【Mercury News】Apologies for the past are due Chinese descendants

Iam_zhcn

Apologies for the past are due Chinese descendants
http://www.mercurynews.com/pattyfisher/ci_12603884?nclick_check=1

By Patty Fisher
Posted: 06/16/2009 06:39:51 PM PDT Updated: 06/16/2009 09:51:07 PM PDT

Assemblyman Paul Fong, D-Mountain View, wants us to remember that when the Statue of Liberty was unveiled in New York Harbor in 1886, welcoming immigrants from around the world to America, there should have been a sign posted in front that said: "Everyone except Chinese."

Just four years earlier, at the urging of Californians, Congress had passed the Chinese Exclusion Act, for the first time barring entry to a group of immigrants strictly based on their national origin.

"Chinese people were singled out," he said. "They couldn't be citizens, they couldn't hold jobs. They couldn't own property."

The law was repealed in 1943, and in most parts of the country it was forgotten. Growing up in the Midwest, I vaguely remember reading in my U.S. history book about "yellow peril" but knew little about the suffering of Chinese immigrants and their families. Of course, that same history book didn't mention the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II, either.

But Fong wants us to remember. And he wants us to apologize.

Family hardship

Growing up in his family's flower business, Fong heard many stories about the hard life of Chinese immigrants, building railroads, mines and irrigation systems. They weren't allowed in public schools, couldn't vote and couldn't marry a white person. Fong's grandfather was detained for two months on Angel Island in 1939 and had to wait for several years to be reunited with his wife and daughter, Fong's mother.

Young Paul was raised in Sunnyvale and was a star quarterback at Sunnyvale High School before heading to De Anza College and San Jose State University. He became a teacher of Asian-American studies and political science, and was elected to the Foothill-De Anza Community College District board of trustees.

He never forgot his roots. He and his wife still run the Flower Cottage in Sunnyvale. And he never forgot the indignities his ancestors suffered. And now that he's in the state Assembly, he's in a position to do something about it.

Last week he introduced a resolution calling on the state of California to recognize the contributions of the Chinese and express "deep regret" for their persecution.

"All I want is a simple apology for the wrongs that were done to Chinese-Americans in the 18th and 19th century," he said.

Pattern of maltreatment

Americans have many things to be proud of, but the way we treated indigenous and immigrant groups is not one of them. Let's see. We killed off the Native Americans and herded those who were left onto reservations.

We kidnapped slaves from Africa to clear the land and raise the crops and, even after we freed them, failed to treat them as equals. We stole land from the Mexicans and forced each new group of immigrants — Irish, Italian, Jewish, Polish, Puerto Rican — into ghettos and bottom-rung jobs.

If today's Americans are responsible for the poor treatment of immigrants, we have a lot of apologies to make. Native Americans ought to be first in line, and they are still waiting for Congress to apologize.

At a news conference last week, Fong said he would seek federal redress for those held at Angel Island, like those Japanese-Americans who were interned during World War II. Japanese internees each received $20,000. But Tuesday, he insisted he isn't after money for Chinese immigrants. "The reparations I'm talking about would be education," he said. "Maybe a monument."

A monument would be nice. But an apology would be better.

Iam_zhcn

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2274072/posts

#1
I am soooo sorry

#2
They got their “sorry” in WWII and repaid our kindness and sacrifice with communism.

#3
Apologies for what?? For how their own country treated them?? The US has every right to make its own immigration policies and no reason to apologize for them

#4
Apologies are due to no one who are the victims of past bad acts. Did the Chinese of the past treat everyone well? Did the Spanish? Did the Poruguese? Did the Arabs? Did the Persians? Did the Belgians? Did the British? Sh!t happens, and it has throughout the histor of the world.

#5
Didn’t much care for Irish either. We got over it.

#6
Get in line, Fong.
My Italian grandparents were not treated particularly well upon their arrival either.
They chose to simply shut up, learn the English language and become Americans.

#7
If we must start getting technical, the Chinese have 4000 years of history to apologize for - think of all the people they’ve pissed off during that time!

#8
I live in a world of emotional cripples.

#9
Well, I want an apology from the Celts for the way they treated my Pictish ancestors.

