Much like the movement urging the United States government to apologize for Chinese Exclusion Acts, here's a story about Chinese Australians who are calling for their government to acknowledge and apologize for past discrimination dating back well over a century to what is known as -- I kid you not -- the White Australia Policy: Chinese Australians seek apology for discrimination.In the mid-1850s, tensions boiled over in a series of riots to try to drive out Chinese workers in and around Laming Flat in New South Wales.My fellow Americans, is it sad or encouraging -- or both -- to know that Chinese people in the United States and Australia were similarly discriminated against, once upon a time? Hell, the injustices go all the way back to Australia's own gold rush in 1850s. Sound familiar?
The ongoing distrust of Chinese and other migrants was behind the thinking of the Immigration Restriction Act of 1901 - the central plank of what is known as the White Australia Policy.
Under it, some Chinese workers were welcomed as they provided cheap labour. Those who did make it were not allowed to bring their families over.
Dictation tests, which were used until the middle of last century, were one mechanism to exclude people.
On arrival, would-be immigrants could be asked to translate into English some text from any foreign language.
The last vestiges of the White Australia Policy were only removed in the 1970s.
The point of these movements calling for apologies are not only to bring attention and finally close the door on past institutional wrongs, but also to facilitate dialogue, empathy and action when discrimination rears its ugly head in modern day contexts. Because God knows we've still got work to do.
