J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y - 1 9 9 8

The Return of the Prof Lam Joins Protest in Chinese Homeland "I'm Fat not fat!" Lam tells people. It is true. The American spelling of the Chinese name is pronounced the same as the American word for "extra flesh." But Fat Lam has no extra flesh. Extra feeling perhaps. Extra strength perhaps. Maybe even extra brains. But no extra flesh at all.
		Lam in a T-shirt that accuses a former Chinese leader of murder.

Lam is Chinese. He grew up in Hong Kong, a city that once belonged to Britain. When Lam was a boy, the British influence was strong. Hong Kongs government was independent, moving toward a democracy modeled on that of Britain. Hong Kong was successful economically, too. Like New York and London, it was a financial capital of the world.

At the deaf school, students learned in English as well as Chinese. But Lam never went to the deaf school. When he became deaf at 10 years old, he stayed in his hearing elementary school. He graduated at the top of his class, but high school required money so Lam went right to work. He became a tailor, sewing hems, sleeves, and clothing for people. After a while, he apprenticed to a carpenter. His father had been a carpenter and Lam would be a carpenter, too.

He worked as a carpenter for five years.

Then one day Lam stopped in a USA information office in Hong Kong. There was lots of material about the United States there. One of the brochures mentioned an American college for deaf studentsnow Gallaudet University in Washington, DC.

Lam had never heard of a college for deaf students. But he had studied the English language and he enjoyed reading. He wrote away for more information.

"What have I got to lose?" he thought.

From Carpenter to Math Prof
A year later, Lam was on a plane headed for the United States. Three years later, he was a Gallaudet graduate. He got a master’s degree in math from George Washington University and a doctoral degree in math from University of Montana. Now he has returned to Gallaudet University, where he is a math professor.

Lam never forgot his Chinese roots. His wife, Kay Lam, also deaf, is from Hong Kong, too. Often, they return to Hong Kong to visit their families. Last summer, they made a long-planned and very special visit. On July 1, Britain returned Hong Kong to China. Lam wanted to be there.

"I wanted to be a witness," he said.

Witness For Freedom But Lam didn’t just witness. He participated. From the beginning, Lam knew he had to demonstrate. He was happy that the British were gone. He was glad that Hong Kong has returned to the rightful nation. "The problem is this government..." he said. Chinas government is a Communist Party dictatorship, not a democracy. While the Communist Party permits the Chinese people to have economic freedom, it does not permit them to have political freedom. "There is no such thing as freedom of speech in China," said Lam.

Lam arrived in the morning and was in a demonstration by noon.

For example, Lam says, when Americans launched the first men into space, the Chinese newspapers ignored it.

For another example, there is Tiananmen Square.

Tiananmen Massacre Tiananmen Square used to be just the most well known square in Beijing, the capital of China. Then in 1989, Chinese students held a demonstration there. The students claimed their right to free speech. They claimed their right to democracy.

A candlelight vigil for those who died at Tianamen Square.

The demonstration grew. Workers joined the students. Thousands of people, young and old, filled Tiananmen Square. They carried signs and banners. They carried a copy of the American Statue of Liberty. Reporters arrived and the news was flashed around the world. In the United States, people sat in front of their TVs and watched the dramatic and peaceful demonstration for democracy and freedom in China.

Then the Chinese dictators cracked down. The Chinese army attacked the demonstrators. The soldiers killed hundreds of students. They arrested the leaders. The dictators had made a decision: There would be no freedom of speech in China.

A Protest Lam, like many Chinese, protested the attack at Tianamen Square immediately. "I saw what happened on TV," he said. "And I went to the Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC immediately. There were hundreds of other Chinese already there." Last summer, he protested again. As soon as he learned that a demonstration was planned in Hong Kong, he joined it.

They marched to the demonstrate outside of the New China Press Agency.

"I got off the plane at seven in the morning," he remembered. "By noon, I was at the demonstration."

Together with other Hong Kong residents, Lam marched to the New China Press agency. Lam was impressed by elderly women who walked ahead of him. It was hot and humid, but the two women never sat down. Like Lam, they walked for three hours.

Lam donned a special T-shirt for the occasion. The T-shirt referred to the murdered students and workers. It said: "We will never forget."

Three days later, there was another demonstration to remember Tianamen Square. This time it was a candlelight vigil. Over 55,000 people came, so many that they ran out of candles. Lam did have a candle—he had arrived early. He wore a different T-shirt. This one showed a picture of the Chinese leader who ordered the Tianamen massacre. It called him a murderer.

"I was not afraid to wear the T-shirt because I am an American citizen now and the Hong Kong police are better than the Chinese police," said Lam. "You can’t buy that T-shirt in Hong Kong."

A Promise
On July 1, the time to change the government arrived. Prince Charles and other Britons made farewell speeches. Chinese soldiers marched into the city.

Lam went to one more demonstration. The Chinese dictators had promised to extend some freedom people in Hong Kong—and the demonstrators were charging them to live up to their promise.

Lam is home now, back to teaching math to college students.

"I am optimistic about the Chinese living up to their promise," he says slowly.

"They know the world is watching."

General comments may be sent to: ISCS.ClercCenter@gallaudet.edu Last modified March 5, 1998 Copyright © 1997, All Rights Reserved Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center Gallaudet University 800 Florida Ave. NE Washington, DC 20002-3695