Forgive, but don't forget, our history

I would like to tell a true story.

The time was 20 years ago, on the morning of the day before the mass arrests of the people involved in the Kaohsiung Incident. The place was a classroom in the College of Law at National Taiwan University.

Even before the class began, the classroom was already filled with students concerned about the political situation -- some of them standing. Everyone wanted to hear what Hu Fu (胡佛), the liberal professor who taught "Chinese constitution and government," would have to say about an incident that had shocked Taiwan and would have a major impact on her development.

The class began. Professor Hu Fu walked into the classroom in his usual gown, holding lecture papers in his hand. All the students stopped their discussions and waited quietly for his opening remarks. Hu seemed unaware of the searching gazes trained on him. An impatient student raised his hand and asked the teacher about his views.

He paused. Then he turned and solemnly wrote four characters on the blackboard, "哀矜勿喜" (Compassion, be not joyous). He told the students that he had no plan to make any direct comment on the incident. However, the students' emotions did not abate. Having established a tacit understanding not to openly discuss the Kaohsiung Incident, Hu talked with the students about various theories of democracy and political development until well after the class was supposed to end.

The next day, the official Central Daily News published a column on page 2 criticizing Hu Fu for disseminating improper discourse in the classroom.

Today, this man, whom the conservatives labelled a "poisonous weed" has been elected as an academian at the Academia Sinica. Some of the students in that classroom have taken up political careers; some have become high-level officials in the mass media. Of course, some of them turned away from politics and may have long forgotten the Kaohsiung Incident.

As a central event in the history of Taiwan, the Kaohsiung Incident had a decisive impact on the rise of democracy in Taiwan. Today, looking back, we may ponder, critique, probe, blame or forgive, but we should never forget.

In the world of realpolitik, how to look at history is very political. Especially, amid the hustle and bustle of the presidential campaign, how can those people who took part in the incident be exempt from historical scrutiny. Trying to separate history from politics is a futile act of self-deception.

Of course, those political figures who were in power at the time of the Kaohsiung Incident will feel embarrassed. Thus, the splendid phrase "look ahead" has become a political leitmotif. All political figures should, of course, look ahead; otherwise, how can the Taiwanese people entrust them with governance? However, the motivation for looking ahead should come from the reflection on what has passed.

It may be true that all rulers have to face the dilemma of "having to root out fragrant herbs when they are growing in front of the door." However, those who find themselves in the wrong positions can still insist on saying and doing the right thing. If they are not capable of honest self-reflection, how can they open up the path ahead?

Shih Ming-teh (施明德), the hero and victim of the Kaohsiung Incident, said: "Introspection is the starting point for facing history; forgiveness is the period that brings an end to agony."