华裔美国人 歧视仍是个问题 但正在改善

Frank H. Wu is the son of parents who immigrated to the United States from China. Mr. Wu says people ask him every day where he is from.

Frank H. Wu 是从中国移民至美国的夫妇的儿子。Wu 先生说人们每天都问他是从哪里来的。

“I explain that I’m from Detroit, Michigan, ” he says. Detroit is a city in the middle of the US. “But people shake their heads and say: ‘No, no. What I mean is, where are you really from?’”

“我解释我是从密歇根州的底特律来的，”他说。底特律是美国中部的一个城市。“但是人们摇头说：‘不，不。我的意思是，你究竟是从哪里来的？”

Frank Wu says the word “really” shows he is not considered a true American. He says the question can make him and other Chinese Americans feel hurt.

Frank Wu 说“究竟”一词表现出他并不被视为一个真正的美国人。他说这个问题让他和其他华裔美国人感到受伤。

Mr. Wu leads the Hastings College of the Law at the University of California. He notes that some Americans say they do not trust Chinese Americans. They are called “communists, ” he says, with secret loyalties to China.

Wu 先生是加利福尼亚大学黑斯廷斯法律学院的领导者。他指出，一些美国人说他们不信任华裔美国人。他们被称为“共产党”，对中国有着秘密的忠诚。

A 2012 survey of U.S. public opinion found some truth in Mr. Wu’s observation. The survey showed that about one-fourth of those questioned believed Chinese Americans would support China over the United States in a dispute between the countries.

2012年进行的一项美国民意调查表明 Wu 先生的观察有些道理。该调查显示，大约1/4的受访人认为华裔美国人会在两国争端中支持中国。

Another survey found that 72 percent of Chinese Americans said discrimination against their community was a problem.

另一项调查表明，72%的华裔说针对他们群体的歧视是一个问题。

Chinese American writer Helen Zia once said, “Whenever US-China relations get chilly, Chinese Americans get pneumonia.”

华裔美国作家 Helen Zia 说过，“不管何时美中关系变得寒冷，华裔美国人就会受伤。”

In other words, political problems between the two countries affect Chinese Americans personally.

换句话说，两国的政治问题影响到每个华裔美国人自身。

Trade between China and the United States is one example. Some American industries say Chinese businesses import products at prices that are too low. The prices are not fair, they say. And, as a result, American companies must cut workers.

中国和美国的贸易是一个例子。一些美国产业说中国企业输入的产品价格太低，他们说这些价格不公平。而这导致的结果就是，美国的公司必须裁员。

Helen Zia says such complaints are like thinking of Chinese imports as evil.

Helen Zia 说这种抱怨像是把中国进口当成恶魔。

Ms. Zia says the American public also criticizes US politicians for developing close relationships with China.

Zia 女士说美国公众还批评美国政客与中国发展亲密关系。

For example, in 2012, critics of President Barack Obama said he had violated election laws by accepting cash donations from China. The Obama campaign denied violating such laws.

例如，在2012年，总统奥巴马的批评者成他接受中国的现金捐助已经违反了选举法。奥巴马选举团队否认违反了相关法律。

Ms. Zia said US politicians accuse each other of being “corrupted” by Chinese money. She said that is another way of playing to the public’s fear of any Chinese “invasion” of the United States.

Zia 女士说美国政客常常互相职责对方被中国的金钱“腐蚀”。她说这是迎合公众担忧中国“入侵”美国的心理。

In 2009, a Chinese-American group called the Committee of 100 asked the American public for their opinion about Chinese Americans. About 80 percent said they had a good or positive attitude about Chinese Americans.

在2009年，一个叫做“100委员会”的华裔美国人组织向美国公众询问他们对于华裔美国人的看法。大约80%的人称对他们华裔有着良好或者正面的态度。

But only 64 percent of Chinese Americans said they felt others had a positive attitude toward them.

但是只有64%的华裔说他们感受到了他人的正面态度。

Sociology professor Charles Gallagher says most Americans believe they are accepting of minorities. But, he says, Americans can accidentally cause harm if they act like everyone in a minority group is the same.

社会学教授 Charles Gallagher 说大部分美国人认为自己可以接纳少数群体。但他说，美国人还是会偶尔地伤害少数群体。

Bernie Wong leads a Chinese American organization in Chicago. She says attitudes about her community have improved.

Bernie Wong 在芝加哥领导者一个华裔美国人组织。她说人们对华裔群体的态度已经有所改善。

In the past, she says, Americans believed people from China worked only in stores and restaurants.

在过去，她说，美国人认为才中国来的人只在商店和饭店工作。

“Now there are many Chinese Americans who are in the corporate world and very successful in investing in new businesses, ” she says. “So the whole attitude has shifted.”

“现在很多华裔在企业里工作，还有些在投资领域非常成功，”她说。“所以人们的整体态度已经改变。”

Bernie Wong adds that the Chicago government now asks Chinese Americans for their opinions about political and business concerns.

Bernie Wong 补充道，芝加哥政府现在在政治和商业问题上会询问华裔的意见。

And, when Chinese Americans say they have been treated unfairly, she says, her organization works with city officials to resolve the problem.

而且，当华裔说自己受到不公平对待时，她的组织会和城市官员一起工作解决问题。