#10
Sorry FOR WHAT?
Japanese forces ran rampant in China for over 15 years before their loss to the USA had the effect of EJECTING them. Had US forces not done what they did, Manchuria would still be JAPAN, as would be Taiwan.
The Chinese prevailed in WW2 because ***AMERICA ENABLED IT****
He owes us a thank you.

magicboy

#11
To: artichokegrower
If I remember correctly, the Flying Tigers (US pilots) went to China pre-WWII to help the Chinese combat the Japanese. I don't remember ever hearing the Chinese thank them for doing that. This idiot politician is a white hating oriental. Only in the Bay Area of California do the politicians think about crap like this. California should make the politicians only work part time. They have too much time and our money on their hands to think of stuff like this.


#12

To: artichokegrower
uh. oh. How much $ ?


#13

To: artichokegrower
Thanks to Barry, the age of apologism (another form of historical revisionism and political correctness) has not only been ushered in but has become the accepted norm.
Excuse me, I need to go outside and barf.


#14
To: artichokegrower
Send this guy the old “Irish need not apply” posters.


#15
To: LegendHasIt
I want an apology from the Chinese for how the Mongols treated my Ukrainian ancestors.


#16
To: artichokegrower
I want an apology for MSG.


#17
To: artichokegrower
This is ridiculous....it is not part of Chinese culture to see ourselves as victims, but conquerers...chee



#18
To: artichokegrower
Move back to ******* China if you think this country owes you an apology. When will China apologise for slaugtering what 50 million or more of its own countrymen during Mao’s reign???? Where is the apology for Chinese men and arms killing tens of thousands of US soldiers and sailors during the Korean and Vietnam war. STFU you loser.


#19
To: EyeGuy
My Italian grandparents were not treated particularly well upon their arrival either. actually, that would have been ok, the chinese were totally excluded from coming by law. they did not get the chance to be mistreated like your grandparents.



#20
To: Bahbah
All right... we'll give some land to the ni**ers and the ch*nks. But we don't want the Irish!

magicboy

#21
To: GSP.FAN
LOL.


#22
To: cripplecreek
They got their “sorry” in WWII and repaid our kindness and sacrifice with communism. Japan invaded china. After Pearl, the US decided it would be helpful to both sides if they fought the common enemy, Japan. Before Pearl, the US did nothing to stop the Japanese attacks on China. Perhaps you could elucidate the kindness the US supplied to China that was not self interest ?



#23
To: staytrue
Dumber than a box of rocks ain’t ya boy?


#24
To: staytrue
So what.
Beyond that specific example, the larger point is that there are numerous instances throughout history where one group of people has mistreated another.
The Chinese are as guilty as anyone.


#25
To: artichokegrower
I was in the 3rd grade and standing in the lunch line when a classmate, his name was Ron Spinner, borrowed 4 cents from me so that he could buy a small carton of milk. He promised to pay me back the next week.
What I didn’t realize at the time is that we had only 4 more days of school before summer break.
Ron Spinner, a thief, never paid me for that 4 cent loan and if I were to see him today, I would not accept an apology. I would want my 4 cents, interest for over 50 years, and then I would kick his butt all over the schoolyard.. er .. I mean, parking lot.
My point is.... nothing, but don’t ever try to screw me out of so much as a penny. ;>)


#26
To: GSP.FAN
As a NATIVE American, this entire subject is overly ironic.


#27
To: cripplecreek
I just love your use of standard american english.


#28
To: staytrue
And you need to study WWII a lot better before using your keyboard.


#29
To: datura
Yes.I can understand how you might feel that way..


#30
To: artichokegrower
I think we should apologize the day China decides to invite tens of millions of illiterate and non-ethnic Chinese foreigners to settle there.

magicboy

#31
To: artichokegrower
More victims!


#32
To: artichokegrower
Does anyone have that poster of the soldier with the big cup of coffee?


#33
To: staytrue
actually, that would have been ok, the chinese were totally excluded from coming by law. they did not get the chance to be mistreated like your grandparents. And what's wrong with that? It's up to a country's citizens to decide who they want or do not want in it. If they can't decide even that, then in what sense is a country theirs? You don't see me giving China a hard time about not accepting tens of millions of African immigrants.


#34
To: Zhang Fei
It's up to a country's citizens to decide who they want or do not want in it. Ok, so you admit that the USA decided they do not want chinese, they don't like chinese and before 1960, no way in hell were they going to let chinese in (except for brides US GI's wanted to bring home as wives).



#35
To: staytrue
Before Pearl, the US did nothing to stop the Japanese attacks on China. Look up Claire Lee Chennault and get back to us.



