Taiwan’s great statesman
Former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) is one of the few on the world stage with enough courage to state the obvious truth — a truth so obvious, it could bite you on the nose (“Lee calls for Constitution to be scrapped,” March 22, page 1).
The Republic of China (ROC) Constitution is an ossified, petrified relic of another era far removed from our own. It is a patchwork of often absurd and mutually exclusive laws. Many of it laws are anathema to democratic principles. In short, this “document” is absurd.
Were I on my dying bed and allowed one miraculous dying wish, it would be this: That Lee should once again be elected president of the ROC. In Taiwan’s short, blood-drenched history, it is my opinion that the former president is the only person to have ever come close to deserving the title of “statesman.”
A statesman (or stateswoman) is a person who has the courage, leadership ability and integrity to consistently strive for the betterment of his or her nation.
A politician, on the other hand, cares only about — and looks after — his/her own opportunities for wealth, power, fame, status and ambition, as well as those of his/her political party/faction.
Statesmen are a rare breed. Politicians, who are really nothing but worthless frauds and simulacra of statesmen, are a dime a dozen, especially in Taiwan. Take Taiwan’s current president — “call me Mr Ma [Ying-jeou] (馬英九)” for example. In my view, Ma does not even make the grade as a politician. He aspires to be a politician, just as a maggot hopes to become a worm.
The more one reads about Lee, the more one comes to admire him. In my view, he had the courage to stand up for Taiwan’s dignity as well as his own.
I remember one incident when Lee was president. He was in the US (Hawaii, I believe) and he was being treated most shamefully because of pressure exerted by China. In response to this ill treatment, Lee remained in his pajamas on the plane and on the tarmac. Can anyone imagine the toady “footstool Mr Ma” having the courage to do the same?
What courage Lee displayed. Basically, he was telling the US authorities: “It takes two to tango, I’ll play along in this game. If you show me no face, I’ll show you no face.”
I have always admired Lee’s integrity and courage. History will prove him a great man and most likely the best statesman to have ever led Taiwan.
Of course, what the former president is calling for — the scrapping of the ROC Constitution — will prove to be well nigh impossible. Then again, miracles have been known to happen.
MICHAEL SCANLON
East Hartford, Connecticut
An end to bullying
The issue of bullying on campus has recently become a hot topic. Many people were unaware of how common bullying is in schools until several serious incidents drew national attention.
Academics discussing the issue say there are many types of bullying, the most common types being interpersonal shunning and physical bullying.
Curiously, surveys conducted by academics showed that students who were bullied through exclusion from a group felt much more horrible than those who were physically bullied.
Our government has tried to find ways to solve the problem. For example, the Ministry of Education designated one day as “Anti-bullying Day.” All teachers and students wore pink clothes on that day to remind everyone of the issue on school campuses. However, the public cannot help but wonder if this is really helpful. Can promoting slogans and ads prevent bullying? Not surprisingly, this measure caused further debate on its effectiveness.
There are many factors associated with bullying. I believe that family values are an influential factor on kids in their growth and development. If people could teach children how to respect others and themselves and to have more compassion for others, children would cultivate better values. Also, parents should help kids realize what their responsibility is and guide them to lead a responsible life.
The media and public figures play vital roles too. The media showcase many violent or irrational images. Some public figures behave irresponsibly and ignore the impact on teenagers. What’s worse is that many people in Taiwan judge events based on their political leanings. Often, there seems to be no truth, just political division. I think this is not normal in a so-called well-developed democratic country.
The other important element in bullying is gangs on campuses. Many students actually have some relationships with gangsters, while the police and the government have failed to take measures to prevent gangs from entering school campuses. In Canada, the law is enforced very well to decrease the incidents of gang bullying. Our legislature should draft a similar law, while the justice system should administer the law.
Together, families, school officials, police and students should learn how to behave responsibly, have more compassion and create a better environment for everyone. The government should also figure out some ways to solve problems on a fundamental level and not just on a superficial level.
HSIN PING YANG
Kaohsiung
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