A belated apology遲來百年 加州政府要向華裔道歉

導讀：美國南灣州眾議員方文忠提出的要求州府就排華法律道歉的決議案，已獲州眾議院和州參議院雙雙通過，只待州長簽字，便可為加州歷史翻開新的一頁。該決議案要求加州就19世紀和20世紀實施的一系列排華法律道歉，並表彰華裔移民(Chinese American immigrant)的貢獻。A belated apology遲來百年 加州政府要向華裔道歉FROM China DailyPUBLISHED: 2009-07-14http://www.i21st.cn/story/558.html

Agencies： In this file photo from the 1920s, a group of Chinese and Japanese women and children wait to be processed as they are held in a wire mesh enclosure at internment barracks in Angel Island, Calif.

dsqq.cn：方文忠

dsqq.cn：當年，移民到「天使島」做苦力的華人小孩。

dsqq.cn：華工辛苦勞作資料圖片。加利福尼亞的眾多中國移民為美國作出了傑出的貢獻。他們建造船隻、碼頭、灌溉系統和州際鐵路，他們勤勞的身影出現在美國的田間、礦區。然而，他們又得到了什麼？作為回報，他們要付特種稅，被迫遠離城鎮，甚至無權擁有不動產，不能與白人聯姻，他們的子女也不能就讀公立學校。更糟糕的是，他們時常遭到暴力恐嚇，法庭卻拒絕給予他們同等的保護。California`s Chinese immigrants helped build ships, levees, irrigation systems and the transcontinental railroad. They worked in farm fields and mines. For their efforts, they were rewarded with special taxes, forced out of towns and denied the rights to own property, marry whites and attend public schools. They also were subjected to violence and intimidation and denied equal protection by the courts.加利福尼亞州眾議員方文忠認為，加州和聯邦政府是時候為排華行為道歉了。方文忠是一名庫柏蒂諾（美國加州舊金山灣區南部）的民主黨員。他的外祖父曾飽受移民入境限制的折磨。Californian State Assemblyman Paul Fong, a Cupertino Democrat whose maternal grandfather was subjected to immigration restrictions, thinks it`s time the state and the federal governments formally apologize for mistreatment of the Chinese.方文忠在記者招待會上說：「美國想要前進變成一個更強大的國家，就必須承認所犯下的錯誤。」"To move forward and become a stronger state, we need to recognize our mistakes," Fong said at a news conference.從19世紀中期淘金熱開始，大量中國人懷著衣錦還鄉的美夢來到加州。他們從事礦工等職業，很多人自此便留在美國，更多的人還在源源不斷地湧入。到了1882年，美國出台首部針對特定種族、國籍人員的移民法案--《排華法案》，以限制華裔移民。The Chinese started coming to California in large numbers during the Gold Rush in the mid 1800s, hoping to strike it rich and return home. Many stayed and more came, working in the mines or taking other jobs. In 1882, they were made the targets of the United States` first law limiting immigration based on race or nationality, the Chinese Exclusion Act.方文忠說：「由於《排華法案》，他們不能和自己心愛的人結婚，直到20世紀50年代才可以購買房產。身為亞裔人無法加入美國國籍。」Fong has said "They couldn`t marry who they wanted. They couldn`t buy property until the 1950s. Asians couldn`t become (naturalized) citizens."天使島移民拘留所基金會（簡稱AIISF）執行理事Eddie Wong表示，「中國移民為加州的社會、經濟建設作出了巨大的貢獻。他們理應被認可，得到一份道歉。」Eddie Wong, executive director of the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation, said Chinese immigrants made "tremendous contributions to building society, building the economy of California. That should be recognized along with an apology."美國國會為政府不公平待遇道歉甚至賠款相當罕見。1988年，美國國會就二戰期間設立日裔美國人拘留營一事正式道歉，並對倖存者每人賠償2萬美元。1993年，美國政府為推翻夏威夷王國而向夏威夷土著道歉。Apologies for government mistreatment and reparations have been rare in Congress. In 1988, Congress apologized for the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II and offered $20,000 payments to survivors. It also issued an apology in 1993 to native Hawaiians for the unlawful overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom.加州參議院少數黨領袖丹尼斯－霍林茲沃斯的女發言人R-Temecula表示，丹尼斯對提案沒有意見。記者招待會上，華裔代表們對此決議表示強烈支持。A spokeswoman for state Senate Minority Leader Dennis Hollingsworth, R-Temecula, said he had no comment on the proposal. Representatives of Chinese-American groups that appeared at the news conference supported the resolution.中美政治行動委員會前主席伊維認為：「從道義上說，議會必須就過去不公正的做法進行道歉。否則，我們無法邁過這道坎抵達和解。」"It`s a moral imperative for the Legislature to rectify past injustices by apologizing," said Ivy Lee, former president of the Chinese American Political Action Committee. "Without an apology, we cannot move forward and promote reconciliation."(Translator & Editor: Sylvie AND 小胡)閱讀工具Chinese American immigrant 華裔移民irrigation system 灌溉系統transcontinental railroad 橫貫大陸鐵路，越州鐵路intimidation 恐嚇,威脅mistreatment 虐待Gold Rush 淘金熱時代Chinese Exclusion Act 《排華法案》Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation 天使島移民拘留所基金會reconciliation 和解；和好
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