黑人命貴–回復耶魯華裔學生的公開信

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最近耶魯大學的黃艾琳同學寫了一封致美國華人社區的公開信， 題目是《我們和非裔站在一起》，在美國華裔社區引起了巨大反響和爭議，想必大家都已經讀過了。 我是三天前才讀到那封信的，讀完後很難苟同那封信里的許多說法，我剛才給黃同學寫了回信，是用英文寫的，在中文版的下面。 以下是我寫的回信的內容。

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黃艾琳同學和您的支持者們，

我是您最近給美國華人社區的公開信的讀者之一。我是一個普通選民，三個孩子的父親和一名志願者。幾天前，我有幸拜讀了您寫的並由您的一些同學共同簽署的那封公開信。 我感謝您對華裔美國人社區和非裔美國人社區的關注！ 我感謝您用這封信表達您的想法方面所做的努力。但是對於您信函中的大多數觀點我並不同意 —— 您似乎對您所談論的主題不甚了解。

在您的信中，您說：“我們亞裔美國人中長期以來一直普遍存在着敵視（或歧視）黑人的言論和成見。我從小就聽到親朋好友（甚至我的父母）對黑人社區微妙的、有時明顯是種族主義的談論：他們在不好的社區長大；他們造成了太多的犯罪；我希望你千萬不要跟黑人交朋友，不要捲入黑人運動中。” 我完全無法苟同您這些個說法。

首先，“亞裔美國人”並非只是華裔美國人，除華裔之外還包括許多亞洲種族。您對華人社區以外的亞裔美國人有多少了解？您是否真的有足夠的知識和經驗以越南裔美國人，印度裔美國人，日本裔美國人，韓國裔美國人或其他亞裔美國人的名義發聲？據我所知，那些亞裔美國人從沒有稱非裔美國人為“黑鬼”，也沒有稱白人為“鬼佬”。

其次，我建議您不要基於您有限的個人經驗和少數人的不良行為來判斷整個亞裔或華裔社區的是是非非。 我知道確實有一些華裔美國人（準確地說，他們中的大多數甚至不是美國人，他們只是住在這裡而已）經常冒出一些歧視黑人的言論，並且對黑人抱有刻板印象。但這只是他們，並不包括我，不包括我的中國朋友，也不包括大多數華裔美國人。根據我多年的觀察，這些人的工作和生活僅限於華人的圈子。他們中的大多數人從不閱讀或觀看任何美國新聞。 《人民日報》和CCTV4曾經是他們唯一的新聞來源。 如今微信是他們了解世界的唯一途徑。他們參加由中國領事館組織安排的每項聚會和活動。他們熱愛中國共產黨，卻討厭美國。 同一群人不僅攻擊黑人，還攻擊白人。他們認為自己是優於地球上的任何其他族裔群體。因此，他們稱印度人為“阿三”，稱韓國人“高麗棒子”，稱越南人“猴子”，稱俄國人“毛子”。  他們甚至把在香港為自由而戰的人們稱為“港燦”，他們稱台灣人為“台巴子”。如果您在美國瀏覽中文網站，您可能會發現同一群人總是拼命捍衛中共的言行。幸運的是，我不是其中之一，而且多數華裔美國人不在他們中間，也不喜歡他們。當您說“我們亞裔美國人中長期以來一直普遍存在着敵視（或歧視）黑人的言論和成見”時，您這不是通過一小撮人的不良行為來判斷整個亞裔群體嗎？這難道不是經典的種族主義嗎？

我不清楚您對亞裔美國人的生活有多少了解。當您說“ ... 我們中的許多人生活在富裕的社區，把孩子送到頂尖的大學，從事舒適的專業工作......”時，您忽略了一些基本事實。您是否見過那些每天在中餐館打工14小時一直做到死卻薪酬低得可憐的夥計？ 您是否知道有很多華人家庭居住在紐約布魯克林和其他一些低收入高犯罪地區的貧困區域，那些華人家庭的孩子和黑人和拉丁裔的孩子上同樣的學校？您曾經去過在曼哈頓，費城，芝加哥或休斯敦唐人街的任何華人家庭嗎？當您的父母帶您到唐人街去周末購物時（我希望他們這樣做），您是否曾經好奇在雜貨店的那些華人夥計的薪酬是多少以及他們的住在何處？ 當您談論亞裔孩子進入“頂尖大學”時，您是否知道在美國有許多亞裔學生與您一樣優秀或什至比您更加優秀，但由於他們的膚色不對而被所有的頂尖大學拒之門外？ PBS的“亞裔美國人”告訴您，當年那些參加修建洲際鐵路的華工是最努力和辛苦的，卻受到不平等的對待。 但他們並沒有告訴您，今天的亞裔學生在學校里是學習最辛苦努力的。 十分不幸的是，大多數的亞裔孩子並不像您那麼幸運 —— 不管他們多麼刻苦努力地學習，他們要麼被招生辦忽略，要麼受到頂尖大學的種族配額所限而無法被錄取。 請問今天那些亞裔美國人孩子的“頂尖大學”究竟在哪裡？如果他們開始為自己的憲法所保障的權利而抗爭，您是否會稱他們為種族主義者？

