Chapter 19 Let the Chinese bow their heads - no way

Anyone who has read a little bit of American history or been to Washington knows the name Lincoln.He is the sixteenth president in American history.This stalwart Kentuckian, because of his family's poverty, did not read many books. He did hard labor, short labor, boatman, and later became a lawyer, but because of his gifted speech ability and honest and kind heart, Coupled with his calm and strong personality, he became the only figure in American history who could be on par with the founding father Washington.On the left and right of Liberty Square in front of the White House in the United States, on one side is the Capitol Hill, which represents the symbol of American power, and on the other side is the Lincoln Memorial.Obviously, Lincoln has an extraordinary status in the eyes of Americans.In fact, what Lincoln represents is a spirit of the United States, a spirit of sacrifice that is courageous and enterprising, bold and innovative.We all know that the most famous thing in Lincoln's life is that he liberated the black slaves, defeated the conspiracy of the southern reactionary forces to split the United States of America, commanded the great Civil War and won the victory.But at the moment when he was about to see the dawn of victory in the Civil War, when he had just taken the oath of office for the second re-election as president, a sinful bullet hit his body and brutally took away the memory of this great man. life.

However, Lincoln was not as highly praised and admired by people as he is now, and he has even been misunderstood and attacked.Only after his death did Americans feel that this man was actually the greatest national hero. Naturally, Li Wanruo couldn't compare with someone like Lincoln.But one thing she has been recognized by American historians and the people of Southern California, that is, Monterey Park can have the development it is today, with Chinese and local residents, as well as Asians, Latinos and ethnic minorities. Li Wanruo's achievement can be said to be of foundational significance.

In 1998, a coalition organized by people of Asian descent presented her with an Angel Merit Award.The award was presented to her by an outstanding Chinese-American leader who had been enlightened by Li Wanruo and stepped into the mainstream of American society.At that grand award ceremony, the host had the following words of praise to Li Wanruo: Perhaps without your heroic deeds, hard work and unremitting efforts, as well as your firm defense of the interests of the Chinese, today we are in Monterey Park and the entire city. The history of Southern California may be five or ten years late...and in this rapidly developing world, what is the concept of five or ten years?That may be the course of a century, an era, and a revolution.

Li Wanruo told me that this was the most exciting and proud one among the many honors she received in her life.Because it was given to her by the vast majority of Asian compatriots, including Chinese compatriots, and such an honor reminded her of the unforgettable struggle experience when she was mayor more than ten years ago—— From the day I took the oath under the Stars and Stripes, I have longed in my heart and have always striven to be the most outstanding American citizen, an American citizen who is as good as and better than all white people and other colors.I am constantly learning, constantly striving, and constantly integrating.Although the strength of Chinese compatriots was an important factor when I was elected as a city council member and mayor, I would not have succeeded without the support of white people and other ethnic groups.When I stepped into the post of mayor to re-examine the construction and development of a city, I understood more clearly how the role of the mayor should be defined. It has nothing to do with skin color, blood relationship, but only with the city and all city residents. highest stakeholder role.But in fact I was wrong, or at least not thinking far enough, comprehensive and deep enough, because no matter how hard I try and fight, those who have always regarded us Chinese and other ethnic minorities as alternatives are still unreasonable. Rejecting us... Li Wanruo told me in pain with the strong resentment in her heart that only those who are really wronged have.

The heroine in front of me, who never bowed her head, was full of tears when she told me about that period of her career as mayor. She said that they were tears of humiliation and resentment. Is speaking out a kind of crusade against those Americans who have always looked down on us Chinese?Or a kind of unfriendliness?But when we recite a passage from the inauguration of your father, Mr. Washington, we still insist that the purpose of doing so is not malicious or unkind, because we know what the true American spirit is and what It is the foundation of the United States of America.Mr. Washington said such a heartfelt sentence at the first presidential inauguration more than 200 years ago:...Since you have become citizens of the same country by birth or naturalization, this country has the right to concentrate your feelings.The name America comes from your national identity, it belongs to you, and this title must always enhance your patriotic pride far more than any other place.Between you there is the same religion, rites, customs, and political aspirations, save for very slight differences.You have fought for the same goal and won together.The independence and liberty you have received, the rights and duties will be united, you should be like a family, and have always belonged to the members of the same homeland belonging to the same country...

But Washington's successors gradually forgot the words of the founding of the United States, and their attitude towards Chinese immigrants was disappointing. In the days after Li Wanruo came to power in Montenegro, people shouted hoarsely in front of and behind their backs more than once to expel Chinese Americans from the American homeland. One day, Li Wanruo had just finished participating in an activity in a community and was about to return to the city hall. When passing by a gas station on Atlantic Avenue in Montgomery, a striking slogan posted on the window attracted the attention of many passers-by. When the mayor got off the car, he couldn't help whispering.Li Guiruo felt a little strange, so he stepped forward to take a closer look. The slogan reads: Will the last American leaving Monterey Park please bring the flag!

