            |
For most Americans, Chinese New Year is the occasion to drop in on a Chinese restaurant, maybe sample some exotic specials and stretch out our party mood from the past holiday season. In the large cities that enjoy a substantial Chinese community, or Chinatown in some cases, the non-Chinese might spectate at street dances and fireworks, oggling elaborately constructed mythical figures of lions and dragons (no bears), wondering at the symbolism of the ubiquitous red envelopes (good luck tokens containing money). It's predictable that few of the spectators will recognize the spiritual elements of the celebration, its Buddhism and honoring of ancestors. In fact, except for the food, fun and firecrackers (chasing away evil spirits), most non-Chinese will not see much deeper into these festivities and will know very little about the Americans who conduct them. It's a sad fact -- and probably part of a lingering legacy of racism and xenophobia -- that most Americans know very little about the history of the Chinese in general and little enough about the contributions made by the Chinese in the construction of America, particularly the American West. It's a history worth remembering, and the contributions were great. And the treatment of the Chinese in America was particularly grim. In the early decades of the 19th century, China, under the corrupt Qing dynasty, was beginning a slow collapse under pressures of overpopulation, underdevelopment and trade wars initiated by Western nations, first the Portuguese, then the Spanish, British and French. The Opium Wars (1839-42) accelerated the collapse and created horrific living conditions in some regions. Few Americans recall that the Western powers in this case were the drug dealers and smugglers, pushing opium on the Chinese and crushing resistance when it came. The behavior of the British amounted to thuggery on a grand scale. Escape to America A series of natural disasters, a cycle of droughts and floods, produced famine and hardship to compound the misery. When word of the gold strikes in America reached the Kingdom of Heaven, many Chinese chose to indenture themselves for the chance of coming to America, escaping chaos and agony at home while hoping for the chance of making their fortune in Gum Shan (Mountain of Gold). The Chinese did not come to America as slaves but they were treated almost as such. Certainly they were not welcomed, except by the railroad tycoons who needed their cheap, high-energy labor in the building of railbeds under the harshest and most dangerous conditions, especially in the building of the continental rail link from the west coast over terrain that was nearly impossible and often deadly. Even after extensive research, I have not been able to find any reliable records of the number of Chinese who died working on the incredibly difficult project that took the rails over the Sierras, across the desert and again over the Rockies. Little is recorded, too, of the working conditions under which they labored, but we know that white pioneers who were pushing into the west at this time regarded the Chinese with a mixture of fear, awe and scorn. Such ugly notions as the rumor that all Chinese were dirty and carriers of a "yellow disease" resulted in widespread refusal even to rent to them; this must have posed special challenges since, by law, the Chinese were not allowed to buy houses or own property or build their own homes. Of course, they couldn't vote. The men -- there were no women, at least not at first -- were not allowed to bring their wives, nor to marry, nor to father children. Every small town that had any population of Chinese during this period -- and many did -- has records of some exuberantly drunk miner or farmer letting off steam by randomly shooting a passing 'coolie,' with complete immunity from punishment. Robbery of Chinese miners and laborers and arson of their dwellings were also commonplace. Sometimes the outcomes were bitterly ironic; for instance, it was probably attempted arson against the Chinese by racists that resulted in the great fire of 1873 that burned much of Portland. Oregon's Chinese Many Chinese began arriving in Oregon soon after the gold was discovered in and around Jacksonville in the early 1850s; by the 1870 census, 2,500 miners (of 4,000 total) were Chinese. Of course, the Chinese were at first prevented from owning claims and were forced to pay special levies, fees and taxes, but they were sometimes allowed to work sites that white miners had decided were tapped out or too unproductive to be worth the effort. The Chinese dug by hand extensive systems of flumes and ditches to carry water to these sites, then used hydraulic sprays to wash down the gold. A few made money. One, known as Gin Lin (probably not his real name) established a partnership with the remarkable Peter Britt, and both became enormously wealthy. When Gin Lin left Jacksonville in 1894 to return to China, he withdrew several million dollars from the local bank. A persistent myth held that he was attacked, robbed and killed as he got off the boat -- not at all true, but consistent with other spiteful myths about this obviously very special character. Besides mining and railroad labor, the Chinese in Oregon (as elsewhere) often took the hardest, nastiest jobs available. They might not be able to own homes, but they were often employed as domestic servants. They worked as loggers or farm labor or in Portland's woolen mills. They operated laundries and restaurants. They survived under constant pressure from racist organizations like the American Protective Association and the Know Nothings. After the Exclusion Act of 1884, many Chinese chose to leave America, fearing the growing hysteria would become more violent. Some had help in leaving; in 1885, a mob in Tacoma forcibly rounded up all the Chinese, put them on a boat and shipped them to San Francisco. Given the history of their sojourn in America, it's surprising so many stayed and became, like the Japanese, another "model minority," even though they still are not accorded protected status for affirmative action. Maybe it's even more surprising that they have retained so many of their traditions and can still find joy in the New Year and still smile and say "Gung hey fat choy!"