哦，對了，一年前，在一個叫做香港的城市，那裡有很多和您一樣膚色的學生人開始為爭取正義，自由和人權而抗爭。 大多數學生都是和平抗爭。但當局稱他們為暴徒，並用催淚彈，高壓水龍，橡皮子彈和真槍實彈鎮壓他們。喬治·弗洛伊德經歷的那樣的悲劇在香港和中國已經發生過多次了。我想知道，當全世界密切關注香港的民主運動的時候您在哪裡？你看新聞了嗎？你有說一句話嗎？那些孩子的生命就該被那樣摧殘嗎？你們之中有任何一個人甚至想過在校園裡開闢一個列儂牆，向香港的兄弟姐妹們表示支持嗎？是因為您的父母不允許您這樣做呢，還是因為您同意共產黨的看法？

您是否注意到，您的公開信實際上是在受到嚴格審查和絕對控制的微信平台上發布的？ 您是否知道您的文章得到了數百甚至數千元人民幣的打賞，而那些向您付款的人必須在中國擁有有效的銀行帳戶？ 不談這些，有一點是可以肯定的，這就是您的這一封政治信函在美國和中國都確保了政治正確，所以通過了某國的審查制度的嚴格審查。 與之相反，我給您的這一封信卻只能張貼在我在美國的個人博客上。

最後，談到這個國家的社會不公正現象，我只是好奇，除了從主流媒體和教科書中學到的知識以外，您對非裔美國人的日常生活究竟了解多少？您曾經住在非裔美國人社區嗎？您的家人曾經造訪過任何位於黑人社區的非洲裔美國人家庭嗎？ 您的家人有沒有在黑人社區全職服務過？ 簡而言之，您有沒有涉足黑人社區過？ 如果這些都沒有發生過，那麼您怎麼可以指責別人是種族主義者而您自己卻不是呢？

我完全同意您的看法，我們亞裔美國人應盡力幫助和支持我們在黑人社區的兄弟姐妹們。問題是如何去做。您建議的那些行動簡直就是開玩笑。 稍微嚴肅認真的人都會感到您好像只是沽名釣譽但卻不想付出真正的努力。如果您真的想幫助那些每天都在生活中掙扎的非裔兄弟姐妹，請採取一些實際行動吧，不僅要幫助他們，而且要和他們共同努力，共同克服困難並與他們共同取得成功！

如果您和您的同學們對這件事真的是很嚴肅認真的，那麼你們就應該把是幫助黑人社區這一條寫到你們的就業計劃中去。 美國的黑人孩子們大多去市區公立學校就學，而那些市區公立學校大多嚴重缺少教師，尤其是缺少受過良好教育和積極進取的教師。 你們畢業後，是不是應該去申請去那些市區學區擔任教學工作呢？ 我向你們保證，如果你們這樣做，將會受到學區的官員，老師，非裔孩子們以及他們父母的熱烈歡迎！

如果您不想當老師，那麼還有許多其他職業途徑可以為黑人社區服務。 如果您是一名醫學院學生，您畢業後何不在黑人鄰里建立家庭診所？ 如果您正在攻讀法律學位，為什麼不在拿到執照後立即在黑人設區開設律師事務所？ 服務黑人社區的機會其實是很多的。請不要告訴我您打算加入美國和平隊並希望被派遣到非洲國家 —— 這不算什麼！ 美國的非裔美國人社區比其他任何地方都更需要您的專業技能和服務，請首先幫助我們自己國家的人民吧！ 我認為你們的父母將會支持你們的這一行動！