#36
To: staytrue
Ok, so you admit that the USA decided they do not want chinese, they don't like chinese and before 1960, no way in hell were they going to let chinese in (except for brides US GI's wanted to bring home as wives). Is there anything wrong with that? Have Chinese ever wanted Africans? Will China ever admit tens of millions of Africans? By your non-answer, you've admitted that the Chinese have never wanted Africans and probably will never want them by the tens of millions.



#37
To: staytrue
Perhaps you could elucidate the kindness the China supplied to the U.S. that was not self-interest.


#38
To: artichokegrower
Assemblyman Paul Fong, D-Mountain View, wants us to remember that when the Statue of Liberty was unveiled in New York Harbor in 1886, welcoming immigrants from around the world to America, there should have been a sign posted in front that said: "Everyone except Chinese." My grandparents didn't get to the United States until well until the 20th century. Do I still have to apologize?



#39
To: artichokegrower
Oh, goody. Another mea culpa is due some unsung victims of Western oppression. Stuff it.



#40
To: artichokegrower
Chinese-Americans should get their satisfaction by slowly taking control of all the high paying jobs. Wait, never mind. LOL.

magicboy

#41
To: staytrue
“Before Pearl, the US did nothing to stop the Japanese attacks on China.”
Rubbish. Perhaps you should read more about US FedGov and civilian reactions to events like the Mukden Incident (1931, well before Pearl) and the Nanking Massacre before you chastise others for their ignorance. As every schoolboy should know, official (and some unnoficial) US military, financial, and diplomatic support to the Chinese/KMT during the so-called Showa War was the major factor that contributed to the Imperial Japanese attack at Pearl.
>>> Perhaps you could elucidate the kindness the US supplied to China that was not self interest ? <<<
Straw man. Perhaps you can explain how self-interest AND kindness/compassion cannot be attributed to the US and other countries at the time. The presence of one does not exclude the other.


#42
To: staytrue
You should study the history of the war during the 30s in Asia....


#43
To: artichokegrower
Where did people get the idea that the Statue of Liberty was created and put there to serve as a welcoming sign for immigrants? It wasn't.

The real story:

The people of France gave the Statue to the people of the United States over one hundred years ago in recognition of a friendship established during the American Revolution. Over the years, the meanings of the Statue have grown until she has become an international icon of freedom and liberty, the most recognizable symbol of democracy in the world.

The idea of the Statue originated around 1865 with Edouard de Laboulaye who saw the United States as a country that had proved that democracy was a viable type of government- after all they had just survived a Civil War and abolished slavery. De Laboulaye also saw the gift as a way to reflect his wish for a democracy in France.



#44
To: staytrue
o.k. o.k. so solly. Now get your ass back to the wok.


#45
To: Poe White Trash
Here is the deal, heads I win, tails you lose.
heads: the US aids China against Japan before Pearl.
That would mean Japan may have had a good excuse to attack Pearl and all the US indignation is misplaced.
tails: the US does not aid China until after Pearl.
That would mean the US had nothing but self interest in helping china beat japan.
You won’t win the argument.
The white people in the US have been decent enough, but in the recent past, they have been racist bigots, but not anymore than normal and maybe less than normal.
Get over it, it’s a fact.


#46
To: staytrue
What’s that they call white people in China? Oh, it oozes kindness to foreigners. Occidentals. Gweilo’s.
Pfft. My grandparents worked their butts of for very very little money and a shack from the coal company. Cry me a river.


#47
To: GSP.FAN
Free Republic is very fair. Every ethnic group and religion is open for criticism and insult. Praise too


#48
To: staytrue
>>> heads: the US aids China against Japan before Pearl.
That would mean Japan may have had a good excuse to attack Pearl and all the US indignation is misplaced. <<<
It’s an indisputable historical fact that agents of the US FedGov placed restrictions on Japanese finances, gave support in men and materiel to the KMT, and supported China in many other ways BEFORE America’s entry into the Showa War. What I think of it in light of the attack at Pearl matters little. If you think there’s a case to be made for the Imperial Japanes sneak-attack, please enlighten us.
>>> tails: the US does not aid China until after Pearl. <<<
Why would any sane person who is not woefully ignorant of 20th century history make this argument? It’s simply not true. I would guess that even the most hard-core right-wing Japanese doesn’t believe this.
>>> You won’t win the argument. <<<
Ummm... what argument? I don’t see an argument here — just a statement by you that you don’t want to argue.
Fair enough — but if you continue to misrepresent the historical record, I (and others) will continue to post corrections.
>>> The white people in the US have been decent enough, but in the recent past, they have been racist bigots, but not anymore than normal and maybe less than normal. <<<
“White people”? When I was in Taiwan, me and my paler US friends jokingly referred to ourselves as “honky-ren.” Don’t remember anyone there, friend or stranger, calling me a “white person.” Perhaps they aren’t as race-obsessed as you are.
As for US racism — jackass Californians and their Yellow Peril nonsense — there’s no doubt about it. However, given the long history of not just trade and diplomatic but humanitarian and missionary-based relations between the US and China, I’d claim that THAT racism was only “skin-deep.” The US willingness to support the KMT/China long before Pearl only underscores this.


