James A. White Sr.: The little problem I had renting a house

翻译人员: Hong Li 校对人员: Wei Wu

An 18-year-old, African-American male joined the United States Air Force

作为一个18岁的非裔美国人， 我加入了美国空军，

and was assigned to Mountain Home Air Force Base

被分配到芒廷霍姆空军基地，

and was a part of the air police squadron.

成为了空中警察中队的一员。

Upon first arriving there, the first goal that I had

报到之后，我的第一件事

was for me to identify an apartment,

就是想租一间公寓，

so I could bring my wife and my new baby, Melanie,

这样我就能把我妻子 和刚出生的宝宝，梅兰妮

out to join me in Idaho.

都带到爱达荷。

I immediately went to the personnel office,

我立刻跑到人事部，

and talking with the guys in personnel,

询问那里的工作人员，

they said, "Hey, no problem finding an apartment in Mountain Home, Idaho.

他们说，“在爱达荷州的芒廷霍姆 租房子很容易啊。

The people down there love us because they know if they have an airman

这里的居民很喜欢我们， 因为他们知道，

who is coming in to rent one of their apartments,

如果是空军士兵租他们公寓的话，

they'll always get their money."

肯定不会拖欠房租。“

And that was a really important thing.

这事儿对他们（房东）来说很重要。

He said, "So here is a list of people that you can call,

他说，“我这有个单子， 你给这些房东打电话，

and then they will then allow you to select the apartment that you want."

他们会让你去挑一个喜欢的公寓的。”

So I got the list; I made the call.

我收下单子，打了电话。

The lady answered on the other end and I told her what I wanted.

一位女士接了电话， 我告诉她我想租房子。

She said, "Oh, great you called.

她说，“哦，你问的正是时候。

We have four or five apartments available right now."

我们手头有四、五套公寓要出租呢。”

She said, "Do you want a one-bedroom or two-bedroom?"

她问，“你要一间卧室的还是两间卧室的？”

Then she said, "Let's not talk about that.

她又说，“还是别在电话里说了。

Just come on down, select the apartment that you want.

你直接过来看，挑一套你喜欢的。

We'll sign the contract

我们把合同签了，

and you'll have keys in your hand to get your family out here right away."

你立刻就能拿到钥匙， 你们一家马上就能住进来。”

So I was excited.

我高兴坏了。

I jumped in my car. I went downtown and knocked on the door.

我跳进车里，开到市区， 来到那位女士家。

When I knocked on the door, the woman came to the door,

我敲开门，那位女士来到门口，

and she looked at me, and she said, "Can I help you?"

她看了我一眼，问， “你有什么事吗？”

I said, "Yes, I'm the person who called about the apartments.

我说，“是的，我就是 刚刚打电话要租房的人。

I was just coming down to make my selection."

我是来挑房子的。”

She said, "You know what? I'm really sorry,

她说，“我跟你说，我非常抱歉，

but my husband rented those apartments and didn't tell me about them."

我丈夫已经把这些公寓都租出去了， 但他没告诉我。”

I said, "You mean he rented all five of them in one hour?"

我说，“他在一小时之内 把五套公寓都租出去了？”

She didn't give me a response, and what she said was this:

她没接我茬，而是对我说，

She said, "Why don't you leave your number,

“把你的电话留下吧，

and if we have some openings, I'll give you a call?"

如果我们再有房源，我会跟你联系。”

Needless to say, I did not get a call from her.

不用想，她再没跟我联系。

Nor did I get any responses from the other people

单子上其他的房东

that they gave me on the list where I could get apartments.

也没有给我任何答复。

So as a result of that, and feeling rejected,

带着这样的结果和挫败感，

I went back to the base, and I talked to the squadron commander.

我回到基地，找到了我们中队的指挥官。

His name was McDow, Major McDow.

他叫麦克道，麦克道少校。

I said, "Major McDow, I need your help."

我说，“麦克道少校，我需要您的帮助。”

I told him what happened, and here's what he said to me:

我告诉他事情经过，他说，

He said, "James, I would love to help you.

“詹姆斯，我很想帮你。

But you know the problem:

但是你要明白：

We can't make people rent to folks that they don't want to rent to.

别人不想租给你房子，我们也不能强迫啊。

And besides, we have a great relationship with people in the community

而且，我们跟这个社区的居民关系很好，

and we really don't want to damage that."

