匹兹堡/哥倫布/辛辛那提消息 

華人融入主流 提高參政意識

    俄州州長Ted Strickland連選州長捐款活動的目的:(1)希望華人一定要參與投票:在美華人應充分行使自己的選舉權,不要放棄機會。選舉是對國家和個人都有好處的事情,關注選舉,是改善人們切身利益的一個良機。鼓勵華人投票,是讓華人參與國家制定移民、敎育和享受公共服務等很多方面有發言權。(2)我們要讓華人理解團結才是力量;在美國,華人是亞裔中最大的選舉力量,但絶對數量仍只佔全國約2.2億選民總數的不到2%,有實際投票權的華人大約在170萬到200萬之間。但過去由於華人不積極參與投票,就是説沒有選票。在上次美國總統大選中,民主、共和兩黨均對華人族群表現出高度重視,尤其奧巴馬在俄州競選投票亞裔起了不少功勞,記得駱家輝來哥倫布,克里夫蘭華人家多次,從而亞裔能眞正在美大選中起到“二兩撥千斤”的效果

    〔本報訊〕10月9日由哥倫布華人社區自發爲俄州州長Ted Strickland連選州長的捐款活動在新花餐廳隆重舉辦。一曲由鋼琴老師鍾俐英女士演唱的《美麗的美國》這首永遠能振奮人心的歌曲打動了到會的每一個人。《美麗的美國》這首描寫美國美麗富饒,陳俐英的演唱讓當晩最重要一位客人Ted Strickland州長感嘅萬分,他帶領大家連續二次鼓掌並説:Beautiful Voice, Beautiful America ,America Beautiful 。
      本次活動發起人之一的魯敎授是當晩第一個發言人,魯敎授在美國三十多年,他是一位名副其實的爲華人社區耕耘播種的人,由他發起的俄州亞洲節十幾年來,一年比一年興盛,每年參加亞洲節的人數超過十萬。魯敎授語重心長地對本報記者説:今天我們華人在美國的聲音與18年前是不能相比,我們的華人已經有意識參與政治,已經團結一起。雖然我們華人對政治不那么熱情,但離開政治做什么都不容易。另外魯敎授還提到,華人在美國有這個那個組織,組織的目的就是爲大家提供服務,而政府就是爲民衆服務,那么我們現在參與幫助州長的競選,還有以前支持總統的競選,這都對華人參與政治起了舉足輕重的作用。
     魯敎授認識Ted Strickland幾十年,Ted Strickland對亞裔人十分關心和支持;以下是魯敎授當晩的發言稿:
     “參政意識的形成與移民時間有直接的關係。”這次Ted Strickland連選州長捐款活動的另外一名組織者JACK 對本報記者説:他來美國很久,自己也是一位工程師,因爲太太是一個活動能力很強的人,他跟着太太參與了不少活動,他發現我們在美國得利不少,我們也應該貢獻一點:時間精力和金錢選哪樣都可以來回饋社會,這也是我們公民應該做的事情。相比美國的其他族裔,我們華人的移民時間較短,還未感受到參政的重要性。但隨着華人敎育和經濟能力的提高,我們逐漸發現,如果不參與政治,當自己利益受到損害時總是得不到有力支持,現在大家一起參政議政的意識明顯提高,這是華人參政的一個良好的開始。
     這里値得一提的是克里夫蘭詩人劉天擎、邱繼聰的公子加州眾議員劉雲平Ted Lieu,劉雲平十多年前就開始熱衷于政治,他當政治義工多年,他在2005年第一次當選加州眾議員﹐在2006年和2008年再度當選連任。另外本報老朋友亞特蘭大關學君先生目前正在競選參議員。還有近幾年,在美國政界嶄露頭角的華裔不乏其人,涌現出一批華人政治明星,最引人注目的包括奧巴馬內閣中的華裔“三駕馬車”駱家輝、朱棣文、盧沛寧,美國首位華裔聯邦國會女衆議員趙美心,勞工部部長趙小蘭等。我們可以看到從國會議員、州議會議員到州長市長,都已經出現了華人的身影。
      還有我們不能忽視的是華人在美國工商界和學術界人才輩出,取得的成就令世人矚目。從敎育方面看,美國25歲以上的人口中,獲得學士以上學位的男性人口比例爲26%,女性爲23%,而華人男性爲53%,女性爲44%,居各族裔之首。但是華人在政治參與程度上則偏低,與在工商和學術領域的表現形成鮮明對比。十幾年前華人對政治不聞不問,主要是華人並未感受到參政的重要性。對參與投票就更不關心了。
     最後讓我們來回顧華人來美移民的歷史,華人在美國已經有160多年的歷史,這一百多年來的變化,就人口的增長率:據美國人口普查局2010年人口普查前最後一次公佈估計數字:全美到2009年7月1日爲止,亞裔增加了2.5%,成爲1370萬人,佔美國總人口的4.5%,其中南加州六縣亞裔人口共爲243萬多人,洛杉磯縣亞裔最多,爲131萬9千1百95 人。雖然最終數字將在今年年底正式公佈,但大致人口統計中,美國人口已突破3億大關。其中,亞裔作爲近年來成長最快的少數族裔,人口已近1500萬。在亞裔人口中,有近300萬華人,更重要的是漢語也已成爲美國繼英語和西班牙語後使用最爲廣泛的語言。
     華人從僑民到公民身份的轉變,尤其是近年來,華裔參政意識的提高,華人已經不再充當選舉的邊緣人和看客,關心和從政人數越來越多,華裔要眞正立足美國必須打入主流社會,積極參與政治,這不僅有利于維護少數族裔的權益,同時也是公民的一份權利。今年的11月將是美國選舉日,希望所有擁有選舉的選民不要忽視您的權利,把握您手中的這一票,積極投票。
     哥倫布華人企業家黃麗英女士是一位十分活躍于服務社區的積極分子,本次俄州州長Ted Strickland連選州長捐款活動,她也是其中一位組織者,並且她是當晩的主持人。黃麗英女士幾年前曾經參與競選哥倫布Dublin學區的敎育局董事會成員,雖然當年沒有被選上,黃麗英女士和先生還是一如旣往支持華人社區活動,哥倫布婦女聯繫會的活動就在她家里舉辦,每周末讓華人到家里打乒乓球,唱卡拉OK等,她總是積極支持華人活動。
     在黃麗英女士介紹Ted Strickland州長後,掌聲中Ted Strickland州長爲大家做了精彩的演講:Ted Strickland的開場白很幽默:如果將整個美國地圖縮小,我們看到的地圖就是俄亥俄州。他還説俄州的競選是全美50個州最關鍵的一個州,現任總統奧巴馬也是到俄州來的最多的一位。
     當晩Ted Strickland在演講中多次提到亞裔在哥倫布的貢獻,他説美國經濟危機,讓俄州經濟受到嚴重影響,雷曼兄弟銀行倒閉就讓俄州損失幾百萬,目前全美的經濟已經開始在回陞,希望大家要有信心,而他本人就任州長就是要服務于民衆,讓民衆能過上和諧的生活。當晩州長的演講涉及到了俄州的經濟文化敎育等,演講完後州長還和大家一一握手留影。

