Thng tek-chiong (湯德章) was a lawyer in Tainan. When soldiers showed up to arrest him, he was burning a list of people who participated in the activities of the local Settlement Committee. Because the list was only partially burned, Thng put up a fierce resistance so the paper could burn completely. He was severely beaten and executed the following day. Because of his bravery, the lives of scores of leading Tainan residents were saved.
The proper way to honor the memory of those who lost their lives in the 1947 massacre and the ensuing White Terror is to make sure such catastrophes will never be repeated, by safeguarding Taiwan's sovereignty and democracy so all Taiwanese people can continue to live in a society where freedom and human dignity are respected and preserved.
Li Thian-hok is a freelance commentator based in Pennsylvania.
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