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Best to leave outdated traditions in the past

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) has been a pitiful guy. He has humbly apologized to former Premier Hau Pei-tsun (郝柏村), paid homage to the statue of Chiang Kai-shek's (蔣介石) at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, visited martial-law era general Wang Sheng (王昇) and appointed 93-year-old general Kao Kuei-yuan (高魁元) as his strategic advisor. Kao probably has no idea what, for instance, the MICA missile is; how can he be a national security advisor?

Everything seems so ridiculous and chaotic. Which era are we living in? During his inspection of cadet troops, President Chen recited words from the will of Sun Yat-sen (孫中山), "the founding father of our nation." Every time the words "the late President Chiang Kai-shek" are mentioned, the inspected troops immediately and ritualistically stand at attention to pay tribute to Chiang. How much longer will Chiang continue to be exalted as a "great" person?

Immediately standing at attention upon hearing Chiang's name is a practice invented by Zhang Zhizhong (張治中), who was a close confidant of Chiang 60 years ago who later betrayed him by joining the Chinese Communists. The ritual persists today and has become a totem of Taiwan's military. How absurd!

Another equally ridiculous scene takes place in the conference rooms of the many military, government and educational institutions. The portrait of Sun Yat-sen hangs on the front wall of the conference room. On the back wall is President Chen's portrait, while the portraits of the two Chiangs, father and son, hang on other two walls. How "great" are the Chiangs? How much longer will their portraits remain where there?　

We do not intend dig into Chiang Kai-shek's past, and do not intend to "forever have his company" (長相左右), a dying wish suggested by Chiang in his will. More than 20 years ago, then-Provincial Governor Hsieh Tung-min (謝東閔) led 21 county commissioners and city mayors to kneel down and touch the ground with their foreheads in front of the sarcophagus during Chiang's funeral. The Executive Yuan ordered all civil servants and school staffs to bear mourning signs for Chiang -- a despotic act reminiscent of fascism. It is now the year 2000, and the people of Taiwan still can't rid of Chiang. How pathetic.

At the first inter-ministry meeting of the new government, Interior Minister Chang Po-ya (張博雅) made the following statement: "Many existing regulations of the ministry are out-of-date, such as hanging the `Citizens' Rules' (國民守則) and portraits of the two President Chiangs in the conference rooms of some government offices. Only the portraits of the nation's founding father and the current president need to be hung."

What Chang pointed out is simply common sense; however, in Taiwan many common-sense statements are taboo. Things are not as simple as they appear.

If Chang's words had came from President Chen, the pro-unification media and scholars would have blasted him with abstruse political philosophies and views of history inspired by nationalism. No one can predict how far the political uproar would have lasted.

Minister Chang, though gentle in character, is firm of purpose. In addition, nobody can find fault with her ideological stance. Many major problems that run counter to common sense can be brought up by Chang, but not by Chen. Chang has the obligation to help Taiwan become a place in harmony with humanity. We shall thank her if she successfully achieves this.

Chen Kuang-fu is a former legislator.
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