Not long ago, National Cheng Kung University history professor Wang Wen-hsia (王文霞) compared democracy activist Deng Nan-jung (鄭南榕) to Islamist suicide bombers. The statement attracted a lot of criticism, but in the following discussion it has been said that everyone has a right to their own point of view and we should respect the freedom of expression.
The Cheng Kung University administration is taking a similar approach in its response.
The fact is that every time someone makes a similarly controversial remark, such as when Kuo Mei-chiang (郭美江), a pastor, made discriminatory remarks against homosexuals not long ago, someone will raise the banner of freedom of expression in defense of the remark. While this may seem to be a just and forceful point of view, it is in fact a complete distortion of the meaning of freedom of expression.
First, we must respect freedom of expression, but why should we respect absurd and wrong statements?
The biased position and ignorant arguments in the discriminatory statement against homosexuals by Kuo, or in the statement by Wang comparing Deng — who gave his life in the defense of the freedom of expression — to terrorists, are anti-intellectual and not worthy of our respect.
Whether intentionally or inadvertently, such statements confuse “expression” with “freedom of expression” — two completely different concepts.
Second, responses that are critical of those making such statements do not disrespect their freedom of expression. They have the right to respond to the criticism. True freedom of expression entails debate and criticism; true disrespect for the freedom of expression is what the Chinese Communist Party has displayed in its treatment of Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo (劉曉波) by sending him to jail for expressing views that differ from those of the party.
No one has restricted Kuo or Wang’s right to express their opinions, so how could there be any talk about disrespecting the freedom of expression?
Third, if we were to respect every kind of statement, we would have no standards by which to separate between what is right and what is wrong.
If any kind of statement could be made without any kind of restriction, our value systems would be a mess.
How are we going to strike a balance between guaranteeing the freedom of expression for every single person while at the same time establishing a set of universal values? It is quite easy: Absurd and wrong statements should be allowed, but as soon as they are uttered we should rise as one and expose them to the severest criticism, making such statements a target for public criticism.
This of course means that more people have to speak up and take a stand when they hear absurd statements. It is in this sense that everyone is responsible for protecting the freedom of expression.
Wang Dan is a visiting associate professor at National Tsing Hua University’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Translated by Perry Svensson
Saudi Arabian largesse is flooding Egypt’s cultural scene, but the reception is mixed. Some welcome new “cooperation” between two regional powerhouses, while others fear a hostile takeover by Riyadh. In Cairo, historically the cultural capital of the Arab world, Egyptian Minister of Culture Nevine al-Kilany recently hosted Saudi Arabian General Entertainment Authority chairman Turki al-Sheikh. The deep-pocketed al-Sheikh has emerged as a Medici-like patron for Egypt’s cultural elite, courted by Cairo’s top talent to produce a slew of forthcoming films. A new three-way agreement between al-Sheikh, Kilany and United Media Services — a multi-media conglomerate linked to state intelligence that owns much of
The US and other countries should take concrete steps to confront the threats from Beijing to avoid war, US Representative Mario Diaz-Balart said in an interview with Voice of America on March 13. The US should use “every diplomatic economic tool at our disposal to treat China as what it is... to avoid war,” Diaz-Balart said. Giving an example of what the US could do, he said that it has to be more aggressive in its military sales to Taiwan. Actions by cross-party US lawmakers in the past few years such as meeting with Taiwanese officials in Washington and Taipei, and
Denmark’s “one China” policy more and more resembles Beijing’s “one China” principle. At least, this is how things appear. In recent interactions with the Danish state, such as applying for residency permits, a Taiwanese’s nationality would be listed as “China.” That designation occurs for a Taiwanese student coming to Denmark or a Danish citizen arriving in Denmark with, for example, their Taiwanese partner. Details of this were published on Sunday in an article in the Danish daily Berlingske written by Alexander Sjoberg and Tobias Reinwald. The pretext for this new practice is that Denmark does not recognize Taiwan as a state under
The Republic of China (ROC) on Taiwan has no official diplomatic allies in the EU. With the exception of the Vatican, it has no official allies in Europe at all. This does not prevent the ROC — Taiwan — from having close relations with EU member states and other European countries. The exact nature of the relationship does bear revisiting, if only to clarify what is a very complicated and sensitive idea, the details of which leave considerable room for misunderstanding, misrepresentation and disagreement. Only this week, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) received members of the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations