当时排华的主要理由是因为勤劳节俭的华人竞取了其他人的工作，这个理由在经济不景气的时候会变得格外得人心。显然，这些法案违反了美国宪法的精神，违反了美国自由民主的核心价值。由于排华法案，不仅新移民不能再来美国，美国的华裔妻儿也不能来此团聚，更不能在这里形成新的家庭。还有，当时任何离开美国的华裔不能再自由回到美国，华裔的永久居民也被剥夺了成为美国公民的权利，甚至作为法庭证人的权利。在1924年，国会扩展了“排华法案”，将这些限制强加给所有亚裔种族。直到20世纪中期这些不合情理的限制条款被逐渐取消之前，华裔一直被隔离居住在所谓的“中国城”自生自灭。
无疑，华裔美国人对社会的贡献是巨大的，然而中国早期移民的遭遇是悲惨的历史一页。
他们知道前往美国的路很远，但是他们不知道这个旅程竟然是一辈子，甚至他们的儿孙仍然继续在他们的旅程……
他们明白通往美国的路艰难坎坷，但他们没有想到竟然需要用自己的尊严、鲜血、甚至生命去开拓向前的每一步。
他们以为自己永远是中国人，会将尸骨和祖先一起埋在那个叫“中国”的地方，然而最终美国却变成了他们永久的家园。他们更没有想到数百万新一代的中国人会沿着他们开辟的道路相继来到美国，成为华裔美国人。
这些最早来自中国的移民，大约10万名卑微、诚实、勤奋的中国人，他们获取的很少，却留下了那条横跨美国大陆的铁路，也为加州建造了一套造福世代的农业系统。他们携带的是和其他移民类似的一个典型的“美国梦”，然而这个梦对他们来说格外沉重，让寻梦的航程格外坎坷。
今天，当我们打开尘封的历史，回望那条他们历经艰辛的道路，我们看见了不公正和种族歧视。我们还看见了那部可耻“排华法案”高悬在美国法典之中。
当我们现在享受着这个伟大的国家的自由、平等和民主的时候，我们清楚地知道，早期中国移民是如何被不公平地对待，他们遭受的痛苦是如何的不该，他们的灵魂不会安宁。
我们知道一个放之四海而皆准的简单道理，就是如果有人做了如此错误的事，那么至少应该“道歉”。是的，这些早期中国移民应该得到一个道歉，一个来自国会的正式道歉，因为那份可耻的“排华法案”以及早期中国移民所遭受的恐怖。
也许有人会说，“一个道歉太少了、太迟了”。对于死去的亡灵，这也许有几分道理，然而国会的道歉将为这段让华裔社区蒙羞数代的历史画上一个正式的句号。
也许有人会说，“对一件那么久远的事道歉有什么意义呢？”事实上，道歉有着急迫的现实意义，因为该法案的立案缘由在现实中仍然不绝于耳，用不同的方式时常骚扰我们。而且，不公正的种子永远都会存在于人类的某个角落，随时在寻求合适的土壤和气候再次发芽。
是的，为了这些曾经受到伤害的人，我们必须争取一个正式的国会道歉！
这个过程一方面可以让公众更好地了解华裔的历史、认可华裔祖祖辈辈对美国方方面面的巨大贡献、促进华裔社区更好地融入主流，同时从另一个侧面提醒整个社会不要重复历史的不公正。这个过程也会让华裔能够有机会治疗历史的伤痛，还原作为华裔美国人的尊严。
当我们回头看这段历史的时候，甚至在排华最为狂热的时期—19世纪的下半段，我们也可以看见良知仍然存在于社会。在1882年，共和党籍麻州参议员Senator George Frisbie Hoar认为“排华法案”“将种族歧视赤裸裸地合法化”。在1893年，麻州众议员Morse说，“于第52届国会通过的排华法案（Geary Bill），我认为是不人道和不公正的”。从1870到1890年间，著名作家马克.吐温也是这段历史的目击证人，他用公正的笔不断为华裔的不公平遭遇呼吁。这些故事说明良知可以跨越种族的隔阂、穿透国家的界限，反映出良知在历史长河中折射出来的温暖光芒。
为了争取今天这个平等和公正的社会，许多民权领袖和团体都付出了许多努力。近年来，各国政府纷纷就其历史上所从事的种族歧视的行为向受害人和公众道歉。2006年，加拿大总理Stephen Harper就历史强加在中国移民身上的特别税收向华裔加拿大人道歉；2008年，澳大利亚总理Kevin Rudd就历史上的种族歧视法案向澳洲土著道歉。在美国，1988年美国政府决定向二战中被关押的日裔人士道歉并附带赔偿；2008年，就黑奴历史以及”Jim Crow”法案，美国国会正式向非裔美国人道歉。还有，2008年，就过去美国政府对土著美国人的不公正行为，美国国会向土著美国人做出道歉。这个过程是正面的，将国家的各个群体更进一步地融合在一起，而不是撕裂开来。
最后，让我们来听一听麻州众议员William Everett在1893年国会有关“排华法案”的听证会上是如何发言的：
“让我告诉你们，那一天总会到来的，也许是两百五十年之后，那时，太平洋海岸边（加州）的先生们的子孙将悔恨今天你们对中国人做法，他们将更愿意和我们麻州人一起，而不是像加州人一样，公平地对待中国人。”
众议员William Everett是对的。2009年7月，在州议员方文忠先生的倡导下，加州政府终于为那段发生在130年前对中国人歧视的历史正式向华裔美国人社区正式道歉。感谢神灵，这声道歉来的比众议员William Everett预期的要早了许多。
这本书是这段历史的资料汇集，它佐证了美国早期的排华历史以及华裔美国人追求自由的过程。今天，我们华裔美国人社区应该团结在一起来寻求一份国会的正式道歉，既为了慰籍那已经作古的10万个亡魂，也为了让我们的孩子有一个永久平安的家园。
董洁林
2010年1月
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The Rocky Road to Liberty: A Documented History of Chinese Immigration and Exclusion
Preface
