Judy Chu
In a move that harkens back to the Japanese American redress days, the U.S. Senate has passed a resolution that apologizes to the Chinese for the discriminatory laws they once endured in this country, including the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act.
Senate resolution 201 passed by unanimous consent on Oct. 6. The bill now heads to the House where it will have a more difficult time with Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, saying that he will not bring the issue to the floor for discussion.
This “cannot undo the hurt caused by past discrimination against Chinese immigrants, but it is important that we acknowledge the wrongs that were committed many years ago,†said Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass, the lead sponsor of the Senate resolution in an interview with the Los Angeles Times.
The companion bill in the House is sponsored by Rep. Judy Chu, D-El Monte, the first Chinese American woman to be elected to Congress whose grandfather was among those Chinese who were forced to face these discriminatory laws.
“The thousands of Chinese Americans around this country with similar family histories will celebrate the passage of the Senate resolution,†said Chu to the Times. Her grandfather operated a Chinese restaurant in Watts, working long hours to make ends meet.
The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 banned Chinese from becoming U.S. citizens and had the effect of halting Chinese immigration to this country for a decade. The law was eventually repealed in 1943 once China became a U.S. ally during World War II.
The Senate resolution noted that large-scale immigration by the Chinese took place during California’s Gold Rush in the mid-1800s. It was during this time that the U.S. government approved the building of the first transcontinental railroad during the Civil War. Many Chinese immigrants were recruited by the railroad companies to build the Pacific portions of the tracks.
The resolution explained that these Chinese workers “faced grueling hours and extremely harsh conditions in order to lay hundreds of miles of track and were paid substandard wages†and without their efforts construction would have been “seriously impeded.â€
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Yes, even in Australia. The Chinese after enslaving themselves as railroad workers were robbed, humiliated and even killed. All the way until now there were much innuendoes, bias, negative opinions residues from the Cold War era in the medias. Thank goodness for the young generations who realized misjudgments of Chinese philosophy and time tested cultures. Chauvinistic attitudes of colonialism will not bring peace to the world. Mutual respect, social justice, fair assesment in political evaluation will ensure lasting relationship and brother/ sisterhood of humanity. TV program "The Chinese is Coming" are bias. For example the Chinese are doing the contract for railways in Africa are accused because they wanted oil. Who really benefited from As a matter of fact the West had quoted more expensive and longer period of completion. Aren't we all in need of oil and free enterprise? Look at war in Lybia, Iraq, as well as th are colonial exploitation of other countries in the world including the opium war they all for the gold be it black or yellow.
Yes, even in Australia. The Chinese after being enslaved as railroad workers were robbed, humiliated, killed. All the way until now in the media, politics there have been much innuendoes, bias, negative opinions residues from Conolial, Cold War eras. Thank goodness for the young generations who realized the misjudgments of Chinese (who was allies in WW) philosophy and appreciation to time tested cultures. Chauvinism, nationalism, greed of colonialism have brought war, suffering to the world. Mutual respect, social justice, fair evaluation in political policy will ensure lasting peaceful relationship of humanity. TV program such as "The Chinese Are Coming" and many more are partial, bias. The Chinese got the contract for railways in Africa are falsely accused as they only wanted oil. The West who got the first contract could not do it. So the Chinese took over with shorter completion time, efficiency, cheaper and building prosperity for the community. Why fret because it is fair, mutual business deals.
Who is always in the end benefited from coltan mine, blood diamond in Africa, oil but the West. Aren't we all in need of oil, true human rights and free enterprise? Look at war in Lybia (Syria is more cruel), Iraq, insinuating Chinese neighbors for South China Sea, intimidation with armadas there, moneys to fund any anti China groups, past colonial exploitation of other countries in the world e.g. the opium war, etc. I hope that there will be peace, fairness in judgments, mutual respect for human dignity and nature in the world.