By Jean Pfaelzer
The author provides a very detailed “litany of hate” heaped on Chinese immigrants primarily in northern California and throughout the western United States. These abuses range from murder to theft. This era was highlighted by the mass lynching of Chinese in Los Angeles in 1871. Chinese came to America to work hard and provide for their families. They panned for gold, worked in agriculture, were lumberjacks and, of course, constructed the railroads, but were rewarded with hatred and abusive behavior, both legal and illegal. The question becomes: why did they continue to come to the United States where, by the early 21st century, they became a prosperous minority. The author chose not to address that question, but dwelled on racial hatred and abuse during the 19th century, a time when such hatred and abuse was rather pervasive in society from slavery to the persecution of religious sects, such as the Mormons. A greater story would have been to describe what in American society changed for the better.
The author commented that Chinese immigration continued in the face of all this abuse, but neglects to point out that, during the last half of the 19th century, internal turmoil in China took tens of millions of lives. America looked pretty good in comparison. The abuse of the Chinese often came to the hands of organized labor who saw the Chinese as competition for jobs. Similarly today often affirmative action for minorities in colleges does not apply to the Chinese minority who have succeeded on their merits.
There was lengthy discussion of the Geary Act, which both extended the Chinese Exclusion Act and made life more onerous for Chines in America. Chinese protested this Act and filed a lawsuit that eventually worked its way to the Supreme Court, which upheld the Act. The author lamented the decision, but failed to appreciate that one should not seek morality in the law and the courts. The Chinese Exclusion Act reduced immigration from China for a half century after President Franklin Roosevelt signed legislation repealing the Act.
Immigration boomed in the last half of the 20th century and continues today. Unfortunately the author mentions only this repeal and provides no other information on the continued immigration and success of Chinese immigrants. Even though the book was written in 2007, there was no mention of President Nixon’s rapprochement with then Red China in the early 1970’s. The United States today has the largest number of Chinese outside of Asia.
The treatment, both good and bad, of immigrants to the United States, is an important topic that should be explored in detail. Contributions to American society of peoples from every corner of the world has been significant, especially from the Chinese, who built the railroad, brought their cuisine and their spiritualism. As important as it is to know about why the Chinese were “driven out”, Americans should be proud of creating a society that welcomed them back.