#49
Like Bruce Lee wants an apology from Jackie Chan for ever having made ‘The Tuxedo’, but he ain’t gonna get it.
[img src=”http://www.jpgbox.com/jpg/5012_303x286.jpg";>
Not in this life.


#50
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.

magicboy

#51
To: dennisw
Yeah i know i am Irish,making fun of myself,without looking for any handouts or apologies



#52
To: artichokegrower
No, they are not. Apologies from the original perps would have been great, but WE, those of us living today, haven't done anything nor have the present day Chinese suffered any injustices from us. Nor should we apologize to blacks, the Indians or any other people who were sh** on in the past. We didn't do it. Especially for the Chinese, we pulled the butts out of the fire during WWII and they repaid us by dumping Chang Kai Shek(I know the spelling is wrong but that is how it is pronounced)and installing Mao, the wonderful communist leader. No apologies for past wrongs that were perpetrated by someone else.


#53
To: calex59
>>> we pulled the butts out of the fire during WWII and they repaid us by dumping Chang Kai Shek <<<
Chiang Kai-shek. Close enough. I read somewhere that Churchill called him “Peanut” behind his back.
To be fair to “the Chinese,” Shekky and the KMT were dumped with more than a little help from the men at Foggy Bottom and their “fellow travellers.” Can you say “Owen Lattimore”?


#54
To: Radl; artichokegrower
Harry Truman:
I think one man is just as good as another so long as he’s not a n***** or a Chinaman. Uncle Will says that the Lord made a White man from dust, a n***** from mud, then He threw up what was left and it came down a Chinaman. He does hate Chinese and Japs. So do I. It is race prejudice, I guess. But I am strongly of the opinion Negroes ought to be in Africa, Yellow men in Asia and White men in Europe and America.
From a letter to his future wife, Elizabeth (Bess) Virginia Wallace, in 1911.


#55
To: artichokegrower
I want somebody to apologize to me. Money wouldn’t hurt either.


#56
To: datura
As a NATIVE American, this entire subject is overly ironic. So how do you feel about encouraging foreign immigrants anyhow? Probably opposed, I would think.



#57
To: staytrue
Has there ever been a nation on earth that has excelled China in racism? The Japanese were bad, but they have a shorter history.
By the way, if you folks had dealt with the Huns properly, instead of just walling them out, they wouldn’t have gone to Europe and destroyed the Roman Empire! You really owe us for that!



#58
To: Lucius Cornelius Sulla
>>> ...if you folks had dealt with the Huns properly...”
... the Volsunga saga and the Nibelungenlied would never have been written. Thank you, Imperial China!
Oh, and the Eastern Roman Empire lasted for another ~1,000 years after Hun supremacy ended in Europe. So there! ;^)


#59
To: Poe White Trash
So the Chinese gave us Wagner! (Actually I like Wagner)


#60
To: Lucius Cornelius Sulla
And Wagner gave us Anna Russell. This is a gift that keeps on giving!

magicboy

#61
To: artichokegrower
Ya know, he's right. Lets get the surviving Chinese who were treated thus and the surviving EWP (Eeeeeeeeeeeevil White People) who did it together in one place so that the latter can spend all afternoon apologizing to the former. A coat closet should be big enough... But we'll need it in the morning for the last surviving slaveowner to apologize to the last surviving slave...



#62
To: artichokegrower
They didn’t hang that many from lampposts in Los Angeles!