God, how could such a thing happen!When she finished reading the English slogan, her heart suddenly became angry.What does this mean?Translated into Chinese is: The last American who left Montenegro remembers to take the American flag with him. What do you mean?It is obvious that some people have openly challenged the increasing number of Chinese with this kind of words that are almost angry. They have begun to blame the new generation of Chinese who immigrated here for the homes and businesses they lost in the competition. The meaning of the words clearly provoked the dissatisfaction of those old residents with the new Chinese immigrants, and told the Americans in a warning tone: it is the Chinese who are invading their land... and this land and city originally belonged to them Americans. What is now occupied by the Chinese!

This is slander!It's a false accusation!When we Chinese come here, we are all discipline-abiding citizens, and we are all doing our best for the prosperity and development of this city, aren't we?What was the city like a few years ago?And what a modern Southern California new city is today!Li Wanruo stood in front of the glass window for several minutes, her chest heaving and her thoughts rolling. Don't underestimate such a slogan, because it happened in the 1980s.And this is the era when the United States has long advertised itself as a country of world civilization and the melting pot of nations that has sung for more than a hundred years, and expects all human beings to emulate it.Some people actually want to regain the power of the notorious Chinese anti-China reactionary forces who hated the Chinese in their bones more than a hundred years ago. We just take the so-called sense of justice and patriotism. Southern California, which is governed by a Chinese-American female mayor, has set off a new undercurrent of exclusion of new immigrants.

Such blatant and contrary to the spirit of the United States happened in a California area where a Chinese is the mayor, so it is too easy to remind people of the sinful night that happened in San Francisco on the eve of the 1980s more than a hundred years ago— — On April 4, 1876, no one can remember this date for Americans. Americans only remember the date of May 10 seven years ago, because this day is meaningful to Americans.On this day, the first large railway across the east and west of the United States, which was dreamed by expansion-oriented Americans, was officially opened to connect the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.When Mr. Leland Stanford, the state of California, dressed in a tuxedo and a gentleman's hat, happily raised his hammer and smashed the gleaming 18K gold spike that was twice the size of ordinary spikes, The crisp sound was transmitted directly to the capital Washington, San Francisco and the Capitol through the nailed telegraph signal.On that day, the capital city of Washington, D.C. was mobilized. People gathered in front of the Capitol, staring at the top of the Capitol... At 2:40 p.m., a giant magnetic ball rolled down from the dome of the Capitol, and the city burst into cheers Thunder.At this moment, all citizens of the United States know that the East-West Railway, which symbolizes the start of the American economy, has opened.This moment is so precious to Americans who have finally won peace after years of war and 100 years of fighting.When the big iron ball on the top of the Capitol rolled down, the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia and the bells of churches all over the United States rang together. There were only three times in the history of the United States. The first time was when the United States declared independence. , and the second was the end of the Civil War.The third and final time is the opening of the main artery that spans the east and west of the United States and connects the two oceans.

All Americans of course know this day.But not all Americans know that the reason why they have this major railway that directly affects the economic development of the United States and even develops to the world's hegemony is the main contributor to us, the Chinese! It was because of the construction of this railway that the Chinese began to deal with the United States, and began to migrate across the ocean to the other side of the Pacific Ocean. According to historical records, before the construction of this railway, the total number of Chinese in the United States was less than a few hundred. Since 1840, gold mines were discovered in the western United States. Due to the shortage of domestic labor caused by war and expansion at that time, Americans began to use Various lures were used to recruit labor from the ancient eastern countries, and a large number of Chinese who loved to dream of dreams began to take risks. After dozens of days or even months of sea travel, even if most of them were buried in the belly of fish halfway, they still came to the United States one after another.Most of them don't even know Dou Da's Chinese characters, let alone write a single English word.After arriving in a foreign country, they lived an old-fashioned oriental life, and did not dare to go out alone easily. After a long time together, they gradually established their own territory, which became Chinatown later; after there were more streets, there was a city again. , that city is now San Francisco - the Chinese have given a Chinese-style city name for the place where they live in the United States, and it has been used to this day.

