The Best or the Worst

from Getting Together (circa 1972): Chinese-American Workers: Past & Present

We have to make a living in order to live. In a capitalist country, in order to make a living, we have to earn money. There are many ways of earning money, some use their brains, some, labor. We the people of Chinatown, mostly rely on labor. The white people, brains. That's why we suffer while they live in comfort.

There is a program in Chinatown called "The Best Home Economic Plan" whose purpose is to provide training for Chinese women over 40 years old to be domestics. It is true that one had to make a living to help out the family. But the point is, what is the motive of this program? Who are the people running it? Why do they want to train us to be domestics and not other professions? It is true that we have to work, but we should not be somebody's willing slave just for a few dollars. Chiang Kai-Shek's "Best Government Plan" is exactly being a willing slave to American foreign aid for the past few decades. Is there any difference between Chiang's policy and this "Best Plan" in Chinatown?

If being a domestic is the best profession, then there can be no worse ones in the world. If you are not convinced, go ask any elderly Chinese people and you'll find out. I used to have a neighbor in the village who told me, "White people always call you 'boy' no matter how old you are, even white kids, 5 or 6 years old call you that." He also said, "One time, I was busy working on the ground floor. My white boss rang the bell for me on the third floor. I rushed to the third floor only to find out that he wanted a box of matches which he knew was in the room next to his. He just wanted the pleasure of making me run up the stairs. At that time, I was about 40, not too old. But it was still quite a task running up and down those stairs." This is a story I heard twenty years ago; there are many more that I've forgotten.

Recently in a rare occasion, Mr. Ng related to me his experience in working as a domestic when he was a kid. He worked for a rich white family who had three servants. Mr. Ng was the only Chinese. Whenever they wanted the outside pane of the windows washed, they had Mr. Ng do it. This is a dangerous task, as one had to get the top half of one's body outside the windows to do it. One time he almost fell out the window.

Another time, his white boss' daughter didn't go to school because she was sick. Mr. Ng didn't expect her to be in her room so he went in as usual to do the daily cleaning. This girl accused him of entering her room. She would not listen to his explanation and even slapped him in the face. Mr. Ng only went away and busied himself with other work. That night his boss came home, scolded Mr. Ng and then fired him. There are many cases of Chinese domestics getting fired on baseless accusations.

We have had enough from the white people. I really don't understand why a program is being set up specifically to train people in Chinatown to be slaves. Why should we serve the white people and not the other way around?

The answer seems to be obvious: because white people are rich and we are poor. But why are white people rich? Where do they get their money? This answer is obvious: they exploit the minorities within their own country; and rob other countries of their resources. In other words, they get their money by very base means. White people even boast about whites being the superior race and Third World people inferior. Therefore, it is logical that Third World people should serve them.

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The Best or the Worst

Section 4: Chinese Youth

`Section 4: Chinese Youth`