#63
To: antiunion person
If I remember correctly, the Flying Tigers (US pilots) went to China pre-WWII to help the Chinese combat the Japanese. I don’t remember ever hearing the Chinese thank them for doing that.
___________________________________________________
The Flying Tigers are famous in China and highly respected and deeply remembered by most Chinese people,especially those living in southwest China.To google “American flying” tiger in simplified Chinese character) could get 1,670,000 results. There are so many news and reports about Flying Tiger in Chinese news websites and forums and blogs:
http://military.china.com/zh_cn/jl/04/11028152/20050322/12185916.html
(Title:The Great Heart of Flying Tiger)
http://www.wenming.cn/2009-03/23/content_16033556.htm
(Title:Flying Tigers Relics Park Start Working) http://www.chinanews.com.cn/tp/shfq/news/2008/11-18/1452796.shtml
(Title:Flying Tiger Soldiers Remembering Fatal Air Wars) http://www.huaxia.com/zt/js/05-058/540468.html
(Title:US Flying Tigers who helped China Defending against Jan an Invading)
http://world.people.com.cn/GB/6373736.html
(Title:Ace of US Flying Tigers Passed away) http://www.china.com.cn/military/txt/2008-07/23/content_16052572.htm
(Title:Searching And Restoring The Crashed Fighter Planes of Lying Tigers In Hubei Province)
http://news.163.com/09/0614/07/5BOJO1G2000120GR.html
(Title:Son of Flying Tiger Soldier donates battle relics to museum of Sichuan) http://www.stdaily.com/pic/content/2008-07/31/content_8580.htm
(Title: Son of A Flying Tiger Soldier came to China to thank the man who had saved his father in air fight)
http://qbar.qq.com/cdjunshi/159.htm
（a lot of photos of Flying Tiger) http://www.defence.org.cn/article-10-15983.html
(Title:US Flying Tigers Beat the Japanese Invaders) http://news.gxnews.com.cn/staticpages/20080323/newgx47e56b13-1424141.shtml
(Title:The Seventh Time The US Flying Tiger Soldiers Revisited Guilin, China) http://ido.3mt.com.cn/Article/200903/show1353040c33p1.html (Title:US Air force Flying Tiger Museum In Sinkiang) http://ilib.cn/A-yndxxb-zxshkxb200403010.html
(Title: The Flying Tiger:An American Assistance to China during the Anti-Japanese War) http://bbs.tiexue.net/post_1983607_1.html
(Title: Whom We Can Never Forget:US Flying Tigers)
http://i.cn.yahoo.com/czgddiz/blog/p_2886/
(Title: Grave of an US Flying Tiger Hero) http://www.fjnet.com/shxx/shxxnr/200505/t20050520_10360.htm
(Title: US Flying Tiger Soldiers Mourn For Sacrificial Comrades In Nanjing) http://www.360doc.com/content/090327/19/19088_2937040.html
(Title: Remembering The Anti-Japanese Heroes:US Flying Tigers)
<A href="http://gb.cri.cn/1321/2005/09/08/http://gb.cri.cn/1321/2005/09/08/<A href=”mailto:157@692726.htm”>157@692726.htm
(Title: The Battle Legend of US Flying Tigers In China)
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/14562/3630286.html （Title: Bronze Statue of US Flying Tiger Heroes)
http://www.chinaqking.com/%E5%8E%9F%E5%88%9B%E4%BD%9C%E5%93%81/2009/29017.html
(Title:Film “Fire of Flying Tiger” Shoot In American) http://www.daichaowu.net/blog/000064.htm
(Blog: Flying Tiger And The Hump Line:History Remain In our Memories Forever)
so on and so on.
Chinese people will and should always honor these great souls despite whoever be in power. while it was not the obligation of US to fight for or help China, as they did, it was a great favor for Chinese people that any thank you is deserved. Anyway, a favor is more of what yourself received than measured by whether it could also benefit the helper.


#64
To: artichokegrower
Oh, I am so sorry.. I was only a kid back then.. We should apologize for all the things that happened ‘while we have been brought forth and are still alive’ and hope we can repay you for our sins..
/s
(ringing any bells?!) >.<
If they don’t like it here ‘well there, since I am not there now) in this present age.. they can surely get a ticket back to where their (great)grandparents came from... I am sure they will be happier there..
Sorry, but I am so sick of hearing this cripe.


#65
To: cripplecreek
Amen! Remember Claire L. Chennault and the The Flying Tigers.

blueoj

美国应该为排华法道歉吧，像加拿大一样

很多回复都是不赞成道歉的吧......

这条比较有意思“I want an apology from the Chinese for how the Mongols treated my Ukrainian ancestors”...外国人把元朝历史看成中国历史比较难得