A white American who worked as a small lawyer in New York and almost arrived in San Francisco with many Chinese also came to California. He became the famous American railroad king and the founder of Stanford University, and served as the governor of California for many years. Mr. Leland Stanford.When the young Mr. Stanford first arrived in California, Chun Azusa wanted to support his family, but he could only do some small business, but he was very interested in politics.In the 1850s, the Republican Party of the United States was officially formed, and the first Republican president, Mr. Lincoln, was elected.Stanford was so popular that he took advantage of the lack of talent during the Civil War to be elected governor of California. At that time, California was a new state area snatched from the Mexicans after a war with Mexico under the US expansion policy. However, with the discovery of gold mines, the economic status here became more and more important, and the population continued to grow. Rail traffic is on the agenda.Stanford showed his great talent and generality. President Lincoln supported Stanford's proposal with great foresight and allowed Congress to pass a (Pacific Railway Act). Describing the construction of the North-South Railway as another Civil War. It started two years and only repaired less than 50 kilometers. White people fled the harsh and barbaric construction battlefield. Stanford was in a hurry, and finally decided to use those who had crossed the ocean from overseas. Chinese, the first time he recruited 5,000 people. As a result, he found that these Chinese people were not only willing to endure hardships, but also skilled in craftsmanship. Any difficult problem could be eaten by the Chinese. Stanford was so happy that he told Lincoln the news President, please allow him to recruit Chinese laborers to do coolies for him on a large scale - the word coolie has been born in the American dictionary since then. For a time, the Chinese who came ashore from the sea became the favorites of American capitalists. In the 19th century At the end of the 1970s, the average number of Chinese people summoned each year was more than 5,000, and by 1881 it was as high as 1.18 million, and in 1882 it increased to 3.95 million. Although the hard-working spirit of the Chinese surpassed that of any local whites, their fate was worse than that of the black slaves.At that time, the sale of black slaves was no longer allowed in the United States, but it was free to buy and sell Chinese laborers.What is even more cruel is that in the construction of railways, the bosses always leave the most difficult sections to Chinese workers.The winter of the year came, and the mountain was blocked by heavy snow for more than 5 months, but the more than 3,000 Chinese workers trapped in the mountain had no one to help them. As a result, a large avalanche occurred later, and none of the more than 3,000 Chinese workers escaped the fate of death.A few months later, when the ice and snow melted, people found corpses all over the mountains and plains. Some of them were still holding iron picks. Almost all of them were wearing single clothes and bare feet. People fled after seeing the tragic scene, while the Chinese workers The dead bodies had to be buried by another group of newly arrived Chinese workers... The railways in the United States were built and opened to traffic through the hard work of thousands of Chinese workers. When the white people enjoyed more gold, milk and beauties brought by the North-South Passage, those Chinese laborers who made outstanding contributions to the United States and managed their families with their hands became thorns in their eyes. There is no reason, simple To put it bluntly, the existence of these capable and hard-working Chinese will rob them of American jobs, and will threaten the living space of their excellent race.In short, the Chinese are outsiders. Even if they have a contract and a green card, they are Chinese, and they are a group of dangerous foreigners who can turn America into an oriental feudal country with imperial power.Unless they are driven away, Americans will not be able to sleep peacefully! Some people in Congress in Washington, D.C., have already started clamoring like this.The capitalists in California intensified their efforts to encourage California legislators to formulate new anti-Chinese law proposals.And those white people who think their interests have been violated are already impatiently preparing to do it—— First, a group of white men in a mining area brutally killed 88 Chinese laborers, and then crossed them off the list. Then someone passed a special tax of millions of Chinese workers in the California Assembly-according to the U.S. Federal Constitution, such an act is completely illegal, and later the U.S. Congress also announced this illegal act and the state