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第一章FifthAvenue,Uptown:ALetterFromHarlemJamesBaldwin第五大道住宅区：一封来自黑人的来信。1TheprojectsinHarlemarehated.Theyarehatedalmostasmuchaspolicemen,andthisissayingagreatdeal.Andtheyarehatedforthesamereason:bothreveal,unbearably,therealattitudeofthewhiteworld,nomatterhowmanyliberalspeechesaremade,nomatterhowmanyloftyeditorialsarewritten,nomatterhowmanycivilrightscommissionsaresetup.哈莱姆的居民憎恨住房的建设计划和警察的巡逻,其原因在于两者都令人难以忍受地揭示了白人世界对黑人的真正态度2Theprojectsarehideous,ofcourse,therebeingalaw,apparentlyrespectedthroughouttheworld,thatpopularhousingshallbeascheerlessasaprison.诚然，这些工程（建筑）丑陋不堪，从表面上看也符合一个世界公认的法则：普及型住房应该和监狱一样令人郁闷。(民众的住房应当像监狱那样单调阴郁)TheyarelumpedalloverHarlem,colorless,bleak,high,andrevolting.ThewidewindowslookoutonHarlem’sinvincibleandindescribablesqualor:theParkAvenuerailroadtracks,aroundwhich,aboutfortyyearsago,thepresentdarkcommunitybegan;theunrehabilitatedhouses,boweddown,itwouldseem,underthegreatweightoffrustrationandbitternesstheycontain;thedark,theominousschoolhouses,fromwhichthechildmayemergemaimed,blinded,hooked,orenragedforlife;andthechurches,churches,blockuponblockofchurches,nichedinthewallslikecannoninthewallsofafortress.宽大的窗户俯瞰着哈莱姆的破败，它一成不变，难以描述：那里有帕克大街的车轨，在此周围，大约40年前，现今黑暗的社区就开始形成了；那里有无法修复的房子，耷拉着，似乎在承载着其中失败与痛苦的巨大压力；那里有黑暗的、带来坏运气的学校教室，因为从这些校舍里出来的孩子可能是伤残的、瞎眼的、吸毒的或一生愤怒的人；那里还有很多教堂，街区连着街区，教堂的墙壁都装饰着神像，就像加农炮加在堡垒的堞垛上。Eveniftheadministrationoftheprojectswerenotsoinsanelyhumiliating(forexample:onemustreportraisesinsalarytothemanagement,whichwilltheneatuptheprofitbyraisingone’srent;themanagementhastherighttoknowwhoisstayinginyourapartment;themanagementcanaskyoutoleave,attheirdiscretion),theprojectswouldstillbehatedbecausetheyareaninsulttothemeanestintelligence.对于智力最低的人都是一种侮辱。3Harlemgotitsfirstprivateproject,Riverton--whichisnow,naturally,aslum--abouttwelveyearsagobecauseatthattimeNegroeswerenotallowedtoliveinStuyvesantTown.HarlemwatchedRivertongoup,therefore,inthemostviolentbitternessofspirit,andhateditlongbeforethebuildersarrived.Theybeganhatingitataboutthetimepeoplebeganmovingoutoftheircondemnedhousestomakeroomforthisadditionalproofofhowthoroughlythewhiteworlddespisedthem.Andtheyhadscarcelymovedin,naturally,beforetheybegansmashingwindows,defacingwalls,urinatingintheelevators,andfornicatingintheplaygrounds.Liberals,bothwhiteandblack,wereappalledatthespectacle.Iwasappalledbytheliberalinnocence--orcynicism,whichcomesoutinpracticeasmuchthesamething.1Otherpeopleweredelightedtobeabletopointtoproofpositivethatnothingcouldbedonetobetterthelotofthecoloredpeople.Theywere,andare,rightinonerespect:thatnothingcanbedoneaslongastheyaretreatedlikecoloredpeople.ThepeopleinHarlemknowtheyarelivingtherebecausewhitepeopledonotthinktheyaregoodenoughtoliveanywhereelse.Noamountof“improvement”cansweetenthisfact.Whatevermoneyisnowbeingearmarkedtoimprovethis,oranyotherghetto,mightaswellbeburnt.2Aghettocanbeimprovedinonewayonly:outofexistence.4Similarly,theonlywaytopoliceaghettoistobeoppressive.NoneofcommissionerKennedy’spolicemen,evenwiththebestwillintheworld,haveanywayofunderstandingthelivesledbythepeopletheyswaggeraboutintwo’sandthree’scontrolling.Theirverypresenceisaninsult,anditwouldbe,eveniftheyspenttheirentiredayfeedinggumdropstochildren.3Theyrepresenttheforceofthewhiteworld,andthatworld’srealintentionsare,simply,forthatworld’scriminalprofitandease,tokeeptheblackmancorralleduphere,inhisplace.Thebadge,thegunintheholster,andtheswingingclubmakevividwhatwillhappenshouldhisrebellionbecomeovert.Rare,indeed,istheHarlemcitizen,fromthemostcircumspectchurchmembertothemostshiftlessadolescent,whodoesnothavealongtaletotellofpoliceincompetence,injustice,orbrutality.的确，哈莱姆区的居民，从最谨慎的神职人员到最懒散的青年，无一不对警察的无能、不公和粗暴抱怨连连。Imyselfhavewitnessedandendureditmorethanonce.Thebusinessmanandracketeersalsohaveastory.Andsodotheprostitutes.(Andthisisnot,perhaps,theplacetodiscussHarlem’sverycomplexattitudetowardsblackpolicemen,northereasons,accordingtoHarlem,thattheyarenearlyalldowntown.)5Itishard,ontheotherhand,toblamethepoliceman,blank,good-natured,thoughtless,andinsuperablyinnocent,forbeingsuchaperfectrepresentativeofthepeopleheserves.He,too,believesingoodintentionsandisastoundedandoffendedwhentheyarenottakenforthedeed.Hehasnever,himself,doneanythingforwhichtobehated--whichofushas?--andyetheisfacing,dailyandnightly,peoplewhowouldgladlyseehimdead,andheknowsit.而他知道这一点。Thereisnowayforhimnottoknowit:therearefewotherthingsunderheavenmoreunnervingthanthesilent,accumulatingcontemptandhatredofapeople.天底下没有几样东西比一个民族的沉默和日渐增长的轻蔑和仇恨更加令人胆寒的了。4HemovesthroughHarlem,therefore,likeanoccupyingsoldierinabitterlyhostilecountry;whichispreciselywhat,andwhere,heis,andisthereasonhewalksintwosandthrees.Andheisnottheonlyonewhoknowswhyheisalwaysincompany:thepeoplewhoarewatchinghimknowwhy,too.Anystreetmeeting,sacredorsecular,whichheandhiscolleaguesuneasilycoverhasasitsexplicitorimplicitburdenthecrueltyandinjusticeofthewhitedomination.Andthesedays,ofcourse,intermsincreasinglyvividandjubilant,itspeaksoftheendofthatdomination.Thewhitepoliceman,standingonaHarlemstreetcorner,findshimselfattheverycenterofthe