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Chen says everyone should enforce privacy rights

President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday used his Web-based e-weekly magazine to speak about privacy in the wake of the Chu Mei-feng (璩美鳳) sex-VCD distribution scandal.

The president's thoughts on the subject were published in the letters section of the magazine yesterday, in response to one submitted by an elementary-school teacher.

In the letter, the teacher stated that the scandal surrounding former Hsinchu City Bureau of Cultural Affairs chief Chu Mei-feng has created a stir on the campuses of elementary schools after the VCD showing her sexual encounters was made public by Scoop Weekly magazine two weeks ago.

The teacher said some children could be heard commenting on Chu's private life while others called the magazine "obscene."

"The soul of the students has been greatly tarnished and their values have been distorted because of the degeneration of society," the teacher said. "We need to purify this society, so that our future generations can live more innocent lives."

He called upon the president to work up the guts to launch "a spiritual-reform drive."

Responding to the plea, President Chen said he was not in a position to comment on the incident surrounding Chu because the case is still being investigated and may go to trial.

But he stressed that it is indeed very important to cultivate a respect for privacy in society.

"When trying to safeguard the right to privacy we must realize that a society can only do so if the majority of individuals practice these principles [of upholding the right to privacy] in their daily actions." Chen said.

"It is very important to live in a society where privacy is highly respected, but [the concept of upholding privacy] cannot be fostered through laws alone. ... [It is more important] for the concept to be acquired through each individual practicing it in his or her daily actions," Chen said.

Chen cited the diary of Anne Frank -- a German girl who, during World War II, hid Jewish people who were being hunted by the Nazis. "When the diary was first found those who found it kept it, but they did not read it."

Even her father had to wait until the time when Anne was confirmed dead before he felt he could read the diary, "because the diary was considered to be Anne's private possession, even the family would not read it out off respect for Anne's privacy," Chen said.

"This kind of respect for privacy was the result of a society in which most people applied the principles of privacy rights to all their actions, every day."
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