Respecting victims' rights
I was planning on posting my views on the KMT and independence, but the comments from yesterday's post encouraged me to share a bit on the victims. I've received a few comments about how terrible the KMT was towards the people, about the evils of martial law and the suffering of independence crusaders. I don't contest that terrible things did happen.
But who's writing here? Are these the actual victims that are so full of hatred and spite? Did they all go and learn English all of a sudden? I think not. My guess is that these people are westerners like myself who learned about this information second-hand. I guess these people are outraged and feel that they have to defend the original victims.
Here's a thought: have any of you anti-KMT crusaders out there ever stopped and asked an actual 2/28 or martial law victim if they want you to go out and bash the KMT? Chances are you haven't, and if you did you might find that they say 'no, no leave it alone, it was in the past and it's over.'
I have a story to share that explains what I'm trying to say a bit better, and gives us a break from Taiwan. I was in New York when the World Trade Center was attacked and leveled. I saw Tower 2 collapse with my own eyes, and lived with the sickening stench of burnt flesh and pulverized concrete for a month and a half afterwards. My most poignant memories of those days were the nightly peace rallies and candlelight vigils in the major parks of Manhattan. New Yorkers are a cynical and aloof bunch, but everyone came together to comfort each other and make a stand for peace. That was truly one of the most amazing things I've ever seen in my life. I was at a church service on the Sunday morning that the US bombed Afghanistan, and you could feel the joy go out of people's hearts as we learned that people were being killed in our names.
We never asked Bush II to go and attack anyone for us. We even made a stand for the opposite position. But the rest of the nation and the Republican Party was offended by the principle of us being attacked, and so the US invaded another country to defend us. Nobody asked us what would help - if they had, most New Yorkers might have asked for a more conciliatory foreign policy towards the Middle East, being the overeducated liberals that we are.
I think the same may hold true for the victims of martial law here in Taiwan. When someone really hurts you, after the initial anger passes the last thing you want to do is hurt them back. Saying 'he did it' only fans the flames and continues the cycle of violence. AlI the victims of great tragedy that I've met really wanted was to make sure that it never happened again, and they hoped that someone wouldn't hijack their grief and cheapen it by using it for their own gains, especially political ones.
The more positive attitude is to analyze the social and political causes of the event because history repeats itself, and unless we take measures to change the society, it might happen again. Hmm, polarizing fear of the other side? The feeling that the opposition are traitors that threaten your way of life? Some of the causes of 2/28 are here today, decades later. The real question is, does anyone else see that that is the real problem?
Thanks for the comments, on both sides.
But who's writing here? Are these the actual victims that are so full of hatred and spite? Did they all go and learn English all of a sudden? I think not. My guess is that these people are westerners like myself who learned about this information second-hand. I guess these people are outraged and feel that they have to defend the original victims.
Here's a thought: have any of you anti-KMT crusaders out there ever stopped and asked an actual 2/28 or martial law victim if they want you to go out and bash the KMT? Chances are you haven't, and if you did you might find that they say 'no, no leave it alone, it was in the past and it's over.'
I have a story to share that explains what I'm trying to say a bit better, and gives us a break from Taiwan. I was in New York when the World Trade Center was attacked and leveled. I saw Tower 2 collapse with my own eyes, and lived with the sickening stench of burnt flesh and pulverized concrete for a month and a half afterwards. My most poignant memories of those days were the nightly peace rallies and candlelight vigils in the major parks of Manhattan. New Yorkers are a cynical and aloof bunch, but everyone came together to comfort each other and make a stand for peace. That was truly one of the most amazing things I've ever seen in my life. I was at a church service on the Sunday morning that the US bombed Afghanistan, and you could feel the joy go out of people's hearts as we learned that people were being killed in our names.
We never asked Bush II to go and attack anyone for us. We even made a stand for the opposite position. But the rest of the nation and the Republican Party was offended by the principle of us being attacked, and so the US invaded another country to defend us. Nobody asked us what would help - if they had, most New Yorkers might have asked for a more conciliatory foreign policy towards the Middle East, being the overeducated liberals that we are.
I think the same may hold true for the victims of martial law here in Taiwan. When someone really hurts you, after the initial anger passes the last thing you want to do is hurt them back. Saying 'he did it' only fans the flames and continues the cycle of violence. AlI the victims of great tragedy that I've met really wanted was to make sure that it never happened again, and they hoped that someone wouldn't hijack their grief and cheapen it by using it for their own gains, especially political ones.
The more positive attitude is to analyze the social and political causes of the event because history repeats itself, and unless we take measures to change the society, it might happen again. Hmm, polarizing fear of the other side? The feeling that the opposition are traitors that threaten your way of life? Some of the causes of 2/28 are here today, decades later. The real question is, does anyone else see that that is the real problem?