我想對參加在洛杉磯，休斯敦和其他城市舉行的“黑人命貴”遊行的華人說同樣的話：我欽佩你們的精神，但請你們把語言和口號轉化為具體的行動：把你們的企業搬遷到非裔美國人社區吧！ 那樣可以減少種族貧富差距並加強那裡的地方經濟；您應該在非洲裔美國人社區尋求一份全職工作，拿出您的技能，才華和經驗去造福最需要那些服務的人們；您應該在黑人社區廣交朋友，在那兒參加教堂禮拜，在那兒做義工，並在那裡參加他們的社會和政治活動。我們都是美國人：很多種族，但卻只有一個美國！

在我拿到我的研究生學位後，我曾在密蘇里州的堪薩斯城學區供職，那裡94％的孩子是黑人。 我那裡的七年中，當過技術資源學者，當過網管，當過網站設計，並結交了很多黑人朋友。我與他人共同撰寫過技術課程教學大綱，建立過一個又一個機房，安裝過路由器，集線器和服務器，並提供過技術培訓。 我的工作受到那裡的老師和孩子們的讚賞。 有一年我的照片出現在學區招聘手冊的封面上。 我就是這樣認識黑人社區的 —— 通過第一手經驗。 這也是我認為您也應該這樣做的原因 —— 如果我可以做到這些，那麼您一定也可以做到！

那麼你們打算做什麼，想好了嗎？

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下面是英文版

A Letter To Ms. Elieen Hiang, Et al

Hello Ms. Huang and Supporters,

I am one of the readers of your recent public letter to the Chinese American Community.  I am a voter, a father of 3 children, and a volunteer.  A few days ago I got a chance to read the letter written by you and co-signed by some of your schoolmates.  Thank you for paying attention to  both Chinese American community and African American community!  I appreciate your effort in writing the letter and getting your words out.  However, I cannot agree with most of the points in your letter -  you don’t seem to know much about the subject you were talking about.  

In your letter you said “We Asian Americans have long perpetuated anti-Black statements and stereotypes. I grew up hearing relatives, family friends, and even my parents make subtle, even explicitly racist comments about the Black community…...”.  I cannot disagree more. 

First of all, “Asian Americans” include many Asian ethnic groups besides Chinese Americans.  How much do you know about those Asian American people outside of Chinese community?  Do you really have the first hand knowledge and experience to speak in the name of Vietnamese Americans, Indian Americans, Japanese Americans, Korean Americans, or other Asian American groups?  As far as I know, those Asian Americans don’t call African American “blackghost”(“黑鬼”), and they don’t call white people “ghost guy”(鬼佬).  

Secondly, I would suggest that you not judge the entire Asian or Chinese community based on your limited personal experience and a small group of people’s bad behavior.  It is true that some Chinese Americans (to be accurate, most of them are not even Americans, they just live here) do have anti-Black statements and stereotypes.  However, it’s just them, not me, not my Chinese friends, not the majority of Chinese Americans.  Based on what I have observed in many years,  those people rarely get out of their Chinese circles.  Most of them don’t read or watch any American news.  《People’s Daily》 and CCTV4 used to be their only source of news, nowadays WeChat is their only way to know the world.  They attend every activity, party, and event organized by the Consulates of PRC.   They love the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) yet hate America.  The same group of people not only attack Blacks, they attack Whites as well.  They think they are superior to any other race or ethnic group on earth.  Therefore they call people in India “Asan” （“阿三”），they call Korean people “Korean sticks”(“高麗棒子”), they call Vietnamese “Monkeys” (“猴子”), they call Russians “Mao Zi”(“毛子”), and they even call the people who are fighting for their freedom in Hong Kong as “Gang Can” (港燦)，and they call Taiwanese people “Taibazi” (“台巴子”).  If you surf the Chinese websites in the USA you may find the same group of people who desperately defend whatever CCP says and  does.  Fortunately, I am not one of them, and most of the Chinese Americans are not among them, not with them, and not like them.  When you say “We Asian Americans have long perpetuated anti-Black statements and stereotypes”, do you think you are judging the entire Asian race  group by bad behavior of a small group of people? Is this the classic racialism?