Chinese American immigrants started coming to America during the middle of the 19th century, in the rush to find gold in California. A few may have found some gold, but most did not. Later arriving as the Transcontinental Railroad constructors, some may have worked here voluntarily, however others were forced here against their wills. They worked hard, were exceptionally productive, but were despised as “coolies” and abused brutally by the society then. Yes, even knowing that the very existence of the racial discrimination was against them here, they still kept coming, because the constant wars in their home country and hardship to survive there.
The nightmare of Chinese immigrants officially started in 1882, when the Chinese Exclusion Act(CEA) was adopted by the U.S. government as legislation. The anti-Chinese movement had started in California and spread out to the rest of the country quickly. After the initial passage of the CEA in 1882, there were almost no new Chinese immigrants allowed to the U.S. Chinese in the U.S. had little chance of ever being reunited with their families, or starting new families here. Because of the CEA, any Chinese who left the U.S. had to obtain certifications for reentry, and the CEA made Chinese immigrants permanent aliens excluded from the U.S. citizenship process. Later, the Immigration Act of 1924 would restrict immigration even further, excluding all classes of Chinese immigrants and extending the restrictions to other Asian immigrant groups. These restrictions were not relaxed until the middle of the twentieth century.
Obviously, the contributions by the Chinese Americans to the American society are profound, yet the hardships endured by the early Chinese immigrants are a sad chapter in American history.
They knew the road to America was long, but they did not know that the journey would take their entire lives, and their children and grandchildren have to continue this journey……
Understanding that the road to America would be rocky and tough, but they did not know that they had to use their dignity, blood, even lives to defend their every step forward in this country.
They thought that they were forever Chinese and would bury their bones with their ancestors in a home called China, but then America turned out to become their permanent home. Never did they image that millions of new generations of Chinese would follow the road paved by them to become Chinese Americans.
Those early immigrants from China to America, about 100,000 people, are humble, honest and hardworking human beings. They had consumed very little, and yet left the first transcontinental railroad behind and built the California agriculture infrastructure for later generations to enjoy. They had typical American dreams similar to all other ethnic groups who came to this land, yet their voyages were particularly turbulent.
