Introducing T.O.S.
This blog hopes to present pragmatic analysis of the political situation in Taiwan today. It seeks real-world and historical comparisons that can bring new ideas and perspectives to the stalemate in the South China Sea. Perhaps most importantly, this blog seeks to offer insight into the Chinese-speaking world and perspectives. This blog does not ask the question "is it good?"; rather it asks, "Is this good for the people of a Chinese society, the R.O.C. / Taiwan?"
This blog has been formed to counter a perceived bias in the English-speaking media and nascent blogsphere of Taiwan. Newspapers and media outlets in Taiwan must pick a side in the polarized political environment of Taiwan, and at this time the majority of Western writers overwhelmingly support the ruling Democratic Progressive Party. Intelligent bloggers such as Jerome F. Keating, Michael Turton, and Wandering to Tamshui color otherwise excellent analysis with an unquestioning bias toward the DPP. The title of this blog comes from the perspective of the 'other' 50 percent of the country that is not represented in 'pro-green' English media, a generation whose ideals built this nation into what it is today. My personal political views are pro-KMT or 'blue'.
This blog seeks to go beyond simplistic analysis such as KMT (blue) is bad because it is old and corrupt; DPP (green) is good because it is new and pure. Such an analysis dismisses the fine contributions of both parties while overlooking their modern incarnations and challenges. I also believe that many of the Western views and opinions of the political situation are inaccurate and built upon Western assumptions. This blog hopes to raise valid issues that are not discussed in other places, and also hopes to encourage the English-speaking world to learn and think about what is really happening here.
With that, welcome to Taiwan's Other Side!
This blog has been formed to counter a perceived bias in the English-speaking media and nascent blogsphere of Taiwan. Newspapers and media outlets in Taiwan must pick a side in the polarized political environment of Taiwan, and at this time the majority of Western writers overwhelmingly support the ruling Democratic Progressive Party. Intelligent bloggers such as Jerome F. Keating, Michael Turton, and Wandering to Tamshui color otherwise excellent analysis with an unquestioning bias toward the DPP. The title of this blog comes from the perspective of the 'other' 50 percent of the country that is not represented in 'pro-green' English media, a generation whose ideals built this nation into what it is today. My personal political views are pro-KMT or 'blue'.
This blog seeks to go beyond simplistic analysis such as KMT (blue) is bad because it is old and corrupt; DPP (green) is good because it is new and pure. Such an analysis dismisses the fine contributions of both parties while overlooking their modern incarnations and challenges. I also believe that many of the Western views and opinions of the political situation are inaccurate and built upon Western assumptions. This blog hopes to raise valid issues that are not discussed in other places, and also hopes to encourage the English-speaking world to learn and think about what is really happening here.
With that, welcome to Taiwan's Other Side!
posted by Taiwan's Other Side at 7:46 PM
11 Comments:
Thanks for the mention. I'll get you on the blogroll immediately!
Welcome to the mix, TOS. I'll add a link to you on WTT's blogroll.
(What kind of Mac are you rockin', anyway)?
OOOHH comments!!!! It's alive!!
I'm cruisin on a 1st generation iBook G4, and I'm never going back to the dark side!
I am glad to hear of different opinions on Taiwan. Please march on!
A generation whose ideas built the country? Be that as it may, how about doing a few posts on the havoc the KMT wrecked on Taiwan? How about the oppression, the murders, the discrmination? How about the MAIN reasons the other half of the population voted for KMT (corruption, nepotism, favor-currying)?
Your blog makes me sick.
If we cannot tolerate or at least listen to a different voice, it is not democracy.
wahcow: that goes without saying. it still doesn't make my previous post any less relevant. for kmt to move into the 21st century, it'll need to admit to the past/current wrong-doings.
If you can read Chinese, read these:
沈富雄：228不該是外省人的原罪
批李罵台聯 林濁水：遭鎮壓時你們在哪？
大師開火！林濁水：當年 被李登輝警察打
白色恐怖 吳敦義、洪秀柱也是受難者
It's good not to forget the history, but you should be more aware of who really tried to split the Taiwanese during the election.
Anyway, I want TOS to know: You are not alone here. Period.
Thanks wahcow, my sentiments exactly. Feel free to subscribe, I've got a pile of posts I've been meaning to put up.
A healthy democracy needs debate.
a healthy democracy doesn't need revisionists of history, however. the dpp is not perfect. but until kmt atone for their wrong-doings and become a truly 'taiwanese' political party, it ain't got my vote.
as for 228 and what Sheng Fu Hsiung said. What a load of BS. kmt is solely responsible for 228 massacres all over taiwan - which lasted no less than two weeks and killed tens of thousands of innocent people. kmt cronies still try their best to hide the facts from the taiwanese people. taiwan won't have any peace and REAL DEMOCRACY until kmt (1) reforms or better still (2) return to china. GOOD RIDDANCE. You lot of apologists for devil's spawns as such, make me sick.
you also trample on the memory of countless who died - taiwanese and chinese alike.
kmt's charters may be extremely liberal/democratic, but its cronies have rarely adhered to the charters.
kmt is a chinese party. it's best that they take their corruption, nepotism, racism and so on, back to china.
kmt's probably the worst thing ever to set foot in taiwan. damn, the sadness of being taiwanese.........
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