I am not sure how much you really know about Asian American’s life in this country.  When you say “...many of us live in affluent neighborhoods, send our children to selective universities, and work comfortable, professional jobs…...”, you are neglecting some basic facts.  Have you ever seen those Chinese restaurant workers who work 14 hours everyday getting very little pay till they die? Do you know there are many Chinese families living in poor neighborhoods in Brooklyn, New York and some other low-income high-crime urban areas and their children attend the same schools as Black and Latino’s children?  Have you ever visited any family in the Chinatown of Manhattan, Philadelphia, Chicago, or Houston?   When your parents take you to Chinatown for weekend shopping (I hope they do), have you ever been curious about how much those grocery store workers get paid and where they live?  When you talk about Asian kids going to “selective universities”, do you know that MANY of the Asian students in this country are equally qualified as you or even more qualified but they are denied admission to any of the elite universities just because of their skin color?  The PBS “Asian Americans” tells you that the Chinese workers who worked hardest to build the transcontinental railroad were mistreated during and after the project, but they don’t tell you that today the Asian American students work hardest in schools, unfortunately most of them aren’t so lucky like you are - no matter how hard they work they are either ignored by admission offices or restricted by racial quota set by the elite universities.  Where are the “selective universities” for those Asian American kids today?  If they start fighting for their constitutional rights, are you going to call them racists?

One thing I would like to share with you, one year ago, in a city called Hong Kong, people with the same skin color and race as you started a big fight for justice, freedom, and human rights.  The vast majority of the students there are peaceful.  However, the authorities called them rioters, and treated them with tear gas, high-pressure water cannons, rubber bullets, and real bullets.  What happened to George Floyd already happened in Hong Kong and China multiple times.  I was wondering when the whole world was paying attention to the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong, where were you those days?  Did you watch the news?  Did you say a word about it?  Are those kids' lives worth something? Did any of you even think about starting a Lennon Wall in your campus to show your brothers and sisters in Hong Kong?  Is that because your parents do not allow you to do it or because you agree with the Communist?  

Did you notice that your letter was actually published in a WeChat platform which is heavily censored and absolutely controlled by the CCP?  Do you know that your article was actually rewarded with hundreds or even thousands of Chinese Yuan, and the people who paid you must have a valid bank account in China?  Regardless of all of these, one thing for sure is that your political letter is politically correct in both the USA and China, therefore the Communist censorship did not bother to take it down as they did to many other articles.  In contrast, my letter to you can only be posted on my personal blogs in the USA.  

Finally, speaking about social injustice in this country, I am just curious about how much you really know about the daily life of African Americans besides what you have learned from mainstream media and textbooks.  Have you ever lived in an African American community?  Has your family ever visited an African American family located in Black neighborhood?  Has any of your family members ever served full time in Black community? Simply put, have you ever set foot in a Black neighborhood?  If none of these ever happened, then how can you accuse others to be racists and you are not? 

I totally agree with you that we the Asian Americans should do our best to help and support our brothers and sisters in Black community.  The issue is how.  The action items you prescribed are a joke - it makes serious people feel that you just want to get attention and become a celebrity but don’t want to do any real thing.  If you really want to help our African American brothers and sisters who are struggling every day, please take some real actions to not only help them, but also work with them, overcome challenges with them, and succeed with them!  

If you are really serious, you should plan your career path focusing on helping Black community.  Most of the urban school districts in this country where American Afterican children attend school are short for teachers, especially well-educated and motivated teachers. When you guys graduate, could you please apply for teaching jobs in those urban school districts? I assure you that if you do so, you will be most welcomed by the district officials, the teachers, the African American children and their parents.

If you don’t want to become a teacher, there are many other careers paths for you to serve the Black community.  If you are a medical student, after you graduate, how about setting up a family practice clinic in Black neighborhood?  If you are pursuing a law degree, why not open a law firm in Black neighborhood right after you receive your license?  There are many, many opportunities for you to serve Black communities. Please don’t tell me you plan to join Peace Corp and want to be dispatched to an African country - that doesn’t count! The African American communities in this country need your dedicated service more than anywhere else, help our own people first!  I assure you that your parents will support your action! 

I want to say the same thing to those Chinese who attended the Black Lives Matter events in LA, Houston and other cities: I admire your spirit, but please transfer your words and slogans into concrete actions:  move your businesses to African American community to closes the racial wealth gap and strengthen local economies there; get a full time job in African American community to contribute your skills, talent and experience to serve the people in need; make friends there, attend church services there, become a volunteer there, and join their social and political events there.  We are all Americans: multi-race but one America!      

After I received my graduate degree I served in Kansas City, Missouri School District where 94% of children are Black. During the seven years I was a technology resource scholar, a network administrator, a webmaster, and a close friend of many African Americans.  I co-authored technology course curriculum, set up computer labs, installed routers, hubs and servers, and provided technical training. My work was appreciated by teachers and children there.  In one school year my picture was on the cover page of the district’s recruiting booklet. This is how I knew Black community - by first hand experience.  That’s also the reason I think you should do the same - If I can do it, so can you!  

So what are you guys going to do?  

Best wishes,

Bin Xie