我实在不想把关系搞僵。”

He said, "So maybe this is what you should do.

他说，“也许你应该这么办。

Why don't you let your family stay home,

你还是别让家人来随军了，

because you do know that you get a 30-day leave.

你也知道，你（每年）有30天假期。

So once a year,

所以每一年，

you can go home to your family, spend 30 days and then come on back."

你都可以回家探亲，和家人待30天， 再回来报到。”

Needless to say, that didn't resonate for me.

毫无疑问，这不是我想要的结果。

So after leaving him, I went back to personnel,

所以从少校那儿出来，我又去了人事部，

and talking to the clerk,

找到之前那个职员，

he said, "Jim, I think I have a solution for you.

他说，“吉姆，我觉得我有个办法能帮你。

There's an airman who is leaving and he has a trailer.

有个士兵马上要退伍了，他有辆房车。

If you noticed, in Mountain Home,

不知道你注意过没有，在芒廷霍姆

there are trailer parks and trailers all over the place.

有许多房车公园，停满了房车。

You can buy his trailer, and you'd probably get a really good deal

你可以把他的房车买下来， 价钱应该好商量，

because he wants to get out of town as soon as possible.

因为他想尽快离开。

And that would take care of your problem,

这样就能解决你的问题了，

and that would provide the solution for you."

也许是个不错的方案。

So I immediately jumped in my car, went downtown, saw the trailer --

我立刻上车，开到市区， 找到了那辆房车，

it was a small trailer,

房车很小，

but under the circumstances,

但是在当时那种情况下，

I figured that was the best thing that I could do.

也许是最好的选择。

So I bought the trailer.

于是我把房车买了下来。

And then I asked him, "Can I just leave the trailer here,

然后我问他， “我能把房车继续停在这儿吗？

and that would take care of all my problems,

这样我所有问题就都解决了，

I wouldn't have to find another trailer park?"

还是说我要去另找一个房车公园？”

He said, "Before I say yes to that, I need to check with management."

他说，“我不确定， 我要问问公园管理部门。”

So I get back to the base,

于是我返回基地，

he called me back and management said,

他给我回电话了，管理部门说，

"No, you can't leave the trailer here

“不行，你不能把房车停在这，

because we had promised that slot to some other people."

我们已经把这个车位让给别人了。”

And that was strange to me

这让我觉得很奇怪，

because there were several other slots that were open,

因为还有好几个车位是空的，

but it just so happened that he had promised that slot to someone else.

而他恰恰就把这个车位让给别人了。

So, what I did --

那我怎么办呢，

and he said, "You shouldn't worry, Jim, because there are a lot of trailer parks."

他说，“不用担心，吉姆， 还有很多房车公园。”

So I put out another exhaustive list of going to trailer parks.

于是我又有了一份长长的清单， 全是房车公园。

I went to one after another, after another.

我一家一家的去问，

And I got the same kind of rejection there

得到的都是拒绝的答复，

that I received when I was looking for the apartment.

就像我在找公寓的时候一样。

And as a result, the kind of comments that they made to me,

除了说他们没有多余的车位外，

in addition to saying that they didn't have any slots open,

他们还对我说过这样的话，

one person said, "Jim, the reason why we can't rent to you,

一个人说，“吉姆，我之所以 不能给你一个车位，

we already have a Negro family in the trailer park."

是因为我们这个房车公园里 已经有一家黑人了。”

He said, "And it's not me, because I like you people."

“我并不想这样， 我是喜欢你们（黑人）的。”

(Laughs)

（笑声）

And that's what I did, too. I chuckled, too.

当时我的反应也一样，我也笑了。

He said, "But here's the problem:

他说，“问题是这样的：

If I let you in, the other tenants will move out

如果我让你搬进来，其他租客就会搬走，

and I can't afford to take that kind of a hit."

我的损失就大了。”

He said, "I just can't rent to you."

他说，”所以我没法租给你。”

Even though that was discouraging, it didn't stop me.

虽然很让人沮丧，但我没有放弃。

I kept looking,

我继续找，

and I looked at the far end of the town in Mountain Home,

我找到芒廷霍姆镇的一个角落，

and there was a small trailer park.

那里有一个小的房车公园。

I mean, a really small trailer park.

