學習中文的黑人學生抗議哥大中國學生會種族歧視
2008/05/09 |
日前紐約哥倫比亞大學推出了戲劇《尋找李偉》，劇本中持續對黑人使用種族歧視型語言舉行攻擊，學習中文的黑人學生Lillian Okoye出席了演出。她不堪劇中多處種族歧視的語言和觀眾的反應，給贊助演出的哥大中國學生學者聯誼會寫了一封公開信。
（中譯文）哥倫比亞大學中國學生會及有關人員：
觀看2008年4月26日在哥倫比亞大學師范學院上演的中文話劇“尋找李偉(Finding Li Wei)”，是我在哥大生活中最痛苦和失望的經歷之一。當我聽到演出中的那些對黑人的種族主義的言論時，特別是一角色的對話針對黑人區的黑人，我几乎崩潰。“我覺得哦，美國人還是挺好的啦。哦，不對，要除了那些黑人區的黑人。哎喲，我最怕黑人了啦！”接著是哄堂大笑，我回家后痛苦不堪，不僅角色的對話傷害了我，還有几乎99％的觀眾，那些哥大的中國學生。
我深感混亂和沮喪哥大的中國學生會（CUCSSA）參與和排演了這種種族主義的節目，特別是在2008年北京奧運會，全世界各民族人民匯聚中國之際。做為一位哥大東亞文化系的黑人學生，我付出很多的努力學習中文和中華文化，也曾遠渡重洋留學中國。而這出由中國學生會排演的種族主義的話劇公開在我的校園喧鬧地上演，令人無法不失望。我也被告知藝朮和科學系研究生于明輝（音譯：Minghui Yu）的不幸，他也是哥大的中國學生會（CUCSSA）的成員。雖然我知道他在2008年4月4日遭受“西黑人區人-West Harlem youth”身體騷擾，且死亡，攻擊他的種族背景，整個黑人區的非洲移民社會并不能使這次事件合法化。
在演出之前，我是如此興奮，還邀請了五位朋友同往。不僅如此，還取消了我為主持人的哥大Karaoke的活動，早知如此，還不如去唱歌。
這個種族主義的事件發生在我自己的大學，發生在我的眼前侮辱了我。
以中文的方式發布的種族主義言論并不能減輕問題的嚴重性。為此，對當時的聽眾說几句：當你們大笑時，我哭著走了。在我為中國留學生寫出這樣的煽動種族主義的劇本而悲哀時，我卻發現劇作者是我的朋友。
哥大是世界聞名的大學，她的確需要加強校園內的種族兼容。去年哥大校園內就有多起“憎恨”犯罪，只有几起得到校方注意，很失望又一起出現了。
哥大的中國學生會（CUCSSA）成員們請記住，這里也有非裔學生，還有從黑人區非洲移民的后代。請你們給與尊重，停止種族主義！！！！！！！
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黑人代表致哥倫比亞大學CSSA的一封信（原文）
To the Members of the Columbia University ChineseScholars and Students Association (CUCSSA), and tothose it may concern:
I am writing this note in response to the performanceof "尋找李偉(Finding Li Wei),”a Chinese drama(spoken in Mandarin) held on the night of Saturday,April 26th, 2008 at Teacher's College, ColumbiaUniversity. This was one of the most hurtful anddisappointing experiences for me during my time hereat Columbia University in the City of New York. I wasso devastated to hear the racism and the racist slursagainst Black people in the show itself. Specifically,there was a racist comment made by one of thecharacters in the show and it was targeted towardsBlacks in Harlem. I went home crying after hearing oneof the characters saying, "I feel like Americans arequite nice, but actually no, except for those Blackpeople in Harlem. I'm terrified by Black people!"which was followed by an uproar of laughter in theaudience. Not only did the character's words hurt me,but so too did the outburst of laughter by nearly 99％of the people in the audience, who are Chinesestudents at Columbia University.
I am deeply upset and saddened that Columbia ChineseScholars and Students Association would be associatedwith and originally produce and write something soracist, especially at a time when the 2008 BeijingOlympic Games, an event that people from all acrossthe globe and people of all races will be traveling toChina to see. As a black Columbia student and EastAsian Studies major, I have dedicated so much of myenergy to learning about Chinese language and culture,and even spent quite some time in China for studyabroad. I am so saddened that this act of racismoccurred on my campus and in such a public, blatantmanner, in a play that was written and produced by theColumbia University Chinese Scholars and StudentsAssociation (CUCSSA). In recent weeks, I too have beencoping with the loss of fellow student, Minghui Yu ofthe Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, who was alsoan active member of the CUCSSA. Although I realizethat the physical harassment and death he endured onApril 4th, 2008 was at the hands of a West Harlemyouth, the ethnic background of his assailant is not ajustification for a generic attack on the entireAfrican Diasporic community in Harlem.
Prior to the beginning of the show, I was so excitedto attend and invited five of my friends to attendthis event. I was so excited to be there. Not onlythat, but I also cancelled an event last night that Iam group organizer and creator of, called the ColumbiaUniversity Chinese Karaoke Group, since the eventconflicted with yesterday's performance of "Finding LiWei." To make a long story short, I sacrificed my ownevent to attend this one. In hindsight, I would haverather gone to karaoke.
This incident of racism insulted me and the entireAfrican-American community at my own university and infront of my own eyes! This prejudice will not betolerated. The fact that these racist comments werespoken in Chinese does NOT desensitize the issue. Tomy fellow audience members: I left crying while all ofyou kept laughing and snickering. I am so saddenedthat "Chinese scholars" would write a screenplay thatwould instigate racism in our Columbia community. I amalso especially disappointed, hurt and overwhelmed bythe fact that a "friend" of mine, Guo Rui SEAS '08 wasthe playwright.
Columbia University is one of the most prestigiousuniversities in the world, and it really needs toenforce its supposed intolerance of racist acts oncampus. Within the past year alone, there have beenmany hate crimes on Columbia's campus, with only a fewgaining attention by the administration.. I am sosaddened that yet another one occurred. Members of theCUCSSA, please remember that there are fellow studentsof the African Diaspora and from Harlem who attend theSAME University as you. Show respect, and STOP THERACISM!!!!!!!
Lillian Okoye |
/辣椒城 |
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