Signs reading, "Shamocracy" and "We didn't elect the son of a Bush!" served as reminders that Bush did not win a majority of popular votes in the contentious election. Protesters made speeches opposing Bush's policies on abortion, the military and the environment, and on the questionable election process in Florida. Despite the relatively small number of protesters, cars honked in support and passersby gave the "thumbs up" sign of support. The actual number of protesters in D.C. is still under debate. The New York Times reported that 5,000 protesters turned out for the motorcade, but other media have reported the number to be between 10,000 and 12,000. Four members of Eugene's Cascadia Media Collective who were in D.C. for the protests report that the crowd was energetic, but not as well organized as demonstrators in the WTO protests in Seattle. -- JS Exec Agenda The Eugene mayor has issued his agenda for the city and the City Council is starting to work on a list of council goals, but under Eugene's city manager system of government, the agenda of the unelected city manager and his executive staff may be far more important. Here are some highlights from a list of "Key Strategic Issues" for the coming year that the city's executive managers chose: * More cops. "Eugene is significantly understaffed," city execs claim and put adding more police at the top of their agenda. Currently, Eugene has a larger police department than Salem, a city with a similar crime rate and population. * More subsidies for developers. Staff wants to subsidize developers' construction permit fees with $500,000 a year of taxpayer money. * Bulldoze Broadway. A downtown "visioning" study appears to have boiled down to little more than replacing the public park, trees and playground along the Broadway pedestrian mall with car traffic. * More subsidies for industry. Executives call for a new economic development strategy for the city. * Regional parks. The city is working on a Metropolitan Open Space study. * E-government. Staff wants to use the Internet to provide the community with an online "24-hour City Hall." For example, you can now purchase Hult tickets online. -- AP Olum Remembered UO President Emeritus Paul Olum, 82, died Jan. 19 of Lewy-body disease at Brittany Healthcare in Natick, Mass. A mathematician who worked on the Manhattan Project, Dr. Olum became the university's 13th president in April 1981 after serving nine months as acting president. He retired in 1989. Funeral services and burial were Wednesday, Jan. 24, and a campus memorial service will be held at 4 pm, Thursday, Jan. 25 in the Paul Olum Atrium, Willamette Hall at the UO. "From the time I first met Paul Olum, when he became the university's provost in 1976, I was impressed by his keen intelligence, human openness and unflinching integrity," recalls UO President Dave Frohnmayer, who served as special legal assistant to Olum. "Those qualities continued to exemplify his character and his service throughout his years as university president and beyond. Oregon and the world mourn the loss of a truly great man." Dr. Olum was an immensely popular president and when the Oregon Board of Higher Education forced him into retirement, thousands of students, faculty, staff, alumni and local and state leaders petitioned the board and governor to reconsider the decision. Students held mass demonstrations and the University Assembly, the faculty governing body, voted unanimously to ask the board to reconsider. "I really believe he was the guiding light for the university during the dark days of the early 1980s," said UO Provost John Moseley. "He kept us together and protected the quality of the university in the face of very serious budget cuts." End Patriarchy Local organizers will host a groundbreaking conference titled, "Against Patriarchy: Rejecting Male Privilege" this weekend, Jan. 26-28, in Grayson Hall at UO. The purpose of the conference is to identify and understand the roots of patriarchy so that they can be rejected, and ultimately, dismantled. Organizers view the conference as an opportunity to reject the "violent roles" that patriarchy has constructed, and to build support for women, creating a respectful and safe environment in which men and women can co-exist. Conference events will include workshops on topics such as the History of Patriarchy, Self Defense and Women's Safety Issues, and Patriarchy and Racism. Other events include group discussions, music, an open house at Mother Kali's Books, and a performance by the Young Women's Theater Collective. Admission is free. For more call 242-0943 or log onto www.fruitiondesign.com/againstpatriarchy -- Lisa Igoe Wadsworth Lauded
