月芽城的耻辱和悲伤
密西西比河经过新奥尔良(New Orleans, LA)城外，流入墨西哥湾。河流绕着主城形成着一个弧线，如天空中的一弯新月，故而新奥尔良市又有”月芽城”的别号。这个城市因为它的地理位置，因港口航运而发展繁荣。
新奥尔良在美国历史和文化中有着独特的风格。不同于主流文化中的Anglo Saxon英国和德国影响，这个城市以Creole文化著称。Creole是法文，意思是土生土长的人。新奥尔良最初是法国移民者建的，后来又转给西班牙人，所以Creole这个词，一般是指这些法国和西班牙人的后代，白人为主。
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新奥尔良还有另一段移民史。加勒比海国家海地的难民，在十八世纪动乱中大量的涌进了这个城市。这些白人和黑人难民带来的南美和非洲文化，也是Creole文化的一个重要组成部分。来过新奥尔良Mardi Gras 狂欢节的，可以清楚的看到这些文化历史交融的影响。
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我这里要说的不是新奥尔良历史中的文化风情，而是它历史中的耻辱。南北战争前，新奥尔良是非洲奴隶的进口港，也是美国南方最大的奴隶交易市场。但不同于Antebellum south时期别的美国南方城市，新奥尔良在美国南北战争前，已有不少”有色的自由人”free people of color。那些多是交融文化中混血的有色人种，黑人仍然多数是奴隶。
南北战争后，白人失去了原来的奴隶”财产”，生活方式从此开始改变。上个世纪初期，怀念那段历史和生活方式的人，集资修建了很多南北战争中南方勇士的雕像，设立在新奥尔良城内的公共场所。
最近，新奥尔良市政府决定搬开这些雕像，因为这些勇士为保护奴隶制而战，代表了对黑人的压迫。反对搬开雕像的势力也很强烈，不少人认为这些雕像所纪念的是历史遗产，不应被抹消。我是亚裔美国人，对那段历史和影响没有切身感受。但作为少数族裔的一元，我理解黑人兄弟姐妹在主流文化历史中感受到的压抑。但心中有正义感的人，都知道为信念而战，虽然失败，仍然悲壮。为错误的信念英勇奋战的人，同样是勇士。这些人因历史眼光的错误，蒙受耻辱，是他们的人生悲剧，使人感伤。
作为炎黄子孙，我懂得历史并不会因实证的消失而被抹灭。秦始皇暴政，千古骂名，焚书坑儒并不能阻挡文化思想的进步。统一度量衡，促进了中华文明的发展和强大。陈胜吴广揭杆起义，改朝换代，依然是封建的君主制。历史的作用，不是因人和事本身的善恶而决定，而是以对社会文明进步的作用来裁决。
帝王将相，功过载于史册。碌碌小民，无人记裁，并不表明他们从不存在。每个人的实际行动，聚集在一起，也是推动历史前进或后退的力量。
十多年前，新奥尔良被暴风雨Katrina袭击，城中的房屋很多被淹泡过，不能再住人。很多居民离开了这个城市，无力和无望重建家园。但也有一些年轻人，喜爱这个城市的文化历史，来到这里学习和工作。这些年轻人受过良好的教育，多是专业人士或艺术人才。他们平时工作在各行各业。每个周末的各种文化艺术节上，常可以看到这些年轻人的身影。月芽城中有酒有音乐的地方，常可以看到他们快乐自信的唱歌跳舞。他们对月芽城的未来充满希望，用各自青春的活力，支持新奥尔良的重建和复兴。
这个城中有个医学院，是美国历史最久的医学院之一。有一个华裔女孩，美国出生，美国长大，来到这里学医。这张照片是她人生最幸福那天的留念，低眉垂目，柔情似水。一个西方人，年轻的摄影师，看到了这个东方女子的娇美。拍下这张照片，留住了这美丽的瞬间。
六个月前，另一个年轻白人，在医院门外的街上，看见这个女子从车里走出来，大骂”滚回中国去！” 那人只看见了这女孩的肤色，就把心中的愤怒和仇恨泄向了她。这女孩没有停下来抗争，她害怕，加快脚步向医院门口保安那儿跑去。到了医院里安全的地方，才告知母亲刚刚所受的屈辱。她是个要强的女子，眼泪可以在爱她的人面前流，但决不让欺负她的人得到欺凌别人的快感。
她是个勇敢的年轻人，虽然受到恐吓，但并不愿意退缩。她喜爱这个多姿多彩的月芽城，在这里结了婚，买了房。刚刚毕业了，既将开始行医了。在这个城里，她曾经有过挫折，但更多的是成就。作为实习医生，她迎接过新的生命，也陪伴过即将衰竭的灵魂走向死亡。她遭遇过狭隘的种族仇恨，但更多是友爱和宽容。
她结婚的时候，有小姐弟俩来替她撒花捧戒指。小姐姐穿着桃红色的裙子，和伴娘们的颜色相配。小弟弟穿着灰色的西装打着领结，四岁孩子的天真被这正式的服装约束着。姐弟俩金色的卷发在阳光下闪亮，观礼的嘉宾们齐声赞，”噢！多么可爱!” 这个华裔女子非常喜欢小孩子，从大学本科开始，一有空就帮几个教授家看孩子挣些零花钱。这两姐弟是她时常照看的一家，感情深厚。小姐弟俩也非常喜欢她，虽然平常羞于在生人面前言语，但毫不犹豫地答应了她的要求，在她婚礼上担当礼仪。
她和一个志同道合的年轻人在城里筑起了爱巢，将自己辛勤工作的收入，投资于这个城市的复兴。搬家的时候，箱子柜子，盒子篮子，好个混乱！搬完了东西关上门正要休息，门铃响了。门口站着一个小男孩，黝黑发亮的皮肤，大大的眼晴。
”我妈让我来问你们是不是忘了关车门？”
可不是吗！忙乱中，停在街边的minivan，中间门忘了关。这个女子走出去，关上车门，走过去向那个孩子的妈妈道谢。远亲不如近邻，友善的黑人邻居，温暖了这对华裔青年的新居.