真的非常小。

It didn't have any paved roads in it,

里面连路都没有，

it didn't have the concrete slabs,

地面也没有铺砖，

it didn't have fencing

也没有围栏，

to portion off your trailer slot from other trailer slots.

将各个车位隔开。

It didn't have a laundry facility.

没有洗衣房。

But the conclusion I reached at that moment

但我当时的遭遇

was that I didn't have a lot of other options.

让我没什么其他选择。

So I called my wife, and I said, "We're going to make this one work."

我给我妻子打电话，说， “咱们就住到那儿去吧。”

And we moved into it

于是我们搬到了那里，

and we became homeowners in Mountain Home, Idaho.

成为了爱达荷州芒廷霍姆的居民。

And of course, eventually things settled down.

当然，我们最终安顿下来了。

Four years after that, I received papers to move from Mountain Home, Idaho

四年后，我接到调令， 离开爱达荷州芒廷霍姆，

to a place called Goose Bay, Labrador.

前往拉布拉多的古斯湾。

We won't even talk about that. It was another great location. (Laughter)

又是个鸟不拉屎的地方， 我都无力吐槽了。（笑声）

So my challenge then was to get my family from Mountain Home, Idaho

我迎来了新的挑战， 要把家人从爱达荷州芒廷霍姆，

to Sharon, Pennsylvania.

搬到宾夕法尼亚州沙龙。

That wasn't a problem because we had just purchased a brand-new automobile.

其实问题也不大，我们当时刚买了辆新车。

My mother called and said she'll fly out.

我母亲给我来电话说要过来。

She'll be with us as we drive, she'll help us manage the children.

她会跟我们一起搬家，在路上照顾孩子。

So she came out, her and Alice put a lot of food together for the trip.

于是我母亲过来了，她跟爱丽丝一起 准备了食物在路上吃。

That morning, we left at about 5 a.m.

我们早上5点就出发了。

Great trip, having a great time, good conversation.

旅途很愉快，我们一路上聊得很开心。

Somewhere around 6:30, 7 o'clock, we got a little bit tired,

差不多（晚上）6点半，7点的时候， 我们觉得有点累了，

and we said, "Why don't we get a motel so that we can rest

我们商量，“还是找家汽车旅馆歇一晚，

and then have an early start in the morning?"

明天一早再继续赶路吧。”

So we were looking at a number of the motels as we drove down the road,

汽车旅馆很多，我们边开边找，

and we saw one, it was a great big, bright flashing light that said,

然后看到一家，门口巨大的、 闪亮的灯箱上写着，

"Vacancies, Vacancies, Vacanies."

“有空房，有空房，有空房。”

So we stopped in.

于是我们停下车。

They were in the parking lot, I went inside.

他们在停车场等着，我走进屋。

When I walked inside,

在我进屋的时候，

the lady was just finishing up one contract with some folks,

前台的女士刚刚给一些人办完入住手续，

some other people were coming in behind me.

还有几个人跟在我后面也进了屋。

And so I walked to the counter,

于是我走到柜台前，

and she said, "How can I help you?"

那位女士问，“有什么能帮您的吗？”

I said, "I would like to get a motel for the evening for my family."

我说，“我和家人想要一间房过夜。”

She said, "You know, I'm really sorry, I just rented the last one.

她说，“实在抱歉，刚刚那是最后一间房了。

We will not have any more until the morning."

得等到明早才会有空房。”

She said, "But if you go down the road about an hour, 45 minutes,

“如果你沿这条路再开45分钟到1小时，

there's another trailer park down there."

会有一个房车公园。”

I said, "Yeah, but you still have the 'Vacancies' light on, and it's flashing."

我说，“但你外面写着‘空房’ 的灯还开着，还闪呢。”

She said, "Oh, I forgot."

她说，“哦，我忘了关了。”

And she reached over and turned the light off.

她凑过去把灯关了。

She looked at me and I looked at her.

我俩面面相觑。

There were other people in the room.

屋里还有其他人。

She kind of looked at them. No one said anything.

她看了看其他人，鸦雀无声。

So I just got the hint and I left, and went outside to the parking lot.

我突然明白了，于是走出屋子， 向停车场走去。

And I told my mother and I told my wife and also Melanie, and I said,

我对我的母亲、妻子和梅兰妮说，

"It looks like we're going to have to drive a little bit further down the road

“看来我们还得再往前开一段距离，

to be able to sleep tonight."

