桑迪•琼状告南卡州长案引起当地华裔关注Sandy Chiong’s Lawsuit Against South Carolina Governor Draws Attention from Local Chinese Community

《南卡日报》记者CHONGGANG YOUYAN

1月9日，哥伦比亚华人协会会长岑伟荃先生、亚太裔公共事务联盟南北卡分会（APAPA）会长朱超威博士，以及部分华协成员通过线上会议，与霍里县的桑迪•琼女士进行了深入交流。
On January 9, Weiquan Cen, President of the Columbia Chinese Association, Dr. Chaowei Zhu, President of the APAPA North and South Carolina Chapter, and several members of the Chinese Association held an in-depth virtual meeting with Sandy Chiong from Horry County.

去年12月，桑迪•琼女士因南卡州少数族裔事务委员会的种族配额政策提起诉讼，指控该政策违反宪法平等保护条款。
In December of last year, Ms. Sandy Chiong filed a lawsuit against the South Carolina Commission for Minority Affairs (CMA), alleging that its racial quota policy violates the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

这次线上会议不仅聚焦于案件本身，更强调了少数族裔在争取平等权利方面的共同努力。
The meeting not only focused on the details of the case but also emphasized the collective efforts of minority groups in their fight for equal rights.

岑伟荃先生表示：“美国少数族裔的权益长期未能得到平等对待。我们关注桑迪•琼的诉讼案，希望通过这场讼诉能够唤起社会对平等权利的重视。”
Weiquan Cen stated, “The rights of minority groups in America have long been denied equality. We support Sandy Chiong’s lawsuit and hope it will raise awareness of the importance of equal rights.”

朱超威博士指出，生活在南卡州的华人作为美国的少数族裔，很可能在生活和工作中也会与桑迪•琼女士有类似的遭遇。他呼吁大家密切关注这次诉讼，以便了解自己在遇到被歧视的情况时，如何捍卫自身权益。
Dr. Chaowei Zhu highlighted that as a minority group in South Carolina, Chinese Americans may face similar challenges in both their personal and professional lives. He urged the community to closely follow this case to understand how to defend their rights if they encounter discrimination.

案情回顾
Case Background

桑迪•琼是古巴华裔后代，她的祖父母分别来自中国和加勒比地区，后因古巴政局动荡移民美国。如今，她居住在南卡州霍里县，希望通过加入少数族裔事务委员会，为社区服务。然而，由于委员会的种族配额政策，她的申请被拒。这项政策要求委员会的多数成员必须是非裔美国人，这让琼因自身的族裔背景而无法获得公平竞争的机会。
Sandy Chiong, a Chinese-Cuban American, is the granddaughter of immigrants from China and the Caribbean who moved to the U.S. during political turmoil in Cuba. She currently resides in Horry County, South Carolina, and sought to join the Commission for Minority Affairs to serve her community. However, her application was rejected due to the CMA’s policy requiring that a majority of its members be African American, a condition that excluded her because of her ethnic background.

米歇尔•米奇姆（Michelle Mitchum）是本案的另一位原告，她是松山印第安部落的酋长，曾在美洲原住民顾问委员会任职。米奇姆同样因种族配额政策被拒绝加入少数族裔事务委员会。她表示这一拒绝让她感觉深受伤害，并联想起历史上对原住民的歧视。她直言道：“这就像一张写着‘你不够格’的毯子盖在我身上。”
Michelle Mitchum, the other plaintiff in the case, is the chief of the Pine Hill Indian Tribe and a former member of the CMA’s Native American Advisory Committee. Like Chiong, Mitchum was denied a seat on the commission due to its racial quota policy. “It’s like being covered with a blanket labeled ‘You’re not good enough,’” Mitchum said, reflecting on the emotional toll of such exclusion.

 诉讼进展
Lawsuit Developments

该诉讼由格林维尔的律师杰弗里•邓拉维（Jeffrey Dunlaevy）与加州的太平洋法律基金会（Pacific Legal Foundation）共同代理，已于去年12月提交联邦法院。原告主张，委员会的种族配额政策，违反了美国宪法第14修正案中的平等保护条款，并要求法院废除这一政策。她们还请求象征性地赔偿1美元，以及支付律师费用。
The lawsuit, filed in December 2023, is being jointly handled by attorney Jeffrey Dunlaevy from Greenville and the Pacific Legal Foundation from California. The plaintiffs argue that the racial quota policy violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. They are seeking to have the policy abolished and are requesting symbolic damages of $1, along with attorney fees.

目前，该案尚未正式开庭审理，预计本月底将进入初步审查阶段。
The case is scheduled for preliminary review later this month.

全国范围的类似案例
Similar Cases Nationwide

桑迪•琼的案件并非孤例。在美国其他州，类似针对种族配额政策的诉讼屡见不鲜。例如：
Chiong’s lawsuit is not an isolated incident. Similar cases challenging racial quota policies have emerged across the U.S.:

路易斯安那州医学委员会案（2022年审理）：
Louisiana Medical Board Case (2022):
路易斯安那州医学委员会因要求委员会成员中必须有一定比例的非裔美国人，被当地居民提起诉讼。原告主张，这一政策剥夺了其他符合资格的候选人公平竞争的权利。
The board faced a lawsuit over its requirement that a certain percentage of its members be African American. Plaintiffs argued that this policy denied fair opportunities to qualified candidates from other racial backgrounds.

阿拉巴马州房地产评估委员会案（2023年提起诉讼）：
Alabama Real Estate Appraisers Board Case (2023):
阿拉巴马州房地产评估委员会也因类似的种族优待政策而受到指控。诉讼指出，委员会对少数族裔成员的强制性要求，违反了平等保护条款，导致部分候选人被排除在外。
This case involved allegations that the board’s policies mandating minority representation violated equal protection principles.

