The Chinese Melting Pot

Last Thursday, a 16-year-old Chinese youth was shot to death in Boston's Chinatown. The victim was identified as a leader of a New York City gang involved in extortion and armed robbery. Police think that the five or six youths who shot him three times after beating him were also New Yorkers.

While this incident involved members of organized crime, it does raise serious concerns about the problem of juvenile delinquency and what can be done about it. The slaying of the 16-year-old and many other less sensational individual tragedies of the Chinese in the United States, can be attributed to the many social and economic problems that beset large urban Chinatowns. Few people outside the Chinese community realize the serious plight of the urban Chinese and are surprised by news of delinquency and poverty among an ethnic group that is generally perceived as a hard-working one with a strong and stable family structure. But those within the community know its problems: inadequate housing, insufficient health facilities, language and cultural barriers, and dreary employment. They understand that impoverished conditions, a lack of recreational facilities and cultural problems can strain the strong family structure. With the recognition of the seriousness of these problems, the Chinese are trying to improve their community's circumstances. Many indigenous organizations are trying to provide social services to meet the needs of the inhabitants of Chinatowns.

The murder in Boston did not involve Boston youths. The problems of Boston's Chinese community is not as severe as that of New York, but nevertheless it is acute. Its population, since the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, has grown by about 350 people each year. This influx has exacerbated the already overcrowded conditions in Chinatown. The new immigrants face many language and cultural difficulties. Their lack of proficiency in English forces both the skilled and unskilled to work in restaurants and garment factories, two traditional sources of employment for Chinese. They then have to work long hours (the restaurant worker labors about 11 hours a day, six days a week) and can find little opportunity on the job to learn English and acquire skills necessary for less wearying and higher paying jobs. In many families both parents have to work; this puts severe strains on the close-knit family. The youth faces difficult cultural conflicts. Many cannot overcome the handicap of language insufficiency to do well in school. Intense conflicts often occur between these youngsters and their parents, who hold a high regard for education. Those youths who do well and can assimilate easily find that their values conflict with their parents' conservative views.

Traditionally, the social and economic problems of the Chinese-Americans were managed internally. Chinatowns were organized with institutions that gave protection and aid to immigrants. Mutual cooperation, based on village ties and the extended family, made many business ventures possible. The Benevolent Association, comprised of representatives of community and family organizations, oversaw much of the community's activities.

The problems of the sixties exceeded the ability of the traditional "internal governance" method to deal with them. With the advent of these problems, two groups intiated a new pattern of activism. One group--made up of the post-war generation that has assimilated into the American mainstream--attempted to tap outside governmental resources for aid. They initiated a number of programs in adult education, health services, and social services. Well-educated, this group was able to work effectively and was able to articulate the needs of the community well enough to obtain some financial support. Another group of younger people, also well-educated and bilingual, were also active in this effort. Today many community programs are operating. The Chinese Community Health Center, now supported by many outside sources, is the result of this local initiative. There are now many language programs, two Multi-Service Centers, and other social programs.

But despite the new programs of the seventies, the problems still remain. It is important to note that finally the Chinese have come out of their shell with the emergence of these two new groups of community activists. With anti-poverty budgets being slashed across the country, it is necessary for the Chinese to become increasingly vocal in demanding their share of government aid.

John Wong '74-3 is a community organizer in Boston's Chinatown.