才能找到地方睡觉了。”

And we did drive down the road,

我们准备继续往前开，

but just before we took off and pulled out of the parking lot,

就在我发动车，准备开出停车场的时候，

guess what happened?

你们猜怎么着？

The light came back on.

灯箱又亮了。

And it said, "Vacancies, Vacancies, Vacancies."

闪耀着，“有空房，有空房，有空房。”

We were able to find a nice place.

我们还是找到了一个不错的地方。

It wasn't our preference, but it was secure and it was clean.

虽然不是首选，但也安全和干净。

And so we had a great sleep that night.

所以那晚我们睡得很好。

The piece that's important about that

我想说的重点是

is that we had similar kinds of experiences

我们从爱达荷到宾夕法尼亚这一路上，

from Idaho all the way through to Pennsylvania,

不断经历着相似的遭遇，

where we were rejected from hotels, motels and restaurants.

就是不断地被旅店、汽车旅馆和餐厅拒绝。

But we made it to Pennsylvania.

但我们还是到达了宾夕法尼亚。

We got the family settled. Everyone was glad to see the kids.

我们把家安顿好。 有孩子在大家都很开心。

I jumped on a plane and shot off to Goose Bay, Labrador,

我跳上飞机，飞到了拉布拉多的古斯湾，

which is another story, right?

（之后的事）应该算另一个故事了，对吗？

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Here it is, 53 years later,

就这样，53年过去了，

I now have nine grandchildren, two great-grandchildren.

我现在有9个孙子孙女， 2个重孙重孙女。

Five of the grandchildren are boys.

其中有5个孙子。

I have master's, Ph.D., undergrad, one in medical school.

他们中有硕士、博士、有在读的大学生， 还有一个在念医学专科。

I have a couple that are trending.

有一对准夫妇。

They're almost there but not quite. (Laughter)

差不多要结婚了，但是谁知道呢。 （笑声）

I have one who has been in college now for eight years.

有一个在念大学，已经第八年了。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

He doesn't have a degree yet, but he wants to be a comedian.

他还没拿到学位， 但他想当个喜剧演员。

So we're just trying to get him to stay in school.

我们都想让他留在学校。

Because you never know,

因为世事难料，

just because you're funny at home, does not make you a comedian, right?

不能说你在家里很搞笑， 你就能当喜剧演员了吧？

(Laughter)

（笑声）

But the thing about it, they're all good kids --

重要的是，他们都是好孩子，

no drugs, no babies in high school, no crime.

没有人吸毒，没有人在高中就生小孩， 也没有人犯罪。

So with that being the backdrop,

这就是我家的情况，

I was sitting in my TV room watching TV,

有一天，我坐在电视房看电视，

and they were talking about Ferguson and all the hullabaloo that was going on.

（电视里）在讨论发生在弗格森的枪击案 和随之而来的动荡。

And all of a sudden, one of the news commentators got on the air and she said,

突然，有一个新闻评论员 出现在节目里，她说，

"In the last three months,

“在刚刚过去的三个月里，

eight unarmed African-American males

有八位手无寸铁的非裔美国男性

have been killed by police, white homeowners, or white citizens."

被警察、白人房东或者白人公民杀害。”

For some reason, at that moment it just all hit me.

当时我被这条消息深深震惊了。

I said, "What is it? It is so insane.

我说，“这都什么事儿啊？太疯狂了。

What is the hatred that's causing people to do these kinds of things?"

多大的仇恨才会让人做出这样的事情？”

Just then, one of my grandsons called.

紧接着，我的一个孙子给我打电话。

He said, "Granddad, did you hear what they said on TV?"

他说，“爷爷，你刚刚看电视了吗？”

I said, "Yes, I did."

我说，“看了。”

He said, "I'm just so confused.

他说，“我不明白。

We do everything we do, but it seems that driving while black,

我们都遵纪守法， 但是看来作为黑人，我们开车

walking while black, talking while black, it's just dangerous.

走路，说话，都是危险的。

What can we do? We do everything that you told us to do.

那我们还能怎么办。 我们做每一件事都是按您教我们的做的。

When stopped by the police,

当警察让我停车时，

we place both hands on the steering wheel at the 12 o'clock position.