她毕业的时候已经结婚了。她出嫁了，她的的父母看着女儿走出去，迎来了一个儿子。她走入一个新的家庭，又得到了一双父母。那个母亲，她丈夫的妈妈，在中国时是个医生。月芽城这个历史悠久的医学院非常注重传统，医生世家有资格在毕业典礼上亲手给子女戴上医学博士礼服外面的罩子hood。这位母亲为了儿子的前途，中断了自己的医生生涯，来到了美国。这一天，她两度登台，流着幸福的眼泪，领着儿子和媳妇双双走入了自己奋斗过的职业。
那对小姐弟在她毕业那天也来祝贺。弟弟受不了正装的约束，这回穿了Pokemon ㄒ shirt衫。对这年轻女子大声宣布，”我已经五岁了，就要跟姐姐去上学了。我四岁时干过的傻事，请别再追究了，那是好几年前的事!＂孩童的时间概念，笑翻了一屋人。
小姐姐身穿碎花裙，足下一双金色的靴子，头上金发偏分，扎了一个粉红的蝴蝶结，一如既住的时尚小淑女范儿。小女孩文静地告诉年轻的华裔女子，她的学校开了中文课。”一二三四五六七八九十”， 这个七岁的孩子念出来字正腔圆。这个以欧洲和美洲风情著名的月芽城，己经开始融入一些亚洲文化因素.
这个华裔女子是一个优秀的学生，毕业时有AOA医学荣誉。这三个字母原是缩写的一个希腊格言be worthy to care for the suffering,做个有资格为病痛者服务的人.毕业典礼上，她和应届同学共同宣誓：治病救人，无论病人的性别，肤色，宗教，国籍。。。
这是一个神圣的职业，医者仁心，为病患者缓解病痛，这个女子从此有了行医的资格。
这个年轻的医生，是我的女儿，我的骄傲！月芽城里有音乐的地方，你或许可以看到她长发散落着当街跳舞。轻松快乐，这就是新奥尔良的风格。城中医院里，你也可能遇到她，挂着听诊器，修练着行医的科学和艺术。勤奋努力，这是她一惯的处事态度。和她丈夫携手并肩，与白人朋友，黑人邻居，和各种肤色的医生护士们一起，共同地创造月芽城的末来。
新奥尔良的奴隶市场上，人曾经被当作牲口一样买卖。这段耻辱的历史，随着南北战争的终止而结束了，但不会被人忘记。这场战争促进了社会的前进，这里面有林肯总统的功绩，也有众多正义人士的流血牺牲，包括白人和黑人。
暴风雨Katrina淹了大半个月芽城，使成千上万的家庭流离失所。这段悲伤的经历，是天灾，也是人祸。市长和市政府的为与不为，决定了城市的基础建设能否保证市民们的生命和财产安全。每个人自主的行为，主宰着自己在灾难来临时的命运。
历史的事实不能改变，但未来却是人们有机会造就的。风云人物可以引领社会的进步和文明的走向，但芸芸众生的力量也不能藐视。每个人都可以用实际行动来影响自己所期望的未来，我的女儿正在为这个多元城市的复兴而努力。祝福她，祝福和她一起致力于重建这个城市的人们，愿月芽城的未来充满荣耀和欢乐！
二0一七年五月二十二日
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Shame and Sadness in Crescent City
The Mississippi River flows past the city of New Orleans, into the Gulf of Mexico. The River wraps around the downtown, forming a curve, like a sliver of moon in the sky. Therefore, New Orleans is also nicknamed the “Crescent City”. Because of its geographical location at the mouth of Mississippi River, the port city developed and prospered as a transportation hub.
