The Moment of Victory for American Democracy
2020 has not ended, 2021 is a new beginning with the inauguration of the new President! 美国华裔选民联盟至全体同胞们的公开信
Dear Friends，（中文版本见下）
First of all, at this moment of the inauguration of the new president of the United State, we at the Chinese American Voter Alliance (CAVA) would like to take this opportunity to celebrate what we have accomplished in 2020 and thank every member of our team and our community who have helped lead to this historical moment.
Congratulations everyone! Democracy has won, and the American people have chosen! We won because we stood up for the facts and truth, values and principles. We won because we worked hard and honestly. Not by cheating, not by making things up, not by spreading rumors, not by inciting fear, division, and hatred! We won because we did not give up, but had faith in the Greater Good of the people and of the country. And it is DEMOCRACY that has stood up in the end! It is people’s conscience that has spoken in the end!
Everyone would agree that these last 4 years, especially 2020 have not been easy for all of us. But rather, we were tested and trialed in this “Long March”, for our strength, endurance, ability, and faith. We persisted and succeeded because of our courage and our patience.
Together, we have made countless phone calls, texts, postcards, donated to candidates, and supported campaigns in battleground states and in our local cities and states. Even after the hard work of the Nov election, we stayed together and many of you continued to help the Georgia Runoff in the last few months.
We want to thank every one of you who has made this victory possible. Our special thank goes to particularly, heroic women and busy moms, who despite demanding job, family, and community duties during the COVID time, gave their precious time and energy to support our campaigns throughout the last 4 years and 2020 elections. Everywhere we went, we saw women and moms carrying out solid tasks and making real contributions in the progress. They are far more than ½ of the sky, for sure!
But the victory didn’t come without a struggle and hardship. To mobilize our people to go out and vote, we not only had to break through our traditional perception that shies away from politics, but also had to confront multiple barriers that keep us away from the American civic process, such as a lack of civic outreach and voter education in the immigrant communities, the language barrier, and the disinformation campaigns targeting WeChat and social media, to name a few.
Given how such disinformation or infordemics has run rampant and contagiously just like the COVID pandemics, we have been also battling with its effect that torn our families and social fabrics apart, threw us into discord and conflicts. Many members of our community have fallen to be victims of disinformation and misinformation on WeChat, Telegram, Youtube, and other platforms. Just like in a religious cult, people were misled by made-up stories, trapped by dark conspiracies, mind twisted about facts versus lies. Many were also persuaded to vote against their own interest, against our community’s interest, and against the interest of the American people.
If there is anything that can be drawn from these past 4-year’s experiences, should we say this is the time that truly has tested our ability to discern the truth, the courage to stand up for justice, and the degree to which we are willing to let go of our little self for the Greater Good of the people? Many of us have sacrificed our personal interests, jobs, careers, family, and other obligations to come to fight for the people and for this country. To us, that’s the greatest success we have, to connect to people like you who defended American Democracy and our shared values as Chinese and as Americans,
This is exactly the opposite of those who followed the other side, led by their leader, who puts his egocentric pursues above everything else. Even as the president of this country, he boasted his self-interest above people’s life, provoked politics above the party, party above the country, and “America First” above the rest of the world. He incited hate and violence that have divided this country and put the people in great peril, including even those who are loyal followers of him.
But how long can a crook hide in his cloak? How long can lies be covered by hypocrisy? In a failed attempt to overturning Democracy, America and the world have seen clearly what can come out of a narcissist dictator, a delusional cult leader, and his followers. That is why again, our persistence and our effort have paid off. And again, it is our conscience and it is Democracy that have won in the end.
Despite the uncertainty going on and challenges lying ahead, we must recognize that we are strong together and we can make a real difference in American society. That’s the most important thing we should remember and can truly celebrate at this critical moment of American and world history.
We invite you to stay with us and join our movement. Our community needs to return to normalcy and return to be united after 4 years’ chaos and conflicts. We need to continue to be actively involved and contribute to the American civil society. We need to continue to build alliances with AAPI, immigrant, and minority communities. We need to continue to battle racism, discrimination, and disinformation. We need to wake up more people who are still trapped in apathy, delusions, and conspiracies. We need to continue to stand up for integrity and the shared human values among Chinese and Americans.
If you agree with these principles and directions, please join us, whether you are an old friend or a new member. America and her future need you more than ever before. The fate of our children and this world depends on our choices and actions today. We are the change we have been waiting for, and American Democracy needs our continuous protection.