legislature. The invalidation of the so-called special tax on Chinese laborers.But for more than a hundred years, the California government has never made any compensation refunds to these Chinese workers in China.If someone wants to file such a lawsuit now, the money claimed can be used to build a three-story pure gold pagoda for the tens of thousands of Chinese laborers who died that year.But none of us has done this so far, and the U.S. government, which has always known its mistakes and corrected them, has been particularly slow in responding to this issue! But their other performance is particularly agile.That is, when the Chinese are arrogant in the United States, they will attack them head-on. Like Li Wanruo, the Chinese of Chinese origin living in California today all know that an event that shocked the world happened later, that is, on the night of April 4, 1876, a group of anti-China elements started their criminal actions. It is Chinatown, the heart of Jinshan Chinese on the 1st.According to the news from the white people, they are trying to wipe out Chinatown in one fell swoop, and outside San Francisco, thousands of white people and cavalry with various light weapons can be seen stationed on various hills and in the homes of white residents.At this critical moment, the leaders of the Chinese Association made an urgent meeting with the Mayor of San Francisco, Mr. Brown Ant, and asked for protection.However, the Chinese know in their hearts that it is almost impossible to ask for the support and protection of a mayor who represents the interests of Americans. There is only one way to survive: arm yourself.At that time, all the Chinese in Yongren Street were told not to go out, to close their doors and courtyards, and to resolutely fight back if someone invaded. At the same time, a steady stream of guns and ammunition began to be delivered to Chinatown.For a time, the entire San Francisco Chinatown was like a fortified Great Wall of Steel.The anti-Chinese bandit gang failed to attack the city, and large-scale violence began around Chinatown. The houses of the Chinese were burned and the Chinese were killed when they saw them. The ecstasy and wild laughter of the mob swept through the city.Only Chinatown is shining with angry eyes in the silence and darkness... This time, the anti-Chinese forces did not all succeed. They regrouped a fighting team of tens of thousands of people one day after more than a year, and attacked Chinatown again.When the three-way thugs invaded Chinatown, they were resolutely resisted by the Chinese who had already prepared.The thugs once again ransacked the Chinese residential areas and Chinese shopping malls outside Chinatown, killing countless innocent people.On the contrary, the Chinese in Chinatown did not suffer the slightest disaster. After reading this period of history, I finally understood why in every overseas city, as long as there are Chinese people living, there is almost a Chinatown.It turned out that in order to protect themselves, the wandering Chinese regarded Chinatown as a stronghold for them to resist the attacks of the anti-China forces in the host country and survive.As a result, Chinatown has become the pride of overseas Chinese, and it is also a symbol of bitterness, blood and tears for overseas Chinese.And not all Chinatowns are as effective as the last bastion of the Chinese like San Francisco's Chinatown. However, the effective resistance of the Chinese in San Francisco's Chinatown could not be exchanged for the rejection of the Chinese by the US government at that time. On May 6, 1882, the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate, which were occupied by anti-China forces, passed the first Chinese Exclusion Act in U.S. history, and this law was included in the U.S. Code.The so-called reasons for the passage of the bill are: the Chinese are not interested in the American country, and their yellow complexion cannot integrate with the Americans; Caucasian is a superior race and both sides should not be mixed.The framers of the U.S. Constitution and the founders of the United States never intended to extend naturalization to people of color.Even though President Lincoln liberated the black slaves and granted the blacks American citizenship and nationality, it did not include that the Chinese had the same rights as the blacks. The first Chinese Exclusion Act made the fate of the Chinese in the United States plummet, and this unfair fate has been maintained for a full 60 years! Li Wanruo has too much deep understanding. When someone else is the mayor of Mengshi, it is impossible for her to have so many troubles that she can't think of. However, she always reminds herself not to think too much about the interests of the Chinese when considering problems and making decisions. She is also working hard to protect the interests of the citizens of the city, because she