我是屬於那一批在九七前， 八九後被父母哄哄騙騙移居到美國的小孩。十二歲的我以為只是去LA迪士尼樂園度暑假，誰知道一留就是二十年。身在曹，心在漢？雖然沒有那麼偉大，但當然會十分關心香港。這一個月我一直緊貼着香港所發生的一切。 不但參加了在洛杉磯舉辦的一些撐遮行動，也會每天翻譯報導，以供外國讀者認識香港的訴求，希望能夠為佔領區裏抗戰的兄弟姐妹們打氣和支持。
在參與的當中， 有不少年紀大一些的居美港人向我表達他們的看法 “唉， 這場什麼佔中，沒用的， 沒可能成功，中共那會輕易的放過香港。搞那麼多東西都是白費，安分守已就算啦。” 畢竟他們也是像我父母一樣， 是對九七以後的政權沒有信心才離家別井來到美國。我明白他們當然不會對中共有太大的期望。他們大部分在80-90年代移民美國。一來到就可以容易地區購買物業，孩子在區內公立上學，晚上看本地 Jade台轉播的TVB劇集，也不太會在乎每年舉行的洲制選舉。
但我可以肯定的對他們說 “我們華人今天在美國擁有的一切，例如投票權，產業擁有權等等， 都是老華僑他們辛辛苦苦從白人手中爭取回來的。我先生的爸爸就是他們的其中一員。他的祖父1890年代從台山到美國西岸修建鐵路。一路以來，經歷過很多不公平待遇。到了我老爺1960 年這一代，華人被歧視情況依然嚴重，就算入伍幫美國海軍打仗，也會一樣受盡白眼，在潛水艇裏做最低等的任務，根本沒有出路。一直到70年代美國民權運動爆發時，華人經過和其他有色族群以一系列罷工，遊行，爭取及訴求等運動來聯手爭取基本權利， 才漸漸看到華人福利的改善。
民主是最基本意念其實就是 “所有都要靠自己爭取”。爭取方法可以是投票，遊行，或發出公民訴求等。如果當年這群華人全部都”安分守己“。今天的你我恐怕只能在唐人街裏的 Chinese Dragon Restaurant 洗碗 “ 。前人所做的一切，都是為了下一代的人能好好的過，這與今天的遮打運動是同一個理念。
I belong to the group of immigrants from Hong Kong who settled in the US during the 90's. As a 12-year old child, my parents told me we were going to spend a summer in Los Angeles visiting Disneyland. Little did I know that we ended up staying here for more than 20 years. Eventhough I am away from my home city Hong Kong, I still care about it very much. Since the movement started, I have participated in rallies and contributed translated news report to broadcast the development to English readers. I hope these effort would be able to support the occupiers at the front line.
During my participation, I have encountered older generation of Hong Kong immigrants commenting on this movement "You know, this whatever Umbrella Movement is no use. Why would China let Hong Kong go so easily? All this is just a waste of time. They should really just mind their own business and not get involved." I understand this viewpoint; these are people, like my parents, who left Hong Kong because they did not have confidence in the communist party. Most of them arrived in the US during the 80's and 90's. When they arrived, they were able to purchase properties, enroll their children in public school, and watch TVB soap operas at night via cable TV. Most of them ignore the state-wide elections happening every year.
This is my reply to their comments, "You know that whatever rights and freedom we are enjoying today is a result of the painful struggle by the previous generations of Chinese Americans. My father-in-law is part of that group. His grandfather came to California during the 1890's to help constructing the railroad. For generations, the Chinese Americans experienced discriminatory laws that limited freedom and rights. After almost 70's later, my father-in-law still faced discrimination during the 60's. When he enlisted in the Navy and fight for the country, he was assigned the lowest, dirtiest job in the submarine. It is not until the explosion of civil rights movements in the 70s, when Chinese Americans joined forces with other minorities to protest, strike, and demand equal rights, that discriminatory laws were lifted to ensure Chinese Americans to have equal access to citizen rights.
One of the basic concept of democracy is that individuals would be able to express and flight for the own rights, which can by done by casting votes, protesting, or expressing civil demands. If Chinese Americans from those days didn't "get involved during the civil rights movement", I think both of us now can only be able to work as a dish washer in the "Chinese Dragon Restaurant". We fight today, so that the next generations are better off；this is what the occupiers are working on. "