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同胞们和朋友们，
2020年飞驰而过，彷佛是一场接一场的战役，一波推一波的浪潮，也像是我们最终从一场长达4年的噩梦中的清醒。这4年将在我们的记忆中，在现代美国和世界史上，写下最重要的一篇。美国华裔也用我们的选择，行动，和经历，创造和书写了自己最重要的一章。
正值Biden新政就职之际，我们在美国华裔选民联盟，向在大选中参加助选和做出贡献的各位朋友们表示感谢和祝贺。2020虽然充满了扑簌迷离，但是美国最终走出了急流险滩。2021年虽然充满了未知和挑战，但是我们终将会靠爱心和勇气，战胜分裂和仇视。
如果我们回首看一看4年来走过的光阴和道路，如同是”西游记“的新版，翻山越岭的长征，又如同是对我们人生和美国社会的考验和提升。这4年来的经历，是对是非美丑，真假善恶的考验。是对事实与谎言，科学与迷信的考验。是对正义与邪恶，正信与邪教的考验。是对平等与偏见，独裁与民主，进步与倒退的考验。
在这4年中，我们是否跟从了自己内心的良知和清醒，还是“人云亦云”，受周围人的左右和影响？我们是否能在众多争议和分歧中寻觅事实根据，还是跟从社媒圈里的嘈杂渲染，变成“近朱者赤，近墨者黑”的附属？
在这4年中，我们是否有勇气站了出来为真理和正义发声？我们是否尽了一分努力为善良和公正推进前行？我们是否放下了自己的小家小我，而为更多人的福祉和社会的进步做了一点牺牲和付出？我们是否超越了华裔的视角，放下了族裔的争斗，而看到了更广阔的空间和时代的需求？
这4年中的经历值得我们不断反思回顾，从眼前活生生的历史中吸取经验和教训。我们不得不承认，亚裔在美国还是弱势群体，而华裔在亚裔之中却显落伍，并不是某些人想象的“我们来自世界中心，老子天下第一”。但2020年华裔中参政议政的增加，要感谢那些在大选前后，尤其是继续参加了Georgia 复选的战友们。虽然大选中已经很紧张很辛苦，但是，大家还是一起坚持跑完了万里马拉松最后关键的一步，确保参议院受到了保护。
更需要感谢的还有在助选和反川中的巾帼英雄，木兰姊妹。女性和妈妈们，一直在为工作，家庭和社区而不停的忙碌，尤其是COVID疫情增添了更多的事务和责任。在助选中看到更多的是实干，真挚和关注”家事，国事，天下事“ 的妈妈们。与其在微信群里闲聊和争吵，她们一直在与选民打电话，发短信，手写名信片。与其抱怨华裔不关心时政，不参加投票，她们一直与周围认识的朋友们沟通，摆明是非真相。与其荣耀自己，争抢功名利禄，或只顾自己的孩子和小家庭，她们一直像充满爱心妈妈一样，默默无闻的为大家和国家辛勤付出。
与其”Curse the darkness” 诅咒黑暗, 不如 “light up a candle” 点亮光明。今天的胜利，来之不易，是这些无数无名英雄带来的胜利，是民主和法制的胜利，是美国大众的觉知和良心的胜利。
2020其实并没有结束，我们还生活在过去4年遗留下来的混乱和分裂的恶果中。未来不会一帆风顺，2021又是一个新的起点。我们面临的还有更多的挑战和义务。这4年的经历，也清楚的提醒我们，民主之脆弱，需要每个人的维护和巩固。很多人，还仍旧执着于散播谣言和鼓动阴谋论。很多人被谎言危害，被谣言迷惑，无法分清真假善恶。还有很多人，不明真相，事不关己，漠不关心。
农历新年就要来到！希望在牛年里，我们能看到更多人加入恢复秩序和重建民主的队伍中，加入到治愈分裂，仇视，消除谎言和谣言的努力中，加入共建多元各族大家庭的和谐和团结之中。
如果你在这个历史关头，希望能为华裔社区做一点推动，希望能为社会的进步做一点努力，请加入我们的联盟，结识志同道合的朋友，用自己的真心和行动书写新的一章美国华裔历史: 2021, 拜登新政！
美国华裔选民联盟 Chinese American Voter Alliance GoCAVA.org
2021年1月20日于拜登就职典礼
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