has already regarded herself as an American citizen, and she has already linked her destiny with the destiny of the United States.Whoever says that she is an American citizen or that she is not doing her duty to the United States will make her anxious. This is what she has asked herself to do for many years and has done her best.Now that she is the mayor, she has to maintain ethnic harmony.She can't obliterate the interests of the Chinese, and the city of Montenegro or the whole of California is not only because of the rapid development and rise of the Chinese, it is what it is today! If Li Wan thought of this, he couldn't help scribbling: This letter was written overnight by Li Wanruo and delivered to the post office immediately, and of course it was also written in standard English. After sending the letter to Elgin, who provoked the incident, Li Wanruo asked the office secretary to copy four copies of the original manuscript and forwarded it to every city councilor.Needless to say, the mayor's letter aroused the unanimous approval of all the congressmen, because besides Li Wanruo, there were three other members of this term who were also ethnic minorities, and the other white person also stood by Li Wanruo's side. Not long after sending the letter, Li Wanruo drove to the gas station again.This time there was an imperceptible smile on her angry face—the annoying sign was gone. Mayor Lily, my son was as excited as all Chinese compatriots when he heard that you ordered Elkin to take off that sign. He is now studying at UCLA and wants to meet you!Within a few days, word of Mayor Li Wanruo's just act spread among the Chinese community. One day, Asian judge Toyama called Li Wanruo's home to express his wishes. Li Wanruo has always been enthusiastic about helping young people. After becoming the mayor, he still remains the same and welcomes visitors.Fushan's son is also an enthusiastic young man. When he met Li Wanruo, he immediately talked about the incident at the gas station. Li Wanruo, who was outspoken, told the story before and after the incident in one breath, and stated in the tone of the mayor: "Whether we are Everyone is working hard to promote harmonious coexistence among multi-ethnic groups, but today the United States has become the most powerful country in the world, but there are still people who try to create racial troubles. This is absolutely not allowed. Toyama's son is of Japanese ethnicity, and their ethnicity has always been similar to the situation of the Chinese in the United States, so the heart of justice arises spontaneously.Back at school, he reported the interview with Mayor Li Wanruo in the school magazine.This is where things get serious.Elkin, the owner of the gas station, somehow also saw this report, so he sued Li Guiruo for defamation with a lawsuit, and at the same time proposed three compensations totaling more than 2 million US dollars. Old Elgin's complaint was like a fire lit on dry wood, and immediately a group of old residents who had harbored ill intentions towards the new immigrants responded one after another.They published articles in solidarity and support. Similarly, the Chinese and Asians who are concerned about civil rights issues learned about this incident, and they also made efforts to support Mayor Li Wanruo. The famous Chinese lawyer Guo Zhiming and others came forward to win the lawsuit for our Mayor Li for free. For a time, two camps formed in front of the California Supreme Court in Los Angeles: one was the anti-China elements represented by Elgin, and the other was Chinese and Asian people who supported Li Wanruo.And because California is an area where Chinese and Asian residents are comparable to white residents, and because Li Wanruo, a female mayor of Chinese descent, is in a lawsuit with an American citizen, the lawsuit has been lively from the very beginning.Asians are naturally very angry at individual reactionary forces that try to exclude ethnic minorities, and those who already harbor hatred for ethnic minorities, including Chinese, think this is an excellent opportunity, because they are already hostile to an ethnic minority. The Chinese have a lot of unspeakable pain in their hearts when they are their mayors. Now the opportunity has come. To defeat the female Chinese mayor can achieve the goal of killing two birds with one stone. In any case, we must put pressure on the government and the courts, otherwise those who see our new immigrants as enemies will once again set off an undercurrent in Montenegro, throughout California, and even across the United States.All of us Asians should act.Guaranteed total failure of old Elgin and his ilk!In those days, the phones in Li Wanruo's office and home kept ringing, and every day many Asians and even many local whites called to try to stand on the side of justice. In the face of fierce struggle, Li Wanruo thanked so many