我把两只手都放在方向盘12点钟的位置。

If asked to get identification,

如果要查身份证，

we tell them, 'I am slowly reaching over into the glove compartment to get my I.D.'

我会说，‘我会慢慢把手伸到 手套箱里取我的身份证。’

When pulled out of the car to be searched,

当我们被叫下车搜身，

when laid on the ground to be searched,

当我们被按在地上搜身，

when our trunks are opened to be searched,

当我们的行李厢被打开搜查，

we don't push back, we don't challenge because we know, you've told us,

我们不反抗，我们配合他们， 因为你告诉过我们，

'Don't you challenge the police.

‘不要跟警察对着干。

After it's over, call us and we'll be the ones to challenge."

完事之后，给我打电话， 我会去找警察谈。’

He said, "And this is the piece that really bugs me:

他说，“有件事最让我不爽：

Our white friends, our buddies, we kind of hang together.

我们的白人朋友，我的哥们， 我们经常在一块玩。

When they hear about these kinds of things happening to us, they say,

当他们听说这样的事时，他们说，

'Why do you take it?

“你怎么能忍？

You need to push back. You need to challenge.

你应该反抗，应该斗争，

You need to ask them for their identification.'"

应该让他们出示证件。”

And here's what the boys have been taught to tell them:

我是这样教我的孩子们回应的：

"We know that you can do that, but please do not do that

“我知道你们可以这么做， 但是当我们也在车上时，

while we're in the car

请不要这么做，

because the consequences for you are significantly different

因为这对你们可能没什么， 但对我们而言，

than the consequences for us."

后果会非常严重。”

And so as a grandparent, what do I tell my grandsons?

作为一个祖父，我还能如何教我的孩子们？

How do I keep them safe? How do I keep them alive?

我如何保护他们的安全？ 如何让他们远离危险？

As a result of this, people have come to me and said,

后来有人问我，

"Jim, are you angry?"

“吉姆，你生气吗？”

And my response to that is this:

我的回应是：

"I don't have the luxury of being angry,

“生气对我而言是一种奢侈，

and I also know the consequences of being enraged."

我也了解愤怒会带来什么后果。”

So therefore, the only thing that I can do

所以，我唯一能做的事情，

is take my collective intellect and my energy and my ideas and my experiences

就是发挥我的全部智慧， 将我的精力、想法、经历，

and dedicate myself to challenge, at any point in time,

全部用于反对种族歧视行为， 无论何时何地，

anything that looks like it might be racist.

无论这种行为看起来有多不起眼。

So the first thing I have to do is to educate,

所以我要做的第一件事是教育孩子，

the second thing I have to do is to unveil racism,

第二件事是揭露种族歧视（现象），

and the last thing I need to do is do everything within my power

第三件事是在我有生之年，我会竭尽全力，

to eradicate racism in my lifetime by any means necessary.

采取一切手段消除种族歧视。

The second thing I do is this:

关于第二件事我打算这么做：

I want to appeal to Americans.

我想呼吁美国人民，

I want to appeal to their humanity, to their dignity,

呼吁他们的人性，他们的自尊，

to their civic pride and ownership

呼吁他们作为公民和国家所有者的尊严。

to be able to not react to these heinous crimes in an adverse manner.

不要用错误的方式 来回应那些十恶不赦的罪行。

But instead, to elevate your level of societal knowledge,

而是要提高你们的社会知识水平，

your level of societal awareness and societal consciousness

和社会意识水平，

to then collectively come together, all of us come together,

然后大家团结起来，齐心协力。

to make sure that we speak out against and we challenge any kind of insanity,

让我们一起声讨和反对那些疯狂的行为，

any kind of insanity that makes it okay to kill unarmed people,

那些肆意践踏无辜生命的疯狂行为，

regardless of their ethnicity,

无论受害者是哪个民族，

regardless of their race,

哪个种族，

regardless of their diversity makeup.

什么血统。

We have to challenge that. It doesn't make any sense.

我们要反对这样的暴行， （因为）它荒谬至极。

The only way I think we can do that is through a collective.

唯一可行的方法就是我们团结一致。

We need to have black and white and Asian and Hispanic

我们要联合黑人和白人， 亚洲人和拉美人，

just to step forward and say,

勇敢地上前一步，大声宣告，

"We are not going to accept that kind of behavior anymore."

“我们不会容忍这样的行为再次发生了！”