Once again, the world can take note: Democracy has taken root in Taiwan not because of the pan-blue camp, but despite it ("KMT still doesn't get democracy," July 21, page 8).
The pan-blue camp is haunted by their own ghost. For so many years, they hid behind their guns, secret police and underworld thugs to silence the voices of the Taiwanese people and maintain their monopoly on power. Now making up the opposition, they suspect the administration of Chen Shui-bian (
But, nonetheless, Taiwan now enjoys freedom and democracy -- something people on the other side of the Taiwan Strait can only dream about.
The people of Taiwan have two tasks in front of them. First, they must discard the illegitimate KMT, and second, they must defend themselves against Chinese aggression. The Taiwanese have all but finished the first task, but the KMT is doing its best to keep the Taiwanese people from carrying out the second task. In this light, it is not hard to understand why the pan-blue camp acts as it does.
The people of Taiwan, together with their true friends in the US and the world, including the UN, would do well to ignore pan-blue politicians and get on with their next task: To build this country into a fortress. If Taiwan is not able to dissuade the Chinese from invading, we must be able to defeat them.
Chen Ming-chung
Chicago, Illinois
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