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

譯者: Chia-Rui Chang 審譯者: Karen SONG

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

身為非裔美國人，我在18歲時加入美國空軍。

and was assigned to Mountain Home Air Force Base

加入後，我被分到位於芒廷霍姆的空軍基地，

and was a part of the air police squadron.

我隸屬於一個空警中隊。

Upon first arriving there, the first goal that I had

一到達當地，我有件首要之務，

was for me to identify an apartment,

就是要找到一間公寓，

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

好把太太和剛出生的寶寶米蘭妮接來，

out to join me in Idaho.

和我一起住在愛達荷州。

I immediately went to the personnel office,

我立刻到人事辦公室，

and talking with the guys in personnel,

向承辦人員尋問這件事，

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

他們說：「要在愛德荷州蒙的芒廷霍姆 找間公寓，不會有問題。

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

這裡的人喜歡我們。 因為他們知道只要是空軍，

who is coming in to rent one of their apartments,

要租他們的公寓，

they'll always get their money."

總能保證他們收得到房租。」

And that was a really important thing.

這點挺重要的。

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

他說，「這裡有張名單，你可以打電話去問，

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

你可以從這裡面選擇想住的公寓。」

So I got the list; I made the call.

就這樣，我拿到了名單，打了電話。

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

一位女士接起電話，我告訴她 自己想要找怎樣的住處。

She said, "Oh, great you called.

她說：「很高興接到你的電話，

We have four or five apartments available right now."

現在有4、5間公寓是空的。

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

您需要一房還是兩房的公寓？

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

我們別在電話裡談了，

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

你直接過來挑吧。

We'll sign the contract

我們就可以當場簽約，

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

你馬上就能拿到鑰匙， 這樣很快就能把家人接過來了。」

So I was excited.

我覺得好興奮。

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

我跳上車子，開到鎮上，敲敲門。

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

當我敲著門，有位女士走到門邊，

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

她看著我，問我： 「有什麼需要幫忙的嗎？」

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

我說：「是的，我就是打來尋問公寓的人。

I was just coming down to make my selection."

我來這裡看房子。」

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

她說，「喔。很不好意思，

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

我先生已經把那些房子租出去了， 但卻沒告訴我。」

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

我問她：「你是說，你先生在1小時內 租出去5間公寓？」

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

她沒回答我，只是說：

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

「你可以留下連絡電話，

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

等我們有空房的時候，會再通知你。」

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

毫無疑問，我沒有接到她的電話。

Nor did I get any responses from the other people

我也沒有接過其它人的回應，

那些他們給我的名單上的人， 說我可以從他們租到公寓。

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

So as a result of that, and feeling rejected,

這樣的結果，我感受到被大家排擠，

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

我回到基地，和中隊指揮官談這件事，

His name was McDow, Major McDow.

指揮官的名字是麥克道， 麥克道少校。

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

我說：「麥克道少校，我需要您的協助。」

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

我告訴他事情的經過，他如此回答。

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

他說：「詹姆士，我很願意幫你忙。

But you know the problem:

但問題是：

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

我們無法強迫屋主租房子給他們不喜歡的房客。

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

而且，我們和這個社區的居民關係很好，

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

我們真的不想危害這種關係。」

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

他說：「或許你能這麼辦：

Why don't you let your family stay home,

把家人留在家鄉，

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

你知道你有30天的休假吧！

So once a year,

每一年，

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

你可以回去看你的家人，待在家裡30天後回來。」

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

不用說，我不同意這個辦法。

So after leaving him, I went back to personnel,

離開他後，我回到人事部，

and talking to the clerk,

找了事務員談話，

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

他說：「吉姆，我有一個解決的方法。

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

有一名空軍將要離開，他有一個活動屋拖車。

If you noticed, in Mountain Home,

如果你注意到在蒙恩荷馬市，

there are trailer parks and trailers all over the place.

那裡有活動屋拖車停車場， 許多活動屋拖車停在那裡。

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

你可以買下他的活動屋拖車， 價格很可能非常便宜，

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

因為他想要盡快離開這裏。

And that would take care of your problem,

那也就解決了你的問題，

and that would provide the solution for you."

