I agree with Hsieh Yung-lu's opinion that China's banning of A-mei (阿妹) for singing the ROC National Anthem is the act of a gangster. In fact, based on their actions, we can conclude that:
A. China considers the ROC National Anthem to be promoting Taiwan independence.
B. Since anyone in Taiwan who has ever attended elementary school has sung the National Anthem, everyone in Taiwan supports its independence.
C. The words to the National Anthem were written by Sun Yat-Sen (孫中山), who is widely respected both in China and Taiwan.
D. Therefore, if Sun were alive, he too would support Taiwan independence!
Obviously, my reasoning makes as much sense as China's banning of A-mei and anything they consider to be a promotion of Taiwan independence.
Loren Chang
Los Angeles
Corporal punishment
Which is more appalling, a minister of education who fails to damn and condemn the corporal punishment still rampant in Taiwan's schools, or a mother and legislator who fails to acknowledge the psychological trauma inflicted on children by these criminal assaults? (Taipei Times June 8, Page 3)
As reported, Minister Ovid Tzeng (曾志朗) comes across as a doting father with the power and money to help his son evade these excesses in Taiwan's school system. This is not the way to garner support for reform. He allowed the opposition to portray him as an elitist when he should have been trying to enlist other parents to end corporal punishment.
To his credit, Tzeng did not hide behind the rich and powerful who have done with their children as he has done with his. But he fell into an ambush. One hopes that the next time he approaches the legislature he'll go armed with the statistics that show the pervasiveness of corporal punishment in Taiwan as well as with studies that demonstrate its harmful psychological effects. After all, his role as an educator has not ended ... its scope has expanded. Now, he must educate the legislature as well as the public.
B. Franklin
Taipei
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