Sat, Nov 17, 2007 page8

• Johnny Neihu's Mailbag

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  Ma ain't Sarkozy

  Dear Johnny,

  I was pretty upset when I heard that Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) compared himself to French President Nicolas Sarkozy and cited the latter's campaign speech to express his "love" for Taiwan.

  Attached is the letter I sent him. I am still waiting for an answer.

  Cyril Vergnaud

  Pingtung

  Johnny replies : Hope you've got an exit strategy if Ma is elected president, Cyril. Your letter follows in edited form.

  Mr. Ma,

  I was surprised to read in my newspaper this morning that you cited French President Monsieur Nicolas Sarkozy's election campaign speech. Then, based on the fact that his parents were immigrants, you dared to compare yourself to him.

  Let me refresh your memory:

  1. Nicolas Sarkozy is French, born in Paris. His parents were French citizens. He identifies himself as French. He is president of the French Republic (not Hungary). He speaks French to French people. He serves France and the French people.

  2. His father served in the French Foreign Legion and fought for France. His parents and grandparents left their countries to escape from communists and the Nazis.

  3. Sarkozy has been minister of the interior, minister of finances, minister of the budget, and mayor of one of the wealthiest communes of France (Neuilly-sur-Seine). He vowed to clean up areas with gangsters, to increase the police presence on the streets and to have a "tough on crime" policy.

  What about you?

  1. You were born in Hong Hong (not Taiwan). Your parents are Chinese, from Xiangtan in Hunan Province. You identify yourself as a Chinese national (not a Taiwanese). You want to be president of the Republic of China (not Republic of Taiwan). You speak Mandarin Chinese to Taiwanese people. You consider Taiwan to be a part of China.

  2. Your father worked for China (not Taiwan). You served under Chiang Ching-kuo's (蔣經國) dictatorial regime.

  3. Your party, the KMT, was once allied with the Communists and linked to the Nazis. It is linked to gangsters who killed dissidents during the White Terror era. It owns assets stolen from Taiwanese people.

  4. You communicate with the communist government. You have been accused of spying on Taiwanese students for the KMT while at Harvard. You, in the past, opposed the suppression of Article 100, which dealt with criminal law and reforms allowing the president to be directly elected by popular vote. You, a former minister of justice, have been indicted on charges of embezzling public money.

  5. And I think I don't need to remind you about Typhoon Nari, the quarantining of Hoping Hospital, the Shark Fin Scandal and all your other political mistakes.

  I am still looking for common points between a person like you and "Sarko."

  You then asked "Why can't we do as the French?"

  First, Mr. Ma, in France, you have to be born in the country to be president. The point is not to have an immigrant father and mother, but to be born in the country. Unfortunately this law doesn't exist in Taiwan, so a foreigner, even Chinese like you, can run for president.

  Sarkozy didn't make Hungarian the national language of France, kill his opponents, oppress French people and impose his ancestors' culture and history as the Republic of China government did. France has no 228 Incident.

  When the Nazis invaded France, General Charles de Gaulle and his troops fled to England, just like the KMT did to Taiwan. But they went back to free their country; they didn't stay in England. Why is the ROC still located in Taiwan?

  So the question should be "Why didn't the KMT do as the French?"

  You said: "Home is the place where family bones lie." Let me ask you a question: Your father is buried in Taipei, but where are your other ancestors' bones?

  I am French and feel insulted by your words. You don't speak French and have never lived in France. It seems that you don't know French culture, and when you drink wine, we can see you drunk in YouTube videos. Next time, try to talk about something that you know something about, or please don't say anything.

  You should apologize to Monsieur Sarkozy and the French people for your lack of respect for their country and government.

  Vive la France! Vive la Taiwan!
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