Why Taiwan is important
Having a flair for the obvious, I thought I'd try and offer a helping hand to the leadership of Taiwan's military who, according to a report are unsure as to why they should fight Beijing if a conflict were to occur ("Mili-tary looks for solutions to identity crisis," July 14, page 4).
Much to my astonishment, the word freedom was not mentioned once in the entire article.
For thousands of years, people have given their lives for the right to truthfully speak their minds, pray in the manner they see fit and associate with those they wish to. In China, they still are.
Taiwan is one of the freest countries in the world, enjoying freedom of the press, freedom of association and freedom of religion -- among others. And these freedoms are not merely on paper -- they are enshrined under law. These are things that Chinese citizens can still only dream of.
Let me offer a few examples of the difference for our friends in the military.
Lets suppose in Taiwan I write an article criticizing the Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) admin-istration. What would be the consequences for me? Well, if it was well-written and well researched, there's a fair chance it would be published, and I might bring home a few dollars.
Now, let's suppose we were in China, and I write an article criticizing the Jiang Zemin (
Well, if I were able to get it published, I'd likely be arrested, possibly beaten, and probably imprisoned. But since China remains capricious in its exercise of justice, the consequences depend on a host of factors other than what the law actually says. Hence the meaninglessness of China's Constitution -- which promises freedoms but protects none.
Here's another example.
Let's suppose a few friends and I meet to discuss Buddhism and we believe the Dalai Lama is a man of peace and love, or that the Falun Gong is the key to life, or that we like the Pope and want to follow his teachings. In China, any of these things is likely to result in our immediate deportation to a prison-labor-"re-education" camp and an undetermined amount of physical abuse, depending upon how quickly we give up having minds of our own.
By virtue of geography and history, Taiwan is on the front line in the ongoing struggle for the freedom of the individual -- for the belief that the state exists for the good of the people -- not for the good of itself.
Taiwan holds up the lie that Eastern peoples are unready -- or uninterested -- or incapable of enjoying these freedoms. It is the proof that the desire to protect the individual is a universal human longing, and as such, makes these freedoms all the more likely for people in other parts of Asia.
For China to learn this lesson -- Taiwan must never forget how important it is to protect these rights -- and yes, to fight for them. Without that, all the submarines and missiles in the world won't keep Taiwan free from the enslavement of materialism that is all Chinese communism can ever hope to offer.
If Taiwanese soldiers don't know what they're fighting for, then I fear all may soon be lost.
Will Mittler
Taipei
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