#peterliang

Link: http://bit.ly/1rCzajT

【作者陳俊暉（Chun-Fai Chan）是美籍華人研究生，在哥倫比亞大學國際及公共事務學院（Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs）修讀公共行政碩士課程。】

親愛的華裔美國人，我們需要談談美國的種族問題。

最近華裔美國人進行抗議，支持梁彼得（Peter Liang）警官，使我感到不安是華裔美國人對在美國複雜的種族問題，所知甚少。作為華裔美國人，現在正好是時間，開展對話。明顯地，不僅僅因為梁警官是“我們其中的一員”，就支持他。而實際上，這樣的想法只是沒有正視所有複雜的問題，華裔美國人的生活是怎樣與種族息息相關的，並不承認在這悲劇中，真正受害人就是格里（Akai Gurley）和他的家庭。

華裔美國人仍然用如 “黑鬼black devil” 這樣的字眼，來形容非裔美國人，或用母語說美國黑人的不是，現在就應該停止了。實際上，這些言詞是只會在有色人種社區激發起種族緊張，並會敗壞華裔美國人的聲譽，只會讓事情惡化，因你孩子在公立學校，與不少有色人種孩子，也包括許多非裔美國人一起上學。告訴你的孩子 “遠離黑人” 或 “專心只聽老師的話，做好你的功課” ，只是徊避緊張和沒有妥善地正視問題。當我在波士頓任教時，教我的華裔學生不得用中文說 “黑鬼” 或不得歧視在校巴上高聲談話的 “那些黑人孩子those black kids”。在校車上，我也與非華人學生交談，為了緩和文化緊張，並想想在兩個族群之間的根本問題。尊重兩個族群的文化和信仰，而不帶有種族主義和負面的態度，這樣的參與是非常必要的。我們作為華裔美國人，實際上是需要有文化和種族觸覺，在兩個族群之間週旋，從而化解華裔美國人和非裔美國人之間，根植於語言障礙和一般刻板印象的文化緊張。

華裔美國人用梁警官有罪的判決與馬丁路德金（Martin Luther King, Jr.）博士的民權抗爭相比較，是歷史背景意識的時空錯配，須知金博士所涉及的是更大的美國歷史範圍。不錯，梁警官和馬丁路德金同是有色人種。就是這樣而已，除此以外，便沒有其他原因，對這樣表面的比較，作合理的辯解。此外在紐約市，為支援梁警官的抗議，引用了金博士的語錄，完全歪曲和無視對非裔美國人歷史的深遠認識。這種表述等同是對非華人說，他們應該挑選孔子Confucius激勵人心的言論，廣義地界定人的責任與學養。這兩位歷史人物所代表的，比起錯配的歷史背景引述，更具意義。我樂見華裔美國人學習金博士的歷史和所有在民權運動前後的歷史，從而更有效地清晰表達金博士的言行，而不是做不合理的比較。有一個好的開始就是觀看Selma這部電影，這提供美國民權鬥爭一瞥，或參觀非美博物館African American Museum，觀察非裔美國人豐富的歷史。

一些華裔美國人錯誤地認為，要是融入美國白人文化，當遇上麻煩，便可得到保護，這文化只會盲目地支持華裔美國人的所作所為。梁警官和其他人得需要知道這殘酷的現實，我們華裔美國人(或其他亞裔美國人) 並未有真正融入美國。梁警官很可能有這樣錯誤的假設，作為警察便足以逃脫刑事檢控，正如同袍Eric Garner警官或與許多其他案件一樣，警察的行為是不會受到檢控的。另一個現實是，作為在美國 “永遠的外國人” ，華裔美國人每天仍然為這惡名作戰。當別人看到我們時，他們會問“你從那裡來的？” 或“你父母從那裡來的？” 甚至最侮辱的問題是“你真正是從那裡來的？” 就是這種惡名，讓華裔美國人覺得我們不是完全或真正的“美國人”。樑的案件顯示，我們沒有用同一的遊戲規則，在特權系統受益的，或膚色較淡的那些人，並不認為我們已融入美國理想和價值。不幸地，在許多美國人眼中，我們仍然是“外國人”。

We were saddened and outraged when we learned of the official sentencing of Peter Liang on April 19, 2016 for the killing of Akai Gurley. Judge Chun’s sentencing of five years probation and 800 hours of community service is a far cry from the justice that the Gurley family deserves to see. The Gurley family's resilient year-long push for justice was delegitimized as the conviction of 2nd degree manslaughter and official misconduct for shooting and failing to assist Mr. Gurley was significantly lessened. The community service hours that Mr. Liang will perform will never make up for the pain and suffering that the Gurley family has endured and will continue to live with.  Judge Chun has contributed to yet another setback in the fight for police accountability. The opportunity to build momentum for true justice in cases of police brutality was effectively hindered by this sentencing.  

The actions of Mr. Liang are indicative of systemic and structural violence that continues to destroy communities of color, especially black communities, in this country. Vertical patrols, Stop and Frisk, and a toxic police state by no means enable this country’s police to “serve and protect.” Some in the Chinese American community see Officer Liang as a scapegoat, but remember that “scapegoat” is only reserved for people who have not done anything wrong. In this incident, it is clear that Mr. Liang, along with Shaun Landau, Liang’s partner, was involved in a criminal act. Texting a Union representative instead of calling for help and overlooking CPR assistance are acts of criminal negligence committed by both officers present at the scene. Where was the regard for the life of Akai Gurley? When those in the Chinese American community call Liang a “scapegoat,” do they remember that someone’s life was taken in that stairwell?  Remember the true victims in this case-- remember Akai Gurley, his family, his two daughters.

The anger that stems from the argument that white officers continue to escape indictment while Mr. Liang took the fall is misguided. Demonstrations should target institutions and individuals like Staten Island District Attorney Dan Donovan, who failed to indict the officers who killed Eric Garner. When we look to fight against injustice, let’s look at the DA offices that allow officers to walk away with murder. We as an Asian American community must align ourselves with all communities of color in solidarity to fight the injustices so commonly occurring within the criminal justice system. We as a community must stand with Akai Gurley, on the side calling for true justice and police accountability.

We refuse to stand with a police officer who killed a man and then failed to call for medical assistance, simply because he is an Asian American. We stand in solidarity with communities of color for police accountability. We stand with Akai Gurley’s family, who continues to courageously speak out. We will continue to fight and call for justice.