那就是你的問題的解決方法。」

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

我就立刻跳進我的車子，開到市區， 我看到那輛活動屋拖車——

it was a small trailer,

那是一個小活動屋拖車，

but under the circumstances,

但是在那個情況下，

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

我想那是我能做的最佳選擇。

So I bought the trailer.

我就買了那個活動屋拖車。

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

然後我問他：「我可以將拖車留在這裡嗎？

and that would take care of all my problems,

那就可以解決我的所有問題，

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

我不用再去找另一個拖車停車場。」

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

他說：「我必須先問這裡的管理室， 才能確定可不可以。」

So I get back to the base,

我回到基地，

he called me back and management said,

他打電話給我說，管理室的人說：

"No, you can't leave the trailer here

「不行，你不可以將拖車留在這裡，

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

因為那個位置我們已經答應保留給別人了。」

And that was strange to me

我覺得很奇怪，

because there were several other slots that were open,

因為那裡還有幾個空位，

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

怎麼那麼巧他會保留那個位置給別人。

So, what I did --

所以，我就——

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

他接著說，「吉姆，你不要擔心， 因為拖車停車場多的是。」

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

我列出所有拖車停車場的清單。

I went to one after another, after another.

我去了一個又一個。

And I got the same kind of rejection there

到處都是閉門羹，

和我在找公寓時遇到的情形一樣。

that I received when I was looking for the apartment.

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

結果，他們給我的答覆，

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

除了說他們沒有空位以外，

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

有個人說：「吉姆，我們不能租給你的理由是

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

我們已經有一個黑人家庭在這個拖車停車場。」

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

他說：「不是我反對，因為我喜歡你們黑人。」

(Laughs)

（笑聲）

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

我也是笑著。

He said, "But here's the problem:

他說：「問題是：

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

如果我讓你搬進來，其他的租客會搬出去。

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

我無法承擔那樣的損失。」

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

他說：「我無法租給你。」

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

即使那讓我很喪氣，我也沒有放棄。

I kept looking,

我繼續找，

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

結果在蒙恩荷馬市最外圍的地區，

and there was a small trailer park.

找到一個小小的拖車停車場。

I mean, a really small trailer park.

那是一個真的很小的拖車停車場。

It didn't have any paved roads in it,

裡面沒有鋪設好的道路，

it didn't have the concrete slabs,

也沒有水泥的停車位地基。

it didn't have fencing

在拖車停車位之間

to portion off your trailer slot from other trailer slots.

也沒有圍籬。

It didn't have a laundry facility.

那裡沒有洗衣設備。

But the conclusion I reached at that moment

但是我在那時的結論是

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

我沒有其他停車位置的選擇：

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

於是我打電話給太太說， 「我們一定要好好地住得這裡。」

And we moved into it

我們搬進去那裏。

and we became homeowners in Mountain Home, Idaho.

我們在愛德荷州蒙恩荷馬市 有了自己的房子。

And of course, eventually things settled down.

當然，最後，我們在那裡安頓下來。

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

四年後，我接到通知 要我從愛德荷州蒙恩荷馬市

to a place called Goose Bay, Labrador.

調到一個在拉布拉多區鵝港的地方。

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

我們不要談那裡。那是另一個好地方。（笑聲）

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

我那時的挑戰是將我的家人 從愛德荷州蒙恩荷馬市

to Sharon, Pennsylvania.

搬到賓夕法尼亞州的沙龍市。

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

（搬家）不是問題，我們那時剛買了一輛新車。

My mother called and said she'll fly out.

我母親打電話來說她會乘飛機過來。

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

她將和我們一起開車過去， 她會幫我們照顧孩子。

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

所以她過來了，她和愛麗絲為這個旅程 準備了很多食物。

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

那天清晨，我們大約五點啟程。

Great trip, having a great time, good conversation.

我們的旅途很快樂，有很愉快的談話。

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

在六點半或七點左右，我們有點累了。

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

我們說： 「要不我們找一個汽車旅館休息一晚，

and then have an early start in the morning?"

