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A mask is more than just a face covering

I am a mask. I have been worn over the mouth of Professor Lee Shiao-feng (李筱峰) for the past two days. The other day a reporter asked Lee: "We have all been wearing masks since the SARS outbreak began. People guard against each other. Is the distance between people growing? Is the feeling of alienation growing?" After hearing this question, I couldn't help but feel sad. The sense of alienation is growing because people wear me?

But Lee's answer suddenly made me feel better. "No, my answer is absolutely the opposite. We have seen people wearing masks all over the city. It makes me feel that the Taiwanese are meeting with the virus threat together. It makes me feel that we are all linked together by destiny. Masks have become a symbol of Taiwan fulfilling its destiny as a gemeinschaft," he said.

The reporter asked, "Then aren't many people in China and Hong Kong joining our gemeinschaft because they also wear masks?" Lee jokingly said, "This is not gemeinschaft. That would be called the `Chinese SARS Co-prosperity Sphere.' China infected us with SARS. It even infected Singapore, Vietnam and Toronto with SARS. The 21st century is the Chinese people's century, as Chinese people often say."

I didn't know that I could be interpreted in multiple ways.

As a matter of fact, do you think I like to be worn over people's mouths and noses and alienate people? According to German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche: "What is great in man is that he is a bridge and not a goal." To be a great mask, I mustn't play the role of a bridge. It would be tragic if we become the bridge between virus and man. We are supposed to help man block and cut off virus.

Unfortunately, some people do not understand the meaning of a bridge and always want to hold hegemony over others. Sometimes they even add extra meanings to us.

For example, on Sept. 26, 1988, more than 30 social groups wore masks and protested against the Civic Societies Organization Law (人團法) which was instituted by the KMT to prohibit the use of the name "Taiwan" in group titles. And on Dec. 28, 1988, Hakka friends wore masks and protested against the Broadcasting and Television Law (廣電法) for restricting native-language programs. They even had a photo of Sun Yat-sen (孫中山) covered with one of my kind. At that time, masks stood for the KMT's restrictions on the Taiwanese consciousness,native languages and culture. Masks were the symbol of some wicked laws such as the two laws just mentioned, thereby becoming a sign of KMT dictatorship.

Do KMT Chairman Lien Chan (連戰) and PFP Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜), two of the partners in crime, still remember this part of history? After a Lien-Soong ticket for next year was agreed upon, didn't Soong say he wants to be "responsible for history?"

What is done cannot be undone, but the future is in our hands. It is not too late for them to be responsible for history, to repent their mistakes. However, it is hard to tell from their recent actions that these members of the old guard want to start over with a clean slate.

For example, because China infected Taiwan with SARS and prevented this country from entering the World Health Assembly, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) hoped for a referendum to solidify public opinion so as to voice the people's will to join the World Health Organization. However, the pan-blue camp is still opposing and making things difficult for a referendum law in every possible way.

It is so contradictory for Soong to oppose the people's right to a referendum. How clever it is for Soong to say one thing but practice another. Soong's mouth cannot be covered by any kind of masks. I would consider myself in very bad straits if I were to come across this kind of mouth.

Lee Shiao-feng is a professor at Shih Hsin University.

Translated by Grace Shaw
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