哈佛大学招生案（2023年裁决）
Harvard University Admissions Case (2023):
2023年6月，美国最高法院裁定，哈佛大学的基于种族的录取政策违宪。这一判决对全美范围内的种族多样性政策产生了深远影响，成为反对种族配额政策的重要案例。
In June 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Harvard’s race-based admissions policy was unconstitutional. The landmark decision has had a ripple effect on diversity policies nationwide.

这些案例反映了全美范围内对种族配额政策的质疑与抵制浪潮，显示出在公共服务和教育领域，种族因素被用于决策的合法性，正在面临前所未有的挑战。
These cases illustrate a growing national debate on the constitutionality of race-based policies in public services and education.

桑迪•琼的诉讼意义深远
Broader Implications of the Lawsuit

在接受记者采访时，桑迪•琼女士对这场诉讼的前景表现出极大的信心。她说：“我们一定会赢！”这一乐观态度不仅彰显了她对法律公正的信任，也激励了其他少数族裔为争取平等权利而奋斗。
In a recent interview, Sandy Chiong expressed optimism about her case. “We will win!” she stated confidently, reflecting her belief in the justice system and its ability to uphold fairness.

琼女士的诉讼不仅是对自身权益的维护，也为其他少数族裔争取平等权利提供了契机。在采访中，她回忆了自己的家族历史，并表示自己深知自由与平等的意义：“政府基于种族对资格进行限制，是对个体价值的冒犯。所有公民都应被视为独立个体，而非种族群体的一部分。”
Chiong’s lawsuit is not just about her own rights but also a call to action for other minorities to stand up for their equality. “Policies that base qualifications on race undermine individual value,” she said. “Every citizen should be treated as an individual, not as a member of an assigned racial group.”

1月9日的会议过程中，哥伦比亚华人协会会长岑伟荃与其他华协成员认为，少数族裔在公共服务领域长期遭遇的歧视现象令人担忧。
During the January 9 meeting, Weiquan Cen, President of the Columbia Chinese Association, along with other association members, expressed concern about the long-standing discrimination faced by minority groups in public service sectors.

岑伟荃先生说：“美国少数族裔的权益长期未能得到平等对待。琼女士受到的不公正待遇，不仅是政策失误，更是社会公正的倒退。”
Weiquan Cen said, “The rights of minority groups in the United States have long been denied equal treatment. The injustice faced by Ms. Chiong is not just a policy failure but a setback for social justice.”

朱超威博士认为：“种族配额政策的初衷可能是为了促进多样性，但当其变成歧视其他族裔的工具时，便完全背离了平等与公正的原则。”
Dr. Chaowei Zhu stated, “The original intent of racial quota policies may have been to promote diversity, but when they become tools for discriminating against other groups, they completely deviate from the principles of equality and justice.”

岑伟荃先生进一步呼吁，各个少数族裔，包括印度裔、泰裔、韩裔的族群等，都应该对桑迪•琼女士的诉讼案给予关注。“让州政府看到少数族裔的力量，这样我们的权益才能逐渐得到重视，”他强调说。
Weiquan Cen further urged all minority groups, including Indian, Thai, and Korean communities, to pay close attention to Sandy Chiong’s lawsuit. “Let the state government see the strength of minority communities. This is how our rights can gradually gain the recognition they deserve,” he emphasized.

岑伟荃先生总结道：“只有让所有人都认识到平等的重要性，社会的多元化与包容性才能真正得以实现。”Weiquan Cen concluded, “Only by ensuring that everyone recognizes the importance of equality can we truly achieve a diverse and inclusive society.”

参与这次会议的华协代表黎宇晓女士认为，桑迪•琼状告南卡州长案不仅挑战了一个地方性政策，也为全美范围内的少数族裔平权斗争提供了新的视角。这场诉讼的最终结果或许尚未明朗，但其背后传递的信号却无比清晰：无论种族、背景，每个人都应在法律下享有平等的权利与尊重。
Yuxiao Li, a representative of the Chinese Association who participated in the meeting, stated that Sandy Chiong’s lawsuit against the South Carolina governor not only challenges a local policy but also provides a new perspective on the broader fight for minority rights across the United States. While the final outcome of this lawsuit remains uncertain, the message it sends is unmistakably clear: regardless of race or background, everyone should enjoy equal rights and respect under the law.

南卡日报的记者王崇刚、幽燕也在会上发言，希望华人协会和APAPA等组织呼吁本地少数族裔团结一致，积极发声，争取更多公共服务领域的平等机会。协会可以通过新闻报道，举办论坛、撰写公开信等形式，向社会传递这一诉讼的重要性。
Reporters Chonggang Wang and Yuyan from South Carolina Daily also spoke during the meeting, expressing their hope that organizations such as the Chinese Association and APAPA will encourage local minority groups to unite, speak out, and advocate for greater equality in public service opportunities. They suggested that the association raise awareness about the importance of this lawsuit through news coverage, forums, and open letters to the public.

岑伟荃先生与桑迪•琼交谈
Weiquan Cen Speaks with Sandy Chiong

朱超威博士发言
Dr. Chaowei Zhu Speaks

桑迪•琼女士发言
Sandy Chiong Speaks

会后，华协理事黎宇晓、王崇刚与岑伟荃会长一起讨论
After the meeting, Chinese Association board members Yuxiao Li and Chonggang Wang joined President Weiquan Cen for a discussion.

(南卡日报EMAIL：chonggang2022@gmail.com）