On Feb. 28 last year, over 2 million people formed a human chain across Taiwan in the 228 Hand-in-Hand rally to protest China's military threats.
Many had tears in their eyes when they held each other's hands.
They were touched because they were not only campaigning for President Chen Shui-bian (
Such affection was passed on as individuals gathered their power through their hands and hearts.
What it showed was not only a 500km human chain, but also the growing mainstream Taiwan awareness.
When then-president Lee Teng-hui (
As the Bible says in Exodus, Joshua led the Jewish people to overcome hardship and build their own country in the promised land.
Taiwan's transformation into a normal country is like this promised land, and making a new constitution and rectifying the nation's name are two milestones on the path to completing that process.
This is also the sacred mission passed on from Lee to Chen. The two have often been portrayed as Moses and Joshua.
Unfortunately, Chen has lost himself in the tides of power since entering the post-Joshua era in his second term.
Obviously, in order to build his historical status, he has attempted to rewrite his version of Exodus.
On the scales of ideals and power, he has chosen to lean toward power.
The ruling Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) "middle way" has been replaced by the "one China" principle, and the party's campaign promises of a new constitution and rectification of the national title are nothing but pie in the sky.
During his meeting with People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong (
Now that he's become like Doctor Faustus -- who sold his soul to the devil -- how will he face his voters who supported him wholeheartedly?
Today, the biggest crisis in Taiwan's society is the loss of a clear direction for the country, and it will be a catastrophe if the helmsman of the state loses his direction.
The DPP's flag seems to be prophetic, as the white cross on the flag clearly shows that, from colonial rule to this day, Taiwan has hesitated at the crossroads, without being able to choose a direction and destination.
By hiding behind the stated intent to maintain the status quo in order to find a resting place for the nation, Chen is actually just making an excuse, because he dares not face Taiwan's future.
In fact, the lack of clarity on Taiwan's status is the original sin behind its hesitation at the crossroad.
The Taiwanese people helped Chen win reelection with their precious votes. In the post-Joshua era, it is a great moment for him to build his historical status.
The 228 Incident memorial day was a symbol of Taiwan consciousness.
If the pan-green camp really gives up its insistence on a new constitution and national title rectification, can Chen clearly declare in which direction Taiwan will head?
How can it become a normal country and reach the promised land?
Chen Chien-ming is the secretary-general of the Taiwan Solidarity Union.
TRANSLATED BY EDDY CHANG
The muting of the line “I’m from Taiwan” (我台灣來欸), sung in Hoklo (commonly known as Taiwanese), during a performance at the closing ceremony of the World Masters Games in New Taipei City on May 31 has sparked a public outcry. The lyric from the well-known song All Eyes on Me (世界都看見) — originally written and performed by Taiwanese hip-hop group Nine One One (玖壹壹) — was muted twice, while the subtitles on the screen showed an alternate line, “we come here together” (阮作伙來欸), which was not sung. The song, performed at the ceremony by a cheerleading group, was the theme
Secretary of State Marco Rubio raised eyebrows recently when he declared the era of American unipolarity over. He described America’s unrivaled dominance of the international system as an anomaly that was created by the collapse of the Soviet Union at the end of the Cold War. Now, he observed, the United States was returning to a more multipolar world where there are great powers in different parts of the planet. He pointed to China and Russia, as well as “rogue states like Iran and North Korea” as examples of countries the United States must contend with. This all begs the question:
Liberals have wasted no time in pointing to Karol Nawrocki’s lack of qualifications for his new job as president of Poland. He has never previously held political office. He won by the narrowest of margins, with 50.9 percent of the vote. However, Nawrocki possesses the one qualification that many national populists value above all other: a taste for physical strength laced with violence. Nawrocki is a former boxer who still likes to go a few rounds. He is also such an enthusiastic soccer supporter that he reportedly got the logos of his two favorite teams — Chelsea and Lechia Gdansk —
Keelung Mayor George Hsieh (謝國樑) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) on Tuesday last week apologized over allegations that the former director of the city’s Civil Affairs Department had illegally accessed citizens’ data to assist the KMT in its campaign to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) councilors. Given the public discontent with opposition lawmakers’ disruptive behavior in the legislature, passage of unconstitutional legislation and slashing of the central government’s budget, civic groups have launched a massive campaign to recall KMT lawmakers. The KMT has tried to fight back by initiating campaigns to recall DPP lawmakers, but the petition documents they
RSS