This is the first time in 141 years that the White House has formally condemned the Chinese Exclusion Act, an apology more than 100 years late. Talking about the statement issued by Biden on the 80th anniversary of the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act, Xue Haipei, president of the Chinese in America Association (UCA), said in an interview with *** reporters.
At the same time, Xue Haipei pointed out that in recent years, US politics has become extremely inferior and polarized, which has also led to an increase in the number of incidents of discrimination and even harm to overseas Chinese and ethnic Chinese in American society. He said that in order to eliminate racial discrimination, overseas Chinese in the United States need to unite and take action to protect their rights and interests.
Screenshot of the official website of the White House.
"The pain has never been forgotten".
In 1882, under the influence of Chinese exclusionists, the US Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act, which banned all Chinese laborers from entering the United States, and also prohibited Chinese who had obtained permanent residency from naturalizing as American citizens. It was the first and only act in U.S. history to pass congressional legislation to discriminate against race.
The pain of more than 100 years ago has never been forgotten by Chinese in the United States. Xue Haipei sighedThe harm caused by the Chinese Exclusion Act to overseas Chinese is "huge and long-lasting", and the unequal treatment it causes is also "notorious".
At that time, the Chinese Exclusion Act gave rise to a series of discriminatory bills, and many discriminatory acts occurred in American society, and the eviction of Chinese workers occurred from time to time.
Not only that, Xue Haipei recalled, "My friend's parents, especially my grandparents' generation, were affected by the Chinese Exclusion Act and related [laws], and either could not be reunited, or after arriving in the United States, they were subjected to all kinds of discriminatory treatment. ”
Today, 80 years after the Chinese Exclusion Act was repealed, the repercussions are still being felt. The scars created by the racism of the United States have been repeatedly uncovered and difficult to heal.
Data map: Biden in the United States.
"Apologies more than 100 years late".
Over the years, for the injustice brought about by the ** "Chinese Exclusion Act", generations of overseas Chinese have risen up to resist, run around, and voice justice.
In 2011 and 2012, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives passed historic bills to formally apologize for the Chinese Exclusion Act. Xue Haipei is considered to be the main driver of the related "apology case". He said about itOverseas Chinese groups successfully pushed for an apology from the U.S. Congress, which paved the way for the White House to issue a proclamation on the 80th anniversary of the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act.
He said that in the past period, the United Nations of Chinese in America (UCA) has lobbied the White House a lot, or "put pressure", constantly urging the White House to make a statement. "A few weeks ago, we had nearly 330 Chinese and Asian American organizations and nearly 3,000 signatures demanding that the White House issue an apology on the 80th anniversary of the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act. ”
On December 17, 2023 local time, Xue Haipei finally waited for the White House's announcement. In his statement, Biden noted that "all men are created equal and should be treated equally," but the Chinese Exclusion Act runs counter to this philosophy by "institutionalizing our immigration and discriminating against entire racial groups, and subsequently further against many people in Europe and throughout Asia." ”
The demands of overseas Chinese have finally "taken a big step," Xue saidThis is the first time in 141 years that the White House has formally condemned the Chinese Exclusion Act. This is an account of history, an apology that is more than 100 years late. ”
Data map: The White House. Photo by China News Service reporter Chen Mengtong.
The elimination of racial discrimination cannot be reduced to empty rhetoric
Despite this, Xue Haipei noted that overseas Chinese still face a lot of discrimination in American society, especially in recent years, when related discrimination incidents have increased significantly.
He analyzed that the situation of overseas Chinese and ethnic Chinese is rather difficult and is caused by multiple reasons. First of all,Although many Chinese and Asians have settled in the United States several generations ago, they are considered "permanent aliens."
Second, as a result of the policies of the previous US and some of the words and deeds of the predecessor Trump, American politics has become extremely inferior and polarized. This has also led to an increase in incidents of blatant discrimination in American society in recent years.
In the United States, there have been frequent incidents of attacks and violence against Chinese and Asian AmericansSome US politicians have repeatedly hyped up anti-China issues for their own personal gainsSome states have even tried to pass bills to restrict Chinese ...... buying and selling houses and landAll kinds of similar behaviors in Xue Haipei's viewIt is tantamount to "Chinese Exclusion Act 2Version 0".Staged in the United States.
According to a recent survey released by the Pew Research Center in the United States, 58% of Asian American adults say they have experienced discrimination on the basis of race or ethnicity. Sixty-three percent of Asian-American adults believe that anti-Asian discrimination is not being paid enough attention in American society.
As the Atlantic Monthly wrote, the rationale for the Chinese Exclusion Act, which "Asians pose a racial threat to American society," has "persisted to this day" in American politics and culture. CNN pointed out that "we need to acknowledge the harm that has been done......What is right needs to be reiterated. ”
Obviously, the United States still has a long way to go before it can truly eradicate the cancer of racial discrimination. Otherwise, no amount of apology will eventually be reduced to empty talk. This article is **from WeChat***China News Network
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