New Orleans is known for its unique culture and history in the United States. Unlike the mainstream culture which is steeped in the Anglo-Saxon tradition, New Orleans is known for its Creole culture. Creole is French for native born. New Orleans was first established by French colonists. Later on, it was transferred under Spanish rule. Therefore, the term Creole generally refer to the the descendants of these French and Spanish settlers, mostly white.
There was another wave of immigration into New Orleans. Refugees from the Caribbean country of Haiti come to the city in large numbers in the eighteenth century.. These refugees, white and black, brought with them the culture heritages of Latin America and Africa. These also became important elements of the Creole culture. The intertwining of the culture influences in New Orleans can be easily observed during Mardi Gras carnival which made the city a tourist destination every February.
But what I want to say here is not the culture heritage of the Crescent City, but a period of history which brought shame on the city. Before the Civil War, the city was the port where slaves were imported from Africa. New Orleans had the largest slave market in the antebellum south. Unlike the other places in the South though, there were some “free people of color”, mostly mixed race people, in New Orleans prior to Civil War. Nevertheless, blacks were still slaves, just like elsewhere in the South.
After Civil War, the Whites lost the slaves as their property. And with it, they also lost the lifestyle they used to enjoy. At the turn of last century, people who missed the lifestyle of the old took up collections to commemorate the Southern generals of the Civil War. Statutes were installed in many public places in the city.
Recently, New Orleans City Council voted to remove these statutes. Because these warriors fought for the slavery system, they represented oppression of the African Americans. Forces opposing the removal were also strong. Many people believed that these statues represented Southern history and heritage which should not be erased from memory.
As an Asian American, an ethnic minority, I understand how African Americans feel under the oppressive weight of Eurocentric majority culture. But I also know that people fighting for what they believe, even in defeat, were not lacking in courage. Even though the ideals they fought for were wrong, they were also warriors. Their disgrace is tragic because they were on the wrong side of history.
As a Chinese immigrant, with an ancient culture heritage of my own, I understand that history can not be erased when artifacts disappear. For example, under the draconic rule of First Emperor of Qin Dynasty, books were burnt and scholars were buried. Historians for thousands of years spit on his name. But that evil deed could not stop the development of this great civilization. But the First Emperor left another legacy. He standardized the measuring system in China, laying the foundation to form a great nation, for it to rise and be strong. On the other hand, the peasant revolutions which brought demise to many dynasties only brought about another dynasty, with the same social system, equally dark and backward. Therefore, the effect on history is not based on the good and evil of the people and events which created it. Instead, it is determined based on whether it promote the advancement of the culture and society.
Of emperors, kings, warriors and nobles, their achievements and failures were recorded in history books. Of common people, even though no one recorded their deeds, it does not mean that they did not exist. The collective efforts of every single individual forms the force to push the civilization either forward or back.
More than 10 years ago, New Orleans were ruined by Hurricane Katrina. Many buildings were flooded and could not be inhabit any more. Many residents left the city, having no means or hope of rebuilding their homes. But some young people, attracted by the history and culture of this city, came here to live and work. These young people, well educated, are mostly professionals and artists, working and living throughout the city. You can often find them having fun in the many music and art festivals happening every weekend in New Orleans. At places with music and beer in the Crescent City, you can see them singing and dancing, full of confidence. Filled with hope for the future of the Crescent City, they support the rebuilding and renaissance of the New Orleans with their youth and vitality,
There is a medical school in the city, one of the oldest in the United States. A young girl of Chinese descent, born and raised in America, come to study medicine here. This is a picture of her on the happiest day of her life. With her eyes lowered, she looked sweet and demure. A photographer, a man of western culture heritage, saw the beauty in this young oriental woman. He snapped this picture and recorded this precious moment for keepsake.
Six months ago, on the street outside a hospital, another young white man saw this girl getting out her car. He yelled, “Go back to China!”. That man dumped his anger and hate, raw and filthy, at the mere sight of this girl’s skin color. The girl did not stop. She was afraid. She ran towards the security guard at the entrance of the hospital. Once in the safety of the hospital, she told her mother of the recent encounter. She is strong in character. She only sheds tears in front of the people she loves. But she would not let the bully have the satisfaction of seeing her fear and hurt
She is a brave young woman. Even though she had been intimidated, she did not want to back off. She loves this colorful city. She got married,and bought a house here. Recently graduated from medical school, she will be practicing medicine in the city. Here in New Orleans, she had her setbacks, but even more were her achievements. On rotation as a medical student, she welcomed new life into the world, and also bid farewell to the souls going up to heaven. She had encounters with the bigotry and prejudice, but even more she was embraced with love and understanding.
