By: Daniel Nardini
The Chinese were the only immigrant group to be excluded from legal immigration to this country based on their nationality. The first Chinese Exclusion Act, passed in 1882 by the U.S. Congress, prevented Chinese from coming to the United States. This exclusion act was the result of racial hatred and bigotry that was only too rampant in the United States at the time. Many unions, then dominated by American-born Europeans and European immigrants, feared the Chinese would take away their jobs and so helped push for this kind of legislation. At the same time many local politicians, especially in California, wanted to gain votes among the white residents of the time (largely the only ones who could vote). So they also called for the exclusion of the Chinese.
The Chinese Exclusion Act remained in effect until 1943. During World War II, the U.S. government, in an overture to the Republic of China, abolished the Chinese Exclusion Act. They did this to gain the Chinese government’s help in fighting the Japanese, and the U.S. government did this to prevent the Japanese from exploiting the fact that the United States excluded the Chinese from immigration. Even so, the United States only allowed in about 105 Chinese every year from 1943 until 1965 when it abolished the racist quota system in favor of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965.
At present, a number of legislators from both the Democratic and Republican parties, and with the full support of the Asian American Caucus in the U.S. Congress, have introduced legislation that offers an apology to the Chinese American community for the Chinese Exclusion Act. Senate Bill 201 and House Bill 282 offers an official “regret” for what the U.S. government did under the Chinese Exclusion Act. The State of California has already issued an apology for its racist treatment of the Chinese immigrant and Chinese American community and its denial of many Chinese Americans of the right to be U.S. citizens and enjoy their rights under the California state and U.S. constitutions.
While this piece of legislation does not offer any compensation, it does try to apologize for a wrong for what it had done. Now whether this legislation will pass remains to be seen. Many congressional officials see more urgent matters like the current wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and now Libya. Many are equally concerned with the mounting national debt, the still high unemployment rate, and record loss of American businesses to foreign competition. Still, the issue of an apology is a necessary step. The Chinese Americans have been waiting for such an apology for over 67 years, and this matters to them just as many Mexican Americans feel they are owed an apology for the mistreatment they had suffered at the hands of the U.S. and state governments over 70 years ago. It should never be too late to make amends for the injustices that had been done.
An Apology to Chinese Americans
By: Daniel Nardini
The Chinese were the only immigrant group to be excluded from legal immigration to this country based on their nationality. The first Chinese Exclusion Act, passed in 1882 by the U.S. Congress, prevented Chinese from coming to the United States. This exclusion act was the result of racial hatred and bigotry that was only too rampant in the United States at the time. Many unions, then dominated by American-born Europeans and European immigrants, feared the Chinese would take away their jobs and so helped push for this kind of legislation. At the same time many local politicians, especially in California, wanted to gain votes among the white residents of the time (largely the only ones who could vote). So they also called for the exclusion of the Chinese.
The Chinese Exclusion Act remained in effect until 1943. During World War II, the U.S. government, in an overture to the Republic of China, abolished the Chinese Exclusion Act. They did this to gain the Chinese government’s help in fighting the Japanese, and the U.S. government did this to prevent the Japanese from exploiting the fact that the United States excluded the Chinese from immigration. Even so, the United States only allowed in about 105 Chinese every year from 1943 until 1965 when it abolished the racist quota system in favor of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965.
At present, a number of legislators from both the Democratic and Republican parties, and with the full support of the Asian American Caucus in the U.S. Congress, have introduced legislation that offers an apology to the Chinese American community for the Chinese Exclusion Act. Senate Bill 201 and House Bill 282 offers an official “regret” for what the U.S. government did under the Chinese Exclusion Act. The State of California has already issued an apology for its racist treatment of the Chinese immigrant and Chinese American community and its denial of many Chinese Americans of the right to be U.S. citizens and enjoy their rights under the California state and U.S. constitutions.
While this piece of legislation does not offer any compensation, it does try to apologize for a wrong for what it had done. Now whether this legislation will pass remains to be seen. Many congressional officials see more urgent matters like the current wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and now Libya. Many are equally concerned with the mounting national debt, the still high unemployment rate, and record loss of American businesses to foreign competition. Still, the issue of an apology is a necessary step. The Chinese Americans have been waiting for such an apology for over 67 years, and this matters to them just as many Mexican Americans feel they are owed an apology for the mistreatment they had suffered at the hands of the U.S. and state governments over 70 years ago. It should never be too late to make amends for the injustices that had been done.