Taiwan is a still a safe place
A young man surnamed Kung allegedly entered a school and slashed a little girl’s throat with a knife. It was this month last year that another young man with a knife attacked people on a Taipei train.
How should we react?
First, let us remember that Taiwan is a safe place. Events like these are rare. Women and children can walk alone after dark.
Second, we must address the plight of these young men who turn to violence. They need the mental health services and pragmatic resources that will help them address their problems.
Third, how did we react last year? There was an increased police presence on the MRT system for a short period after the attack.
There is no longer a heavy police presence on the MRT and nor should there be.
Why? The answer is related to what Department of Education Commissioner Tang Chih-min (湯志民) said: Public schools are open as a matter of policy. And that is how they should be.
Taiwan is a free, open and democratic society. And because we are free, open and democratic, bad things happen.
We must respond to these types of incidents with more freedom, more openness and more democracy.
Keep public schools open. Keep a small police presence on the MRT. And keep going out after dark.
See you at the night market.
Andres Chang
Taipei
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