明天一大早再出發吧？」

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

我們在開車時看到路邊有許多汽車旅館。

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

我們看到一個， 它有一個閃亮的字招牌上寫，

"Vacancies, Vacancies, Vacanies."

「空房，空房，空房。」

So we stopped in.

我們停下來進去。

They were in the parking lot, I went inside.

他們在停車場，我自己進去。

When I walked inside,

當我走進去時，

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

那位女士正好和其他一些人簽了約，

some other people were coming in behind me.

我後面也來了其他人。

And so I walked to the counter,

我走向櫃台，

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

她說，「有什麽可以幫到你？」

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

我說，「我的家人需要一個房間。」

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

她說，「很抱歉，我剛剛出租了最後一個房間。

We will not have any more until the morning."

我們到明天早上都不會有空房。」

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

她說，「但是你再繼續開大約一小時， 或者45分鐘，

there's another trailer park down there."

那裡有另一個拖車停車場。」

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

我說，「好，但是你們的“空房”的招牌仍然在閃。」

She said, "Oh, I forgot."

她說，「喔，我忘了。」

And she reached over and turned the light off.

她就伸手過去把那個招牌關掉。

She looked at me and I looked at her.

她看著我，我看著她。

There were other people in the room.

那裡還有其他人。

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

她看了他們一眼。沒有人說話。

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

我知道她的意思，所以我就離開了， 走到停車場。

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

我告訴我母親、我太太和梅蘭妮說，

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

「看起來今晚我們必須要再開遠一點

to be able to sleep tonight."

才能休息。」

And we did drive down the road,

所以我們就繼續開。

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

當我們正要離開停車場，

guess what happened?

你猜怎麼了？

The light came back on.

那個招牌又開了。

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

它閃著，「空房，空房，空房。」

We were able to find a nice place.

我們後來找到了一個不錯的地方。

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

雖然不是我們的首選， 但是至少那裡很安全，也乾淨。

And so we had a great sleep that night.

那晚我們睡得很好。

The piece that's important about that

這個部分裡，重要的是

is that we had similar kinds of experiences

我們所經歷的遭遇都一樣，

from Idaho all the way through to Pennsylvania,

從愛德荷州一路到賓夕法尼亞州。

where we were rejected from hotels, motels and restaurants.

我們在旅館，汽車旅館和 餐廳都遭到拒絕。

But we made it to Pennsylvania.

但我們終於到了賓夕法尼亞州。

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

我們將家人安頓好了。 大家都很高興看到孩子。

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

我跳上飛機去到拉布拉多區的鵝灣。

which is another story, right?

那是另一個故事了，對嗎？

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Here it is, 53 years later,

現在，53年後，

I now have nine grandchildren, two great-grandchildren.

我有九個孫子，兩個曾孫。

Five of the grandchildren are boys.

五個孫子是男孩。

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

他們有碩士，博士，大學學位， 其中一個是醫學院的，

I have a couple that are trending.

其中有兩個是追隨社會潮流。

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

他們幾乎快成功了，但就差一點點。 （笑聲）

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

我有一個孫子在大學已經讀了八年了。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

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

他還沒有拿到學位， 但他想成為一個喜劇演員。

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

我們一直要他繼續留在學校。

Because you never know,

因為你無法知道，

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

只是因為你在家裡很搞笑， 你也不一定可成為喜劇演員，對嗎？

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

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

重要的是，他們都是好孩子 ——

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

沒有人吸毒，沒有人高中懷孕，沒有人犯罪。

So with that being the backdrop,

在這個背景下，有一天

I was sitting in my TV room watching TV,

我坐在起居室裡看電視，

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

他們在談論弗格森事件，和其他最近發生的喧囂。

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

突然，一個新聞評論員出現在螢幕上，她說：

"In the last three months,

「在過去的三個月，

eight unarmed African-American males

有八位沒有武器的美國黑人男子

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

被警察、白人屋主，或白人所殺害。」

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

那個時候，似乎有某種理由， 它大大地震撼了我。

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

我說：「那是什麼？真是瘋了。

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

是什麼樣的憎恨可以讓人做這樣的事？」

Just then, one of my grandsons called.

