If we regularly advance that the United States is a country of immigration and that its potential development in the 20e century cannot be explained without the contribution of these millions of migrants who have chosen the country of Uncle Sam, it is always relevant to recall that the integration of all these new arrivals has not been smooth.
The United States is not the “melting pot”, the crucible, which authors of the late 19e century or early 20e century. In the light of the multiple experiences of integration, it is difficult to say that the immigrants assimilated harmoniously to the majority group so as to form a harmonious whole.
The recent Atlanta incidents, a shooting that left eight people dead, brought up a history of harassment and discrimination against Asian Americans. We still do not know if the shooter was motivated by a hatred towards this community (six of the eight victims), but if we are worried it is that the number of hate crimes against them has exploded since the beginning. of the pandemic.
Whether COVID19 is dubbed the “Chinese virus” or the “Kong flu”, there seems to be a clear link between some rhetoric and the 150% increase in hate crimes in 2020. Such an increase can hardly be attributed to chance. .
Americans of Asian origin are worried and fear even greater abuses. When they compare themselves to blacks or Spanish speakers, they see themselves as an invisible minority to which the authorities pay too little attention.
From the arrival of the first Chinese immigrants in the 19th century (especially during the California Gold Rush), relations with the minority group were complex and strained. If we first welcome with open arms these workers who will be busy building railways, a poorly paid and often very dangerous job, we attack them when the economic context is less favorable.
As early as 1850, laws were considered to restrict the entry of this community into the United States, but we sometimes had to back down because of the Supreme Court’s opinion or because we needed the taxes paid by these workers. Chinese. It was not until 1882, after years of harassment and violence, that President Chester A. Arthur signed the Chinese exclusion act.
To this day, this law is the only one to target a particular group of migrants. Its effects on the Chinese community on the west coast will be disastrous. She was faced with a cruel dilemma, that of returning to China or cutting herself off from her family by remaining in the United States to protect her gains. The law was not repealed until 1943.
To fully appreciate the drama, just visit a few museums or centers open to the general public. I also have fond memories of my time at the Chinese Cultural Learning Center de San Francisco.
If there is anything positive to look forward to from the dramatic events of the past few days, it would be further awareness. As white supremacists no longer shy away from displaying their ugly heads and once again dare to crack down in the open, all of American society must remember its origins.
Nearly 90% of Americans come from an immigrant background that followed British colonial development or were already in the country. Among the major problems that divide our neighbor, the treatment of minorities is still and always controversial. While several American cities manage this diversity a little better, rural regions, often abandoned and severely affected by economic changes, are struggling to adequately confront this problem.
–