魯敎授的發言稿

Thanks to all of you to join us in this important event in the Asian Community for supporting Governor Strickland. I would like to thank Jack Jang in particular for his leadership in putting this event together and also his strong support for this campaign. I would also like to thank the host committee members of this event, Lisa Huang, Jay Yang, Una Yuhua Tsou, Chilin Yu, Bob Hsieh and Danny Chung, who is the owner of this restaurant.? I would also like to thank my wife for her support to my effort in building the Asian Community in Ohio.
It is my honor to say a few words here. With this opportunity, I would like to share a story with you and indicate why we should strongly support our governor.
On 5/27/2007, at the opening ceremony of the 13th Asian Festival, I introduced Governor Strickland to a very big audience by saying :”It is my privilege to introduce our Honorable Governor Strickland. This is the first time ever we could have our in-office governor to come to the Asian Festival. It meant a lot to us, …to the Asian community in general. I continue to say that it meant we are positively recognized.
We treasure this moment …… (I am cutting this paragraph short)… I also said that last year on the campaign route by our governor in a fund raising event at the Huntington Club (this is in 2006), I did ask Mr. Strickland, ‘what will you do, if you would be elected. to involve the Asian Community in your government’ I still remember the answer from you. ‘I need to get leaders like this group to get involved in my government’. To come to the Asian Festival is certainly a great encouragement to us. We are deeply appreciated. We are truly grateful.
Can I ask my question to our honorable governor one more time, ‘from here on how do you want to get the Asian Community involved in your government?’
After your speech, you responded to my challenge by saying that you would like to establish the Asian Commission in your administration.
Due to the budgetary crisis, we agreed on to have an Advisory Council first. It took me almost 3 years with hard work and persistency we finally got Governor’s AAPI Advisory Council established on 4/7/2010.
Governor Strickland was with our first meeting on that day. To make it clear, without Governor’s strong support and commitment, we will never have the opportunity to have this entity.
This council is formed with 12 members, throughout the state, age group, and various professionals. I am pushing all committees, Health, Civil Rights/Immigration, Art/Culture/Education and Economic Development, to finalize our first report to the Governor by the end of this month.
After Governor’s approval,? this report will also go to the White House. I am honored and proud to say, this council is working well for our community. In particular, for the future of our community. You can see quite clearly, if we do not have Governor Strickland’s support, we will not be able to accomplish so much. SHOULD WE SUPPORT HIM. YES, ABSOLUTELY. For our community to grow, we need him to be in the office for 4 more years.
Thank you so much for your contribution for his campaign. I am also pleading with every one of you to canvass for him. It is not just talking here, please knock the doors to help his successful re-election. Just in case you do not like to line up for voting on the election day, we also provide forms for you to pick up to vote by mail. Thank you again for your support.