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n Ms. Cheng’s IB Chinese class recently, we discussed the tendency of Taiwanese people to jump on whatever bandwagon seems popular at the moment..
This happened with the yellow duck, Krispy Kreme, and now it’s happening with the Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement (CSSTA). Only this time, the crowd’s ignorant actions are immediately affecting the stock market and Taiwan’s international reputation. Without having proper knowledge of CSSTA, some students just jumped on the bandwagon out of boredom.
If this is truly a democratic system as their spray painted banners claim, the protesting students should feel more than free to voice their opinions without getting tipsy in the Legislative Yuan. Professors at NTU and NTNU even offered students the choice of checking in on Facebook at the Legislative Yuan as a substitution for class attendance, promoting students to join the protest.
What does this say about students sincerely interested in their education?
In an orderly society, criminals suffer consequences. Vandalism of a national historical monument is a crime. Therefore, the students are criminals, and should suffer consequences.
We cannot expect an already incompetent government to fight violence with reason, especially when both sides lack reason. Most of us are not knowledgeable enough to have informed opinions for or against the CSSTA; we do not know enough about economics or of politics to draw conclusions about the future of our beloved country.
However, any educated person should know that it is highly improbable for China to absorb Taiwan. Just because China wants to get Taiwan back, doesn’t mean it can.
And just because these students are filled with young blood, doesn’t mean they have the “freedom” to vandalize such a valuable historical monument; the Legislative Yuan is a place where many important decisions were made for our country’s welfare and prosperity.
The student’s occupation of the Legislative Yuan and the government’s inability to control the situation the past week have been truly shameful. Let our generation be defined not by our youth and craze, but by our intelligence.
Madeline H. is a senior at Taipei American School. This piece does not reflect the opinions of Taipei American School’s faculty or student body, or Blue & Gold.
Why I won't join the protests
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Jodelle • Apr 9, 2014 at 5:06 pm
I completely support your arguments.
AnotherTASalum • Mar 27, 2014 at 12:13 pm
@TAS Alum HI Jensen
NickYeh • Mar 27, 2014 at 1:42 am
TASalum I really don’t want to argue about this because as I stated in my comment. I don’t have all the facts so it would be useless for me to argue if I don’t know what is going on. However, it does not limit me to having an opinion. Don’t go arguing to me over the fact that I don’t have a clear sense of what is going on because I have clearly stated that my knowledge is limited. Economic development does not just mean everyone gets more money. Economic development allows for increased possibilities for the majority. More funds to expand the Taipei Metro, more funds to increase the standards of education, more funds for government projects. Money is not everything (which is of course an ironic statement when discussion politics), and in case you don’t realize this. The last time a major protest happened, it was the end of democracy, but for one thing the President hasn’t ordered the use of the military, the President does have the right as the Executive Yuan to use the police force to contain the situation as an elected member.
If they are so afraid of the end of democracy, impeach him. If you don’t like the vice-president, impeach him. If you don’t like the majority leader (which I assume is the next in line), then impeach him. There are checks and balances set in place if the civilians don’t like their elected leaders. This is democracy. Using the system to remove those who are either abusing their power or not acting in the way that they were expected to. If you don’t want to use those methods, then by all means, start a violent revolution, in which case democracy will die. It’s simple as that.
AnotherTASalum • Mar 27, 2014 at 12:07 am
TASalum The process of passing CSSTA is legal, but i do believe it’s controversial.
TASalum • Mar 26, 2014 at 9:08 pm
*cite
TASalum • Mar 26, 2014 at 6:25 pm
NickYeh The students
are also reckless for invading Administrative Yuan, but how could you expect
the students to be rational when the government itself isn’t? It’s like
following a law when you are in an unequal playing field where your opponent
can constantly change the rules. Shouldn’t the law be above both the people and
the government as well? In that case, then shouldn’t Ma face charges as well as
the students for breaking the law?
TASalum • Mar 26, 2014 at 6:14 pm
NickYeh As to address your point of view, I have a few of my own I like to share.