citizens for their solidarity, but at the same time, she was thinking about a problem. Although she had no intention of going to court with Elgin, she should not try to avoid it now that the lawsuit came. .But the current situation can't add fuel to the fire.Otherwise, it may have just fallen into the tricks of some malicious people, resulting in a negative impact on California, which is extremely detrimental to the Chinese, to all ethnic minorities, to the national interests of the United States and the interests of the local people.What's more, I am the mayor of a city now, and more importantly, I am a mayor with a Chinese background. Almost everyone is staring at me. If I don't adopt clever tactics, I may hit the target Americans who left the city remember the conspiracy of those who actively support the banners to take away the American flag, and bring local problems to the overall situation or the whole of California or even the whole United States, which will be more unfavorable.Well, Lily, Lily, since you are the mayor of a city, you can't just focus on your momentary prestige and happiness, you should look at the problem from a higher perspective. It's settled like this: I will bear the blame alone.When Li Wanruo made up her mind, just as a ray of sunset light entered her office, it was reflected on the American flag behind her, and the stars between the strips seemed to dance in front of her eyes. Li Wanruo looked at it. , she couldn't help thinking about it: she felt that she was the star on the flag, and the light shining on the star was her sincerity as an American mayor and American citizen.And she felt that the lines seemed to be like coordinates. These coordinates were mapped from the depths of her heart and blood, and the coordinates were telling her: You are an excellent mayor of the United States, and you are an excellent mayor. An outstanding American citizen, you are also a descendant of China who has infinite affection for your mother country.Li Wanruo stood under the banner of the Stars and Stripes and did not leave for a long time. She seemed to have found infinite courage and strength from this thread and the constellations. This strength is enough for her to win this huge lawsuit... When she walked out of the municipal building, she had already chosen the path of responding to the lawsuit independently.When she faced the Monterey Park city under the busy night, she took a deep breath, and then said to herself: I should respond to the lawsuit as an American mayor, not on behalf of a certain ethnic group or A group of people of a certain color. The tediousness and complexity of responding to the lawsuit is difficult to describe in one or two words.Especially Li Wanruo, who is the mayor, Li Wanruo, a female mayor who does not take money and only works, she knows in her heart that she must win this lawsuit that is actually not a big thing but has caused a storm in the city.Now the lawsuit Li Wanruo is facing is more than just a question of whether to pay or not. It is a big political issue of whether the entire Chinese in the United States will benefit, the entire Chinese or ethnic minorities will participate in politics, and whether the entire American spirit can really be reflected.People all over America are watching the lawsuit.In fact, the winning or losing of the lawsuit is not only between old Elgin and Li Wanruo, but also a real struggle between two forces—that is, justice and evil. Li Wanruo understood the essence of this lawsuit better than anyone else.Therefore, she pays special attention to it. Although she maintains her demeanor as a mayor on the surface, she has to spend a lot of time and energy in making various preparations and dealing with possible disadvantages in the specific response. There are legal and judicial procedural issues, as well as social and background issues. In short, this is a decisive battle that cannot be seen. He is indeed a mature politician.In the following nine months of silence, Li Wanruo, with his unique sensitivity and feminine delicacy, presented the facts and reasoned, and finally made this big lawsuit affecting racial issues in the United States, which lasted for more than 200 days. In the see-saw-like stormy sea, the danger was saved. On December 12, 1985, the Supreme Court of California announced that Ms. Li Wanruo, Mayor of Wintry, in her capacity as mayor, wrote a letter to correct the erroneousness in order to resolve the negative differences between ethnic groups and enhance the unity of the multi-ethnic groups in the United States. Therefore, Elkin's lawsuit against Li Wanruo should be dismissed. When the court's verdict came out, Chinese Americans in Montenegro, California and all over the United States cheered.In Montreal, many old American residents also called Li Wanruo or went to her home to express their congratulations. They sincerely said: Elkin and his like do not represent the wishes of all Americans. Everyone has the right to live in this beautiful city of Monterey, and whether they are yellow, black, or white, as long as they are Americans, they should and have the responsibility to plant the American flag high in this city. City, let it float forever. After Li Wanruo became mayor, according to the increasing number of local Chinese, in order to enable Chinese immigrants to adapt to the local environment and integrate into the American society faster and better, he not only created bilingual official documents and bilingual community signs, but also created a new The old immigrants opened Chinese schools and so on. The only purpose of doing so is to facilitate the new immigrants who do not know English well, which causes inconvenience in life and employment, and to enhance the communication and integration between the new and old immigrants.Unexpectedly, her painstaking efforts and good deeds, which were also commended by the federal government, made the extreme rightists who reject new immigrants feel uncomfortable.While the gas station incident was still going on, a bigger undercurrent came oncoming, which later evolved into the Yanchang English dominance incident across the United States. In fact, the lawsuit over the gas station incident is still in the fierce tug-of-war stage, and those who deliberately want to create a wave of exclusion of new immigrants in Montreal have already started a new and bigger wave.Just like the cause of every anti-China wave of exclusion of new immigrants in American history, the undercurrent of rejection of new immigrants in Montreal this time is because during Li Wanruo’s administration, a well-known Parisian-style Western-style coffee shop in the city center was closed down. After the Chinese merchants bought out, it was changed to an oriental seafood restaurant.One of the most famous local hardware stores has also become a Chinese medicine store and so on. Li Liruo lived in Mengshi for more than ten years before she became mayor, and she also knew this Parisian-style coffee shop very well. Although the shop is not big, it occupies a special position in Mengshi.Absolutely not rumors, the true fact is: In the past, the big men in the city liked to drink a few cups of pure western coffee here, so after a long time, this shop has become a place where the city leaders and celebrities meet and talk. A special place for big events.For example, before Li Guiruo became the mayor, she wanted to enter the mainstream society. She once asked someone to take her here in order to meet local dignitaries and celebrities.She clearly remembered that the first time she came here to find certain political leaders, they didn't take her seriously at all. Those self-righteous political leaders were very arrogant and wouldn't even let you sit down.Some people say that this coffee shop is the second city hall of Montreal, which shows that its symbolic meaning is extraordinary. Needless to say, it is a store opened by white people and a venue for dignitaries and celebrities.When Li Wanruo was in power, one day it suddenly changed its appearance and became an oriental seafood restaurant with a Chinese sign.The sense of loss and panic, coupled with anger, is conceivable.The anti-Chinese extreme rightists had been spying in the dark. This time, after seeing the resentment of many old politicians and some celebrities in the city, they took pleasure in misfortune.Here's your chance!It's a God-given opportunity!This time it's no longer about secretly sticking slogans on glass windows and car doors, this time it's time to stand up and fight for real!The ultra-right Chinese anti-Chinese forces have changed suddenly, from the former underground to the front stage of an open decisive battle with Li Wanruo, and the momentum is overwhelming. During that period of time, Li Wanruo was busy with how to improve the educational conditions and social welfare of the residents in Meng City, and ran around all day long.She heard that these days in Rong City, no matter on the streets or in the community, there are always a group of people asking old residents and new immigrants some seemingly strange questions under the guise of investigations and petitions. What questions are they asking?Li Wanruo asked cautiously. They always pretend to be very sincere, and when they meet old residents, they ask: Do you agree that English should be the official first language of the United States?Can such a problem be a problem?So the general old residents will nod in agreement.So those who asked took out a signature petition form and a pen, saying that since you agree, please sign your name.The old Jukuns happily signed their names and addresses.When they met the new immigrants, they also showed great enthusiasm and came forward to talk: When you come to the United States, do you feel that you should master English?Of course, the salaried immigrants immediately agreed as soon as they heard it.So those people immediately asked the new immigrants to sign their names on the form... Several municipal staff and compatriots of Chinese descent who witnessed it described to Li Wanruo in detail: Almost all the people who were asked were confused. Signed his name.It seems that those people have bad intentions!Li Guiruo began to ponder in his heart: What kind of tricks are those people trying to do?English is the official language of the United States, so is it necessary to ask for signatures?It seems that there must be a ghost among them! as expected.In a few days, the anti-China forces really staged a so-called EngIish Only movement that became news all over the United States in front of the municipal building. That day Li Wanruo came to the office of the municipal building as usual, because the city government staff had told her the night before that there were people going to the city hall to petition, so all the city leaders and city councilors had to go out.身趾美国这样的民主国家，从当市长那天起，李琬若已经习惯市民的示威和请愿了，这是美国式的民主，当时李琬若听完秘书们的开会通知后并没有多往其他方面想，只是她意识到，可能新一天又有比较重要的问题要向市民们回答或者解释罢了。 但情况完全出乎她的意料。当她和其他市议员出现在市政大楼门口时，那一瞬间她确实有点恐惧：怎么会这么多人呀！黑压压的望不到尽头似的，足有数百人吧？再看看横七竖八的一幅幅标语上写的内容和在前排领头的那个叫艾库瑞的极右反华分子，李琬若顿时清醒了过来：原来他们终于开始总攻了！ 李琬若不愧是女中豪杰、政坛精英。她不动声色地静观了现场的事态，再慢慢用眼睛扫视了一下坐在周围的人。看来今天是一场硬仗，李琬若马上明白她所要面临的是一场怎样的斗争。 啊，宝和，要是你看到这儿发生的情况多好啊！你一定会千方百计地想法召来比这多几倍的华裔同胞来击退这些排斥新移民分子的疯狂行为的！李琬若微微地朝北加州方向望了一眼，她内心向几十里外的丈夫工作的地方呼唤了一声。 啊，同胞们，你们要是知道这里将发生的事，你们能出来为我说一句吗？一定的。一定会出来为我说话的！李琬若又微微向身后的东方转了一下头，她内心向自己的同胞轻轻地呼唤了一声。 不，我是李琬若，我是美国公民李琬若。我是美国公民选出来的蒙市市长李琬若。我怕谁？我的身后是祖国的旗帜，那蓝底色上的颗颗闪耀的星星，有我陈李琬若的一颗忠诚的心；那道道红白条，是我李琬若对美利坚合众国的热情与胸怀。作为公民，我当之无愧；作为市长，我更无畏！ 当面前一阵高过一阵的口号声和喧哗声扑面而来时，李琬若反倒显得那样镇静自若。 战幕拉开了——排斥新移民分子的意图不能不说很高超，也可以说今天摆出的这一招是毒招。根据美国宪法规定，联邦各地的政府和议会可以按照当地公民的意见制定自己的法规法律。而美国的法规法律可以是由议会和政府来制定，也可以是由选民直接参与制定，即到一定的选民数量后也可以成为立法（即根据当地总人口计算，李琬若所在的蒙市只需有三千选民签名，便可以成为市议会的提案），这叫创治法。这种法律很厉害，在美国历史上，有许多重要的法案就是以这种手段通过的，它常常被美国人用来标榜他们的所谓民主、民权的象征来向外人显耀的。 你，Lily Lee Chen！睁开你的眼睛看看！李琬若和市议员等官员刚刚落座，那个英语独尊分子艾库瑞就声嘶力竭、气势汹汹地跳到台前，此君完全把平时装出来的那点绅士风度丢到了三千里之外，只见他歪咧着嘴，张口就极不文明地把矛头直指李琬若。 艾库瑞先生，请你有话好好说。李琬若耐着性子。 我会说的。你等着……艾库瑞那双兴奋得变了形的眼睛，看了一眼坐在台上的这位黄皮肤、黑眼睛的东方女人，以早有准备的动作，将手中的一大叠签有市民名字的信件和倡议书，啪地一下扔到了李琬若的面前。那动作迅猛而又出乎所有人的意料，当然也出乎身为市长的李琬若的意料，这是多年从政以来第一次有人如此极不文明地对待她。那一刻，她真的激动了，真的愤怒了！但令在场所有人都感到震惊和佩服的是他们的女市长泰然自若，只有那双美丽的眼睛此刻变得锐利无比，直盯着艾库瑞…… 那一刻，在场所有的人都盯着李琬若，盯着在美国领土上的一名中国女人，盯着他们蒙市的最高行政长官。 镇静、镇静。孪琬若知道她的眼前不仅仅是几千双眼睛；而是几万双，几十万双……这不，艾库瑞之流为了虚张声势，把周边和当地最有影响的大小媒体记者全都请到了现场。那长长短短的摄像机镜头此刻全都对着她李琬若不是？ 李琬若两眼从开始就没有离开过眼前这位跳上跳下的艾库瑞先生，但现场的所有一切她也都收入视野之中。她知道这是斗争的激战场面，但也是展示作为华裔女市长的又一种良机。 看看，我们获得了3300多位蒙市选民的签名，这其中包括与你有同样血脉的华人！艾库瑞在扔信的一瞬间显得那么得意忘形，脸上泛红的肌肉都有些抖动了。 此刻，喧哗的市政大楼门口一下静得出奇，几千双眼睛全都盯着这位东方女人，也是他们市长的李琬若。而这一切让李琬若感受最强烈的则是坐在她身边的左右议员，其实他们远比眼前气焰嚣张的艾库瑞和吵吵嚷嚷的示威群众更具鼓动性和危害性，因为按照当地法律规定，如市政府检查签名人数符合规定，就可将这个刨制案列入选举中，请全市民众投票赞成或反对。 唯一的办法就是以理制人。她选择了这一条。 是你们华人把我们美丽的蒙市搞得一塌糊涂，到处让我们看到的是七拐八扭的文字，听的是叽哇叽哇的声音。而你面前的这些签署人就是让你们这些人明白，我们对你们这些不讲英语，入侵我们家园的人极为不满。请最后一个离开蒙市的美国人不要忘记带走美国国旗的标语正代表了我们的心声！因此我们坚决要求把英语立为蒙市官方语言法案列入下届选举，让全民有投票决定的机会……艾库瑞终于把极右势力酝酿了数个月的阴谋推到了李瑰若面前，并为了显示他非达目的不可的决心，叉一次把大叠签名信重重扔到李琬若胸前。 李琬若强压心头之火，平静而又一针见血地反问道：请问艾库瑞先生，在我们美国什么时候、什么法案有谁说过英语不是我们美国的官方语言？ 这个……艾库瑞大概没有想到李琬若提了这么个简单而叉最严厉的反击问题，便一下愣在那儿不知如何回答。反正……反正我们有足够的证据证明你们新移民整天说的是叽哇叽哇的华语，我们满目见到的到处是那些中文招牌，而且他们成了美国公民后仍然不爱学习英语，难道不是想政变我们荣市的一切吗？ 你说错了，艾库瑞先生。李琬若随手从公文包里拿出一份文本向艾库瑞和全场示威者及新闻界展示道：事实是，在我们荣市各个社区，无论是新移民居住的杜区还是有学校的教区，你只要稍稍注意，就会发现有几十所各种形式不一的英语学校或者英语培训班，正敞着大门，迎接着数以千计的市民到这些地方学习英语。他们有的从清晨开始便进入课堂上课，有的则在下班后的晚上进校学习，如果有机会你们去看一看他们的学习精神，你们就会发现，原来新移民们是多么刻苦地在学习英语，并且从他们的内心也强烈的希望快快把英语学好，这样就可以好好地去就业，去融入主流社会，去当一名优秀的美国公民。这种无与伦比的社区风气，是所有人有目共睹的，难道这不是再好不过的对弘扬、提倡和巩固英语为我们美国的官方语言的行动吗？ 李琬若有理有据的话语，使方才还起哄站在艾库瑞等极右分子一边的市民仿佛明白过来似的，纷纷收起一面面举着的示威招牌。艾库瑞急坏了，一边转身嚷嚷把示威的招牌重新高高举起，一边叉回过头来与李琬若对质：你……不管怎么说，我们不同意和极其反感你们那些华人不使用英语，并且坚决要求用法律的形式固定下来——英语为我们蒙市唯一的官方语言！ 那些想捞稻草的人，在大义凛然的市长面前不再那么气势汹汹了，所以只得采取横蛮无理的高压来威迫李琬若退缩。他们派代表跳到李琬若面前大声责问：蒙市过去在官方的文本中从来没有出现过除英文外的另一种文字，可你当政后为什么偏偏多了中文，你想彻底改变我们蒙市的美国传统和美国精神吗？ 这回轮到李琬若愤怒了。只见她站起身来，大声回答：不错，先生们，我是个无法改变血统的华人。但你们应该明白重要的一点：我现在不仅是美国人，而且是包括你们中间不少人投票选举出来的蒙特利公园市市长。作为一名市长，作为一名继承先人传统的美国市长，我非常清楚的一点是，不断创新，努力改变旧的模式，这正是我们美国的强国之本。同时我还非常清楚的一点是，美国从来就是个以多元文化为自豪的国家，几乎每一任开明的总统和各地昀州、市官员都非常鼓励有世界意识的英语外加第二语言，即Engliah Plus在自己的国家和地区得以广泛传播和落实。蒙市的今天，我们看到了大量华裔新移民，这说明了什么？说明了我们蒙市会继续美国移民国家的传统，因为正是我们依靠自己城市的魅力，吸引包括华裔在内的世界各族裔来参与我们一起建设蒙市这美丽的家园。而政府官方文件中出现除英语外的另一种语言，其目的恰恰就是为了尽快让那些移民们融人我们大家中间，能与我们大家一起交流，晟终成为我们中间的一员。这不正是全体市民所希望的吗？我们亲爱的美国不是一直希望在世界上保持绝对强大的优势吗？那么固步自封、目光短浅、盲目排外的任何做法都是有害的，所以我坚决反对以所谓英语独尊的话题作为法案来讨论，一个无需说明的事实和传统，却要今天再花费时间和精力去研究它的合法性实在毫无意义…… Wow -!本来是来支援或者来看好戏的人们，听了李琬若这番话，很多人反过来为市长的话而鼓掌。说得太好了！市长说得对，英语独尊的背后就是种族歧视，不能让这样的法案提议得逞！ 这场风波最终以市长李琬若力挽狂澜而宣告了艾库瑞一伙极右排华分子的失败。那一天的美国新闻几乎都报道了蒙市发生的这起历史性的事件。它在华人中间和其他步数族裔中产生的鼓励作用非三言两语所能表达的。其实是美国白人们也非常关心荣市的这次英语独尊风波，因为有人曾扬言，假如英语独尊一旦在南加州的蒙市获得通过，那么马上在北加州其他地方也会获得通过，而南北加州出现的风潮，对整个美国都会产生无法意料的影响，所以与其说关心小小蒙市的这场大风波，倒不如说美国人的眼睛都盯着李琬若这个东方肤色的市长是如何展示个人风采，稳妥处理族脊之间的焦点问题的，处理好与处理不好有可能对每一位美国人都将产生影响。 后来蒙市政府律师发现，请愿签名有很多地方不合乎法律规定，因此未将此签署列入蒙市选举。 这就是蒙特利公园市市长李琬若。