On her wedding day, a little girl and her little brother came to serve as flower girl and ring bearer. The little girl wore a peach color dress, the same color as the bridesmaids. The little boy wore a gray color suit jacket and a bow tie, the innocence of a four year old restrained by the formal outfit. The golden curls of the girl and the boy glistening in the sun. All the guests at the wedding let out a praise “Oh, how cute!”. This Asian girl loves kids. She took care of children for college professors in her spare time, starting in her days as an undergraduate student. The siblings were from a family she often baby sits and loves. The girl and boy love her very much also. Even though they are bashful, they did not hesitate when she asked them to be in her wedding party.
She is building a love nest in the city with a young man who shares her dreams. The money from their hard work will be invested in the renaissance of the Crescent City. On moving day, amongst boxes and baskets and furnitures, were a lot of mess and confusion. Finally, when they were done and about to sit down to rest, the doorbell rang. A young boy was standing at the door, with shining black skin and huge eye,
“My mother told me to come and ask if you forgot to close the car door?”, the boy said.
In the confusion of the moving day, they forgot to close the sliding door to the minivan parked on the street. The young women went out to closed the car door. Then she went over to thank the kindly neighbor, the mother of that little boy. Relatives afar are not as good as neighbors who are near, the Chinese proverb goes. The friendly neighbors with black skin warmed the new home of this young Chinese American couple.
She was already married when she graduated from medical school. As she walked out her parents’ home on her wedding day, a new son walked right into the open arms of her mom and dad. She joined a new family, and gained another set of parents. The mother of her beloved was a doctor in China. Her mother-in- law give up her own medical career for the freedom of the United States many years ago.
There is a tradition in the medical school this young woman attended. Students with a doctor in the family may choose to have that family member to hood them at the graduation ceremony. On this day, with tears of joy, going on stage twice, this proud mother welcomed both her son and daughter-in-law into the profession she had chosen for herself.
The little girl and boy also came to congratulate her on the day of graduation. The boy wore a Pokemon T shirt this time, couldn’t stand a formal suit. He told this young woman, “ I am five year old now. I will be going to school with my big sister. Don’t remind me of the silly things I did as a four year old. That was many years ago.” The strange time concept of the innocent kid make everyone laugh out loud.
The little girl wore a sundress, with shining golden boots, and a pink bow in her hair, parted on the side, a fashionable lady like of a girl, as usual. She told the young woman that there is a Chinese language class in her school now . “One, two, three.. “, this seven year old counted to ten, in pitch perfect Mandarin Chinese. In this city with a strong European and Latin American heritage, there are now some elements of Asian culture also.
This Chinese American young women was an excellent student. She graduated from medical school with AOA honors. AOA originally came from Greek letters, meaning “worthy to care for the suffering”. Upon graduation, she took the oath along with her classmates, to care for patients, regardless of gender, race, religion, or national origin.
This is a noble profession. Doctors must have compassion to relieve patients’ pain and suffering From this day forward, this young women have earned the privilege to practice medicine.
This young doctor is my daughter, my pride and joy. In places in the Crescent City where there is music, you may find her dancing in the street with her hair down. Relaxed and happy, this is the character of New Orleans. In the hospitals in the city, you may meet her also, with stethoscope hanging from her neck, practicing the art and science of medicine. Diligent and hardworking, this is her work habit. With her husband by her side, with friends of white, neighbors of black, and doctors and nurse of all colors, they are making the future of the Crescent City.
In New Orleans’ slave market in the days of old, human beings were sold as animals. This shameful history ended with civil war. But it will not be forgotten. The war brought the freedom for the slaves and the concept of equal rights for people of all colors. For this legacy, credit is not only due to President Lincoln, but also to the blood and sacrifice of many common people, both white and black.
Hurricane Katrina flooded a large part of the Crescent City. Sadly, thousands of family lost their homes. This tragedy is both nature and man made. The mayor, along city government, and their efforts or lack thereof, determined whether the infrastructures were adequate to protect the residents’ life and property. But everyone’s own choice, determined his or her own fate when disaster strikes.
Facts of history can not be changed. But the future is still an opportunity to be shaped by man. Great people may lead the direction for the social progress, but the power of each individual must not be forgotten. Actions of every individual are collectively shaping the future. My daughter is working on rebuilding this multiracial city, along with all the people of New Orleans.
Best wishes for her, and best wishes for the people of New Orleans! May the future of the Crescent City be filled with honor and happiness!
(English translation completed on June 6, 2017)
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