So how many secret meetings have President Chen Shui-bian (
The dislike, lack of respect and contempt for government and politics in this country is a result of Taiwanese politicians' blatant lack of self-respect and self-appreciation.
Opposition parties create disdain for politics and politicians by trying to make the DPP look bad. If the opposition regains power, they will no longer be respected by the public.
This stupid behavior causes substantial harm to themselves while inflicting lesser damage to their opponents.
The media not only oversteps the boundaries of propriety, but they even sow dissension with their malicious exaggerations, tricking politicians and smearing politics, while at the same time adding more fuel to the fire of public disgust with politics.
The verbal clashes between Chen and Taipei City Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (
The president in particular should accept humiliation rather than revert to emotional outbursts, veiled ridicule or intimations of involvement in inappropriate dealings.
In ancient China, it was said that the prime minister should be broadminded to the point where he could harbor a whole boat in his heart. What, then, should we demand of a king or a president?
In fact, tolerance and quiet suffering of injustices would gain the public's respect and appreciation.
The petty, mean, glib, sophistic arguments of politicians are narrow-minded, cheap and shortsighted. There is little likelihood that this cacophony would result in even one great achievement.
Unfortunately, all our political leaders take pride in their sharp tongues, their pettiness and their meanness. This is hardly conducive to creating a social atmosphere of honesty, sincerity and purity.
Since we will not be lucky enough to have gentlemanly leaders, we'll settle for hypocrites who pay attention to style and politeness to set a model of behavior for the next generation of democratic leaders and to restore public confidence and respect for politics.
All you small-scale personalities, please get the heck off the political stage and go do something that is more commensurate with your status.
Pu Ta-chung is a political commentator based in Taipei
Translated by Perry Svensson
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