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Partisan standoff, voter insanity

Nov 5, 4:45am, US. It is still dark. Seeing the tranquility outside, I have no urgent wish nor hope for the darkness to disappear. I've already been lying awake here in my bed, thinking, for more than two hours. "Here" is Fairfax County, Virginia, only seven or eight minutes away by car from my research room at George Mason University. I am free from the pressure of having to attend classes and thus I am automatically isolated from the outside world. If I wake up in the middle of the night, I am free to think for an hour or two without having to force my self to go back to sleep.

It is a rare thing these days to be so leisurely and free.

A few days ago, President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) passed through not-so-distant New York. If we distance ourselves from the craziness in the overseas Chinese community, the heated Taiwanese media, and the insane standoff between the blue and green camps, Chen's passing through was treated as a small affair unworthy of mention in the US and global media. The only mention was made in a TV commentary a few days ago, saying that Chen's passing through alerted the US to the possibility that Taiwan might bring trouble for the US.

The "glorious journey" much discussed in Taiwan's media was in the end only a tempest in a Taiwanese teapot. When Chen shook hands with US Foreign Secretary Colin Powell in a routine exchange of pleasantries at an official celebration in Panama, the Taiwanese media inflated that too, to the point where they said that Chen, this "internationally invisible person," finally had become visible. This is the reflection of a national lack of confidence.

The so-called high-profile treatment that Chen received will have to be paid for by the Taiwanese people, and this is nothing to brag about. The blue camp's attacks on Chen, saying that he was feted by arms dealers and mentioning that he received no 21-gun salute, also show a lack of style. Since the people of Taiwan have magnanimously footed the bill for this trip, the money has already been spent and there should be no need to find fault with Chen and make the money spent by the people seem worthless. If this game continues, the green camp is also certain to find fault with the blue camp when it is their turn to receive such high-profile treatment.

The various acts of the "Passing Through New York" soap opera display two main characteristics.

First, Taiwan's leaders have forgotten how to appreciate other people's achievements, and are only capable of revealing their weaknesses, all the while bragging about their own achievements without ever considering their own deficiencies.

Second, Taiwan's voters (not the whole people) have already lost the wisdom and ability to choose between right and wrong and to evaluate principles. Everything has been sucked into the madness of blue-green opposition, just like the crazed fans of opposing teams in a football or baseball match. But although these fans shout and fight madly during games, and even resort to gang fighting, they cool down once they leave the sports arena.

Taiwanese voters' loss of wisdom is as serious as a disease that has reached the vital organs. Not only do blue camp voters treat green camp supporters as morons, but they also see them as enemies and traitors. Green voters treat blue voters the same way.

Next year's presidential election has split Taiwan into two nations. Talking about fighting for diplomacy, politics or the economy in a Taiwan that is split this way is nothing but a heap of lies. No struggle will succeed under these circumstances. With such an inferior understanding of "democracy," it is not surprising that Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) says he will flee Taiwan if Lien Chan (連戰) and James Soong (宋楚瑜) win the election. But isn't the democratic system a civilized game that is all about replacing "the chopping off of heads with the counting of hands?" Why does the former president have to work himself up to the point of such nervousness? What is there to be so afraid of? Why flee?

Our government and our leaders are a reflection of our voters. As we criticize the government and curse politicians, we should first consider whether we ourselves are insane or slow-witted, if we are an irrational electorate that has lost its manners.

In recent years, I have come to use the phrase "the voters of Taiwan" more often and the phrase "the people of Taiwan" less.

By "voters" I mean those who have completely turned themselves into the hatchet men for, or the lackeys of, the blue or the green camp. This kind of person is truly pitiful. They really believe that such enthusiastic support for the blue or green camp is patriotic and the same as loving the party and Taiwan. They really do not understand that they are playing the same role as someone calling out "Too hot!" when he sees someone eating a steamed bun.

Take a look at the time before and after the transfer of power. What has changed? One set of people who enjoyed power, benefits and special priveleges were replaced by another. What did voters get, materially or spiritually?

Although this is the cold reality, voters are unfortunately getting more and more fanatical, as if they were possessed. In particular, as "the mighty candidate" is becoming possessed, Taiwan begins a crazy dance and we seem unable to regain our senses.

In contrast to the voters of Taiwan, the people of Taiwan seem to be increasingly frustrated, quiet, and atrophied.

There are a lot of insane voters, and only a few rational people. This is Taiwan's greatest crisis.

This is why the 2004 presidential election campaign has turned into a competition over who is the most rotten. The least rotten will win; the one most adept at running an election campaign will win.

Anyone who doesn't want to choose from among rotten candidates has to stay cool and keep his silence. Or like me, leave Taiwan temporarily -- "weak coward" that I am -- to take up residence on a campus in the US, to reflect and think in the dark, quiet night.

Because there are more voters than people, it will be difficult to change the overall situation in one fell swoop. We can only wait patiently until voters wake up. Or learn from my neighbor across the hallway, who has hung a sign reading "God Bless America" on his door.

After the sun comes up, I must piously hang a sign on my door -- "God Bless Taiwan."

Shih Ming-teh is a former DPP chairman currently living in the US.

Translated by Perry Svensson
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