【 以下文字转载自 USANews 讨论区 】
发信人: idoa (weiming), 信区: USANews
标 题: "What a Journey" - A powerful speech by Dr. Chunyan Li during NYC demonstration
发信站: BBS 未名空间站 (Sun Nov 10 08:02:54 2013, 美东)
"What a Journey" - A powerful speech by Dr. Chunyan Li, a devoted mother,
during an demonstration outside ABC Headquarters in New York City on Nov 8,
2013 protesting ABC Kimmel's racial hatred skit targeting the Chinese and
Asian community
纽约游行演讲全文（what a journey）
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Click "Like" and forward along if you resonate with Dr. Li.
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What a Journey
Chunyan Li, Ph.D.
11/8/2013
Dear all,
How long does it take us to get here today? One hour? Two hours? For me, it
is 20 years! 20 years ago I arrived at this land of the free, full of ideals
, perhaps from listening too much to radio Voice of America. 20 years later
my sons join me to protest against ABC's spreading of racial hatred and
violence. What is wrong with this picture?
I ask my teenage son whether we should just treat "killing Chinese" as a
joke. He said this demonstrates what the society and media had been feeding
our young kids. My heart sank. Is America moving forward or backward?
Now I ask again: How long does it take us to get here?
I don't know about you, but the last 20 days seem longer than my 20 years.
Those of us who stand here today must have been reading, writing, arguing,
and agonizing over confusing pieces of reports and commentaries. And we ask
ourselves, are we being unreasonable? Is our English that bad that we don't
know what an apology is?
On 10/28, the night of our first protest, Mr. Kimmel said, "today is a weird
day...I am sorry if I offended anyone." I ask ABC, who is the weird one?
Who truly apologizes if he doesn't even say sorry for what? Sorry to whom?
To the Chinese whose sense of tranquility is forever disturbed? To our kids
whom we try so hard to shield from pain and harm? To the schools that teach
kids the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King? ABC, do you call that an apology?
In a letter to 80-20, ABC still claims it only entertains. Why is joking
about killing Chinese so entertaining? Is it because we are always so nice?
My friend's sweet 11-year old wants to write on his poster, "do not take
advantage of us." I first didn't understand, then found out he meant "don't
take advantage of us because we are nice." That broke my heart!!! ABC and Mr
. Kimmel, we hold you accountable for taking away our children's precious
sense of security. And we hold you accountable for sowing the seeds of
hatred in other children's minds.
On 10/29, Mr. Kimmel even resorted to the ridiculous notion of cultural
difference. I ask him, what cultural difference do you mean? A culture of
hard work, respect, harmony versus a culture of violence and racial hatred?
Then I admit there is an unbridgeable difference between Kimmel and us. We
know what's right, what's wrong. And we know what humor is too! Yet we have
no tolerance of your malicious joke, subsequent insult on air, then the
absurd reference to culture. This only proves Mr. Kimmel you are unfit to be
a public figure.
ABC, stop blaming cultural differences for your own mistakes! Except for
Native Americans, all are immigrants with unique traits. Yet we share the
basic value of human dignity. Stop magnifying the differences in skin colors
, or accents!
I ask a third time, how long does it take us to get here? Our friends
started telling us there is another written apology somewhere. Who in real
life is given so many third chances? Yet I ponder, are we asking too much? I
discovered to my dismay that in that written letter, Mr. Kimmel is still
hiding behind the 6-year old. Come on Mr. Kimmel, you think our anger is on
a 6-year old? Our anger is on your malicious question "Should we allow the
Chinese to live?" Our anger is on your subsequent arrogant ridicule. Our
rage is on ABC for not letting the public know the truth of these so called
apologies.
America is the home of the brave. ABC, show our kids you have the courage of
admitting wrong doing, show our kids you have the guts to take
responsibility by dismissing Mr. Kimmel. Show us you have the resolve to
institute procedures to prevent future incidences. ABC, do NOT hide behind a
6-year old! Show us what a major network can do to right its wrong!
Twenty years, twenty days. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Who
doesn't want to be happy? But without life, what is liberty? Without liberty,
what is happiness? Let's join hands in our pursuit of human dignity.
Teach kids to love, not to kill!