Today, when we open the history book and look back on the road that they had to struggle through, we injustice and discrimination. We also see “The Chinese Exclusion Act”, shamefully listed as one chapter of the US law code.
The America of today would not be the same America without the achievements of its ethnic Chinese. When we are enjoying the freedom, liberty and democracy in this great country now, we know clearly that the early immigrants from China were treated unfairly, their miseries were not justified, and their souls would not be in peace for those horrible experiences.
It is a simple and universal moral, of when someone did something so wrong, the least that one should do is to “apologize”. Yes, the early groups of Chinese immigrants deserve an apology, a formal congressional apology for the “Chinese Exclusion Act”, and all the terrors happened to them in that dark era.
Some may say that it is too little too late. That is true to a certain degree for whom had passed away, but a congressional apology will serve as a formal closure on this issue which has overshadowed the Chinese American community for well over a century, despite their long legacy of contributions to this country from the early days of railroad construction, and through the fighting in the second world war together with other ethnic Americans, till today’s high-tech booming.
Others may say what’s the point since it happened long time ago? In fact it is very meaningful and imperative today, because that the very reasons behind the “Chinese Exclusion Act” are still well alive and come out to haunt us in various forms. Furthermore, seeds of injustice and prejudice always exist among human world, which are constantly seeking the right soil and climate to grow.
Yes, we must request a formal congressional apology on their behalf！
This process will educate the public about the great contributions of the early generations of Chinese immigrants in America, encourage the new immigrants to well integrate with the society and to make further contributions. It will remind the society to remember the injustice in history and never repeat the same mistakes again. Also, this process will help the Chinese American community to heal their wounded hearts, restore their honor and formally close a shameful chapter.
When we are looking back, we could also see the lights of conscience even in the darkest days of the anti-Chinese Hysteria. In 1882, Republican Senator George Frisbie Hoar of Massachusetts described the Act as "nothing less than the legalization of racial discrimination." In 1893, the US Congressman E. Morse from Massachusetts, claimed: “The Geary bill, so called, which was passed during the Fifty-second Congress, I regard as an inhuman and unjust bill……” From 1870 to 1890, Mark Twain observed this history and served as a fair eye witness to the account, which was reported in many of his writings. All these stories can tell that conscience could cross the boundary of race, penetrate the borders of nations, and reflect warm lights from the long river of history.
To reach the equality and fairness in today’s society, we see many civil rights fighters and groups throughout the US history to lead the society advancing into the next level. In recent years, governments around the globe have issued many apologies for their raciest wrong doings in history. In 2006, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper apologized to Chinese Canadians for unequal taxes imposed on them in the late 19th century. In 2008, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd apologized to his country's Aborigines for racist laws of the past. In 1988 the U.S. government decided to pay $20,000 to each of the surviving 120,000 Japanese Americans imprisoned in camps during World War II. In 2008 the U.S. Congress formally apologized to black Americans for slavery and the later Jim Crow laws. Also in 2008, U.S Congress issued apology to Native Americans in an effort to recognize past abuses of native peoples by the U.S. government. Those processes produced positive results to communities, which have further bonded people together instead of tearing them apart.
Now, let’s listen to the Congressman William Everett at the hearing taken at the US House on Saturday, October 14, 1893:
“Let me tell the gentlemen further that the time will come, perhaps two hundreds and fifty years hence, when the descendants of gentlemen on the Pacific coast will regret your treatment of the Chinese at this time, and will be more inclined to follow the example of Massachusetts men in following some future California Armstrong in doing justice to the Chinese.”
Congressman William Everett was right. In July 2009, led by the state assembly member Mr. Paul Fong, the California state government eventually apologized to Chinese Americans for their discrimination acts against the Chinese that happened about 130 years ago. Thanks to God, it is much shorter than what the congressman had predicted.
This book has provided a collection of historic documents, which has revealed the discrimination against the Chinese immigrants in the early U.S. history, as well as the path of the Chinese Americans struggled through towards liberty.
Today, we, the Chinese American Society, unite together, to seek a congressional apology, for the 100,000 early Chinese immigrants to rest in peace, and for our children to have a peaceful homeland here forever.
Jielin Dong
Jan. 2010
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