Thanks for the comments, on both sides.
posted by Taiwan's Other Side at 9:39 AM
10 Comments:
Which planet do you live on? I am Taiwanese. Taiwan-born and bred. I speak English because I studied abroad - BIG DEAL. I know of 228 survivors - related to a lot of them. How dare you assume that westerners are the only ones criticising the KMT? How dare you? Shame on you.
I didn't say that it was only westerners criticizing, I just want to make a point about perspective and solving problems. Sometimes hatred gets out of control, and sometimes, just sometimes, people use someone elses' pain to blow up their sense of self-righteousness.
Criticize away, please, but don't blindly bash away like it's the devil incarnate. How about some supporting ideas, something that addresses the arguement, like what those survivors actually want? How about something besides KMT = bad?
"My guess is that these people are westerners like myself who learned about this information second-hand."
You guess wrong.
"But who's writing here? Are these the actual victims that are so full of hatred and spite? Did they all go and learn English all of a sudden?"
I'm sure I'm not the only one who finds this offensive, but yes I am offended on behalf of Taiwanese people, not myself so I guess in your mind that doesn't count. I guess you are the only weiguoren who gets to offer his thoughts on the government. (Telling other people their comments don't count unless they were in attendance at the 2/28 massacre is not going to turn this blog into a legitimate place to debate the relative merits of the ROC's political parties.)
Have I ever asked Taiwanese people (the victims of martial law) their thoughts on martial law? Yes. I have done countless times. Some say it was necessary (they tend to be blue) and some say it was horrible and unnecessarily oppressive (they tend to be green).
Also, keep in mind that no one in the mainstream political discourse is advocating violence against the KMT. At most they might ask for an apology and for the KMT to stop selling off resources that it stole from the people of Taiwan for its own profit. I would say that makes the whole Not in My Name 9-11 argument a moot point.
Having said that, I think you will find that Michael Turton and others like us (Michael correct me if I speak incorrectly on your behalf) are more upset with the KMT for their actions in the present. Ma and Wang didn't order martial law. Neither did Lien Chan.
Some of us have lived with the cultural and political legacy of KMT rule for our entire lives. Self-righteousness has got nothing to do with our advocacy of human rights, self-determination, and cultural identity.
What makes you think you have a more sapient perspective than anyone else?
Oh, and by the way, contrary to what some Caucasians believe, it is possible for Asians to learn proper English without becoming Twinkies.
If you haven't done so already, please read George Kerr's "Formosa Betrayed." There is a link to a free online version on Wandering to Tamshui's blog. Until you've read it, you really don't know what you're talking about when you comment on 228.
Hey, I appreciate your point (from 7:08 PM CST). But, I think some of your statements in your original post are misguided. I am a Taiwanese American, born and raised in the US. My family was directly affected by the KMT/martial law/etc.-- my grandfather being one of the early dangwai critics of the KMT, and an advocate of true democracy in Taiwan. The sacrifices he and his family made in life, and the murders, imprisonings, and "disappearances" of some of his followers, are things that will stay with me forever. Without experiencing it firsthand, maybe it's more difficult for you to understand the pain and resentment some people have towards the KMT. However, I do feel that hatred breeds hatred, and, in the end will not serve the greater good. There must be a way to work towards our goals without fomenting more resentment...
Have you learned about Linda Gail Arrigo? Lynn Miles? Boccieri? Wendell Karsen? If not, you may want to; I know Linda and Lynn are still both in Taiwan and very accessible. These are all Westerners that directly assisted the Taiwanese people during the KMT era, fought for human rights, sacrificed for their beliefs, and continue still...
In addition to "Formosa Betrayed," you may want to check out "Formosa Calling, An Eyewitness Account of Conditions in Taiwan During the February 28th 1947 Incident" by Allan James Shackleton
Thanks for the infor James, I'll check it out.
Please don't misunderstand me or take my post out of context. Again, I did NOT say that ALL of the people blogging online are westerners - I did say that I think most of the people blogging are NOT 2/28 victims.
This post was intended to make people think about the consequences of revenge and hate, and why exactly they hate the KMT so much. I'm sorry that some people missed that and chose to beleive that I'm a bigot or something.
Thanks for posting anyway.
How do you define a 228 victim? The very fact that our predecessors (relatives, friends, immediate family, fellow taiwanese) were killed in what was nothing more than blatant genocide, makes us all victims.
You have no understanding of what you're dealing with.
Educate yourself - George Kerr is a good start. You obviously are ignorant to the point of ridiculous.
Shame on you.
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