Kung Ling-yi (
Upon receiving this message, the Presidential Office expressed its respect for the relatives' arrangements and said the government would extend full support. The office also said that it had decided to accord state mourning for the former first lady.
What is interesting is that Chiang Fang Chih-yi (
There are no blood relations between Soong and Chiang Fang. Although Chiang Fang's statement was improper, at least she, as a member of Soong's in-laws, belongs to her family.
It is hilarious that Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator John Chang (
Although Chang has managed to get Chiang Ching-kuo listed as his father on his ID card, he is still not accepted by the Chiang family. Therefore, anything about the "family" has nothing to do with him. He can neither participate in family discussions nor speak for them.
And this is still not the point. The point is: the Kungs' invitation for Chen to drape the flag over the coffin falls in line with the country's protocols and regulations. But Chiang Fang and Chang placed their "private domain" above the "public domain," exposing the pan-blue camp's mindset of refusing to recognize the DPP government or Chen.
They should understand that the person to drape the flag would be the president. Whether he is a DPP or TSU member should not be something that Soong or the Kungs find worrying.
Having lived in the US, Kung and her husband apparently understand the essence of a democratic society and its institutions. Just like the fact that George W. Bush is the US president -- no matter how much you dislike the Republican Party.
To be frank, Soong Mayling was closer to the Kung and Soong families than the Chiangs. She spent her latter years in New York. She was accompanied by the Kungs and Soongs, but not anyone from the Chiang family. Only the Kungs have the power to make the final decision whether she will be buried in the family cemetery in New York, rather than in Taipei as is the wish of the Chiang family.
Chin Heng-wei is editor-in-chief of Contemporary Monthly magazine.
Translated by Jackie Lin
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