Maude Kerns Art Center Executive Director Hilary Mosher says there was "no dispute" when Wadsworth's name was mentioned as the recipient for the award. "She's insightful; her reviews are so well crafted, they are a pleasure to read, even if she doesn't like or understand something. She's fair." Mosher says that while the center often gets its art shows reviewed in other publications, "Lois's are just hands down the best and most readable. She takes the time to get questions answered; takes the time to talk to artists." Many of the people on the nominating committee were artists, says Mosher, and they couldn't stop praising Wadsworth. "I finally had to say 'OK, that's enough. We have to quit saying how wonderful she is and move on.'" The respect is mutual. While doing research for the chapter she wrote on the history of creative arts in Eugene for the City Club, Wadsworth says, "I discovered how long Maude Kerns Art Center has been around, providing teachers for the arts, facilities for artists and serving the community." Mosher also points out that Wadsworth's articles help teach people. "She's piqued people's interest in the arts and that's had an impact on our center. Her influence is far-reaching," she says. -- AS El Salvador Alert The recent earthquake in El Salvador is being called the worst natural disaster in Salvadoran history, even surpassing previous quakes and Hurricane Mitch. Eugene residents are joining in relief efforts. Committee in Solidarity with the Central American People (CISCAP) is holding a fund-raising party from 6 to 9 pm Sunday, Jan. 28 at 110 Mayfair Lane, off Knoop Lane in the River Road area. Two musicians will be performing: Jesus Alejandro Rivas (formerly with Cutamay Camones) and Damaris Silva. Suggested donations are $5 to $15 at the door. Refreshments will be available. Those unable to attend can contribute by sending checks to CISCAP at 458 Blair, Eugene 97402. Local restaurant owner Oscar Hernandez is helping the cause by donating 10 percent of the profits of Taco Loco through Jan. 31. Hernandez says 5 percent will go to the Red Cross and 5 percent will go to a local woman whose family was affected by the earthquake. CISCAP's donations will go to the Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador (CISPES), a national organization. -- TJT WRC Goes South UO students plan to demonstrate in front of the 5th Street Public Market Niketown at noon Monday, Jan. 29. The protest will be part of a nationwide effort to show support for Mexican workers and demand that Nike address reported abuses at the Kukdong garment factory in Atlixca. The Worker Rights Consortium (WRC) sent a delegation to Mexico Jan. 20 to investigate human rights violations at the Korean-owned Kukdong International plant, which produces UO-licensed sportswear under a contract with Nike. A Nike press release says the company does not currently have any orders with Kukdong, but plans to continue buying from the factory in the future. The factory came to the attention of the WRC two weeks ago when 800 of its workers went on strike to protest rancid cafeteria food, low wages, and illegal terminations. Puebla state riot police were called into the factory where some 300 workers were demonstrating peacefully. The police attacked the protesters, including pregnant women and minors. At least 15 workers were hospitalized, according to WRC reports. Since then, the workers say they've been barred from returning to work and forced to sign resignations which waive their rights to severance pay. The WRC delegation planned to meet with the factory management and local labor organizations in order to explore allegations that the factory violated Mexican child labor laws, denied workers legally mandated benefits, and forced employees to join a "protection union" which represents the factory's management rather than the workers. WRC representatives say they intend to interview the Kukdong workers in a safe and confidential location. The WRC inquiry comes less than a year after a Nike-sponsored monitoring organization investigated the Kukdong plant and reported that its labor practices were acceptable and that workers there "felt they could air their grievances in a fair and effective way," according to the WRC. Chad Sullivan, a member of the UO Human Rights Alliance, says the disparity between Nike's findings and the latest report from Kukdong proves that corporate-sponsored monitors are ineffective. For more information, call the Human Rights Alliance at 346-4356. -- Kristina Johnson Corrections/Clarifications In last week's (1/18) "Embracing Life" story, the phone number of the American Cancer Society was incorrectly listed. The correct number is 484-2211.
|