正好那時，我的一個孫子打電話來。

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

他說：「祖父，你聽到電視報導裡說的嗎？」

I said, "Yes, I did."

我說：「是的，我聽到了。」

He said, "I'm just so confused.

他說：「我真的很困惑。

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

我們就只是做我們一般做的事， 好像身為黑人開車，

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

身為黑人走路，身為黑人講話，就是危險。

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

我們該做什麼呢？ 我們只是做你教我們做的。

When stopped by the police,

當我們被警察停下來時，

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

我們將雙手放在方向盤的12點鐘位置。

If asked to get identification,

如果他們要我們的身分證明，

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

我們告訴他們：「我要慢慢的伸手到 手套箱裡拿我的身份證明。」

When pulled out of the car to be searched,

當我們從車裡被拉出來搜身，

when laid on the ground to be searched,

當趴在地上被搜身時，

when our trunks are opened to be searched,

當我們的行李箱被打開搜查時，

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

我們不能推拒，也不能挑戰， 因為我們知道，你告訴過我們，

'Don't you challenge the police.

「絕對不要對抗警察。

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

等事情過去後，再打電話給我們， 我們會去做抗爭。」

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

他說：「但這是我最不能理解的：

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

我們的白人朋友，我們的哥兒們，我們都一起混。

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

當聽到我們遇到這種事情時，他們說：

'Why do you take it?

「你為什麼要忍受這種待遇呢？

You need to push back. You need to challenge.

你要推拒，你要對抗。

You need to ask them for their identification.'"

你要向他們要他們的身份證明。」

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

我教孩子們這樣回答他們的白人朋友：

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

「要知道你們可以如此做， 但是當我們在車子裡的時候，

while we're in the car

請你們不要這樣做。

because the consequences for you are significantly different

因為你可能遇到的後果

than the consequences for us."

和我們可能遇到的大大不同。」

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

所以，作為一個祖父， 我如何給孫子們一個交代？

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

我如何保護他們的安全？ 我如何讓他們安然無恙？

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

因爲這個事件，一些人來找我，問我：

"Jim, are you angry?"

「吉姆，你生氣嗎？」

And my response to that is this:

我的回答是：

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

「我沒有可以生氣的這份奢侈，

and I also know the consequences of being enraged."

我還知道生氣的后果會是什麼。」

因此，我唯一能做的就是

So therefore, the only thing that I can do

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

我以集體的智慧、我的精力、理念和經驗，

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

奉獻自己去抗爭那些任何時候，

anything that looks like it might be racist.

任何可能是種族歧視的案件。

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

首先我要做的是教育，

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

其次是我必須指出種族歧視，

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

最後一件事是我必須做的是 我要竭盡所能，

to eradicate racism in my lifetime by any means necessary.

以任何可行的手段， 在此生消滅種族歧視。

The second thing I do is this:

第二件事我做的事：

I want to appeal to Americans.

我要呼籲美國人。

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

我要向他們的人性，他們的尊嚴，

to their civic pride and ownership

他們的公民自尊和公民主權呼籲

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

請他們不要對這些令人髮指的罪行 有不利的反應。

But instead, to elevate your level of societal knowledge,

而是，提升你的社會知識的水準，

your level of societal awareness and societal consciousness

你的社會意識和社會良知的水準。

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

然後，我們一起， 所有我們一起，

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

確定我們站出來反對和 挑戰任何形式的瘋狂行為，

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

那些認為可以殺害沒有武器的人的瘋狂行為，

regardless of their ethnicity,

無論他們是哪個族群，

regardless of their race,

無論他們是那個種族，

regardless of their diversity makeup.

無論他們不同的特徵為何。

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

我們必須向那些挑戰。 那些完全不合理智。

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

我想，我們唯一能做的， 就是透過大家一起來，

我們需要有黑人，白人， 亞洲人和西班牙裔，

We need to have black and white and Asian and Hispanic

just to step forward and say,

挺身而出，並且說，

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

「我們不再接受這樣的行為。」