The joke is on us
If the US were not a democratic country, TV talk show hosts Jay Leno and David Letterman would have been persecuted when they ridiculed former US president Bill Clinton about the womanizing rumors during his impeachment trial.
Their counterparts in Taiwan are not so lucky.
The creators of the Special Report VCDs produced a series of satirical programs to ridicule Taiwan's politicians who are generally considered as the source of Taiwan's chaos.
If they could be sued for defamation, then producers of political comic strips could also be sued for their expression.
It is a pity that Taiwan's courts summoned those actors and producers for an inquiry. It was an obvious political stunt. People should be entitled to freedom of expression, of opinions with factual support, just like political columnists and cartoonists. This should be common sense.
Now the pan-blue media, with assistance from the court and its political allies, are ganging up to destroy freedom of expression and to persecute the young people connected to the VCDs. All the people of Taiwan have a duty to speak out to deter the lunacy committed by the pan-blue camp.
One would doubt Taiwan's fame for vibrant democracy if the blue camp and its media continue to censor Special Report and persecute its actors and producers. This reminds people of the era of Martial Law that the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) imposed on Taiwan. Should Taiwanese remain silent on this issue, there will be no justice for Taiwan's society and the ghost of Martial Law will come creeping back.
Yang Ji-charng
Columbus, Ohio
Stand up, Taiwan
John Rieder's letter (Nov. 22, page 8) contains good advice to act on. Taiwan has to clarify its own identity before international friends can extend a helping hand.
Taiwan is in an identity crisis. Many people in Taiwan cannot answer these simple questions either. Under the control of the ROC and the threat of the PRC, they do not know whether Taiwan is a country or a province, or whether they are Taiwanese or Chinese.
The ROC was replaced by the PRC in 1949 but Chinese Nationalists in Taiwan are still daydreaming and claiming that "one China" is the ROC.
They lost the presidential election in 2000 but they do not want to accept this unprecedented people's choice. Their unreal attitudes have created nightmares in identity, stability and security in Taiwan.
Ancient China built the Great Wall thousands of miles long to keep the enemy out. The PRC nowadays deploys hundreds of missiles in an attempt to keep Taiwan in.
China seems to forget that force cannot win one's heart and that democracy and communism are incompatible.
Taiwan has to stand up and walk out to join the world.
Charles Hong
Columbus, Ohio
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