While I do respect your opinions, here are some points I think that weakens your argument. You stated that it was sometimes necessary for the government not to be transparent and you cited the US as an example for a democratic government that “hides” documents from their citizens. I’m sure you have studied the Vietnam war and the protests within all of the groups in the US protesting against the government for that lack of transparency to the citizens. Also, I think you have read about Edward Snowden do I think your point of view will be that yes, Snowden should be punished because he is releasing confidential documents of the government. Even if you do acknowledge the fact that the “lack of transparency” is necessary, that does not mean that the government is doing the right thing, especially when Taiwan claims to be a democratic government. Okay, even if we do assume that transparency hinders and “increase the bureaucratic process in which the government is already flooded with”, that does not mean that the government should undermine the opinions of the public since it is too troublesome to go through all of the paperwork and bureaucracy. You are basically suggesting that the government knows exactly what they are doing and completely disrespects the voices of the citizens that elected these representatives on the first place. In an authoritarian government, that system totally works. Which is why sometimes it’s easier to get things done in an authoritarian government than in a democracy because an authoritarian government does not need to consult EVERYONE for their opinions before deciding. The reason the students are protesting right now are protesting against this authoritarian way that Ma’s administration is acting. He completely undermines the voices of the people and carry out an act despite 9% approval. The students want transparency so that everyone can participate and voice their concerns about the problem. I see you site the potential economic gains as an advantage of passing the act, but that does not mean everyone wants the economic gains. You see, everyone pursue different things in life. Some wants money, fame, while others just want to be content and satisfy themselves intellectually or through pursuing the arts. So since this act determines the fate of the Taiwanese majority, why not let them all voice out what they want instead of deciding that everyone wants money? I agree that some people do blindly follow fads but that is why there are so many professors offering classes outside of the legislative yuan right now to allow people to understand the complexities of the situation. Why don’t you go sit in one of these courses before telling me what you think? It just seems to me that you are not fully comprehending the situation. You have only talked to your father and some other people. Why don’t you go talk to the college professors and some other student leaders who know exactly what they are doing? Talk to everyone you know and other people with different economic backgrounds. Go talk to the owner of the sausage shop who is distributing free sausages to the students. Why is he sacrificing his gains for these students? I also agree that people with different opinions should not be attacked. That is the beauty of “freedom of speech” that you and I both want. But when the government is already undermining the freedom of speech of the students and other voices, do you think that freedom of speech will last in Taiwan since the government is already deciding for the people? I agree that you should not just go to the protests with the mindset of opposition. Instead, i think everyone should go with an open mind, read both arguments, and decide for themselves. I am just addressing the fact that a lot of the students fear that this will be the end of democracy and that is why they are protesting right now.
NickYeh • Mar 26, 2014 at 1:53 pm
When I first heard
about the protests, one thing immediately popped into my head: “Look,
another example in which nothing gets done”.Of course I referencing the fact that there
have been documented incidents in which fights have broken out among the
legislators.Now you might say that’s
just democracy in its “rawest” form but it’s also just plain
brawling.Now before I begin on what I
have to say is my opinion on this whole matter, I have to flatly state that I
too have a limited knowledge of what is going on.Everything that I am commenting about is
things that I have learned from the CNN iReports, posts on Facebook, and
conversations with my dad.Other than
that, it is merely speculation.One
thing before I begin is that when my dad and I were talking, it came up that
this protest may just be a political stunt by the DPP (if you don’t know by
now, if I could vote, I’d probably support the KMT).Now here are a few statements that summarize
my feelings towards this event.
1. I support the students as they exercise their right to protest and to act as
a checks and balances for the government.
2. I do not support
the actions in which the protest has been carried out such as but not limited
to, the occupation of both the Legislative Yuan and the Executive Yuan, as well
as the accidental or intentional defacement of government property.
3. I support the
need for a Free Trade Agreement with the PRC as well as any other country for
it provides the basis of economic, social and political development.
4. I do not support
the government in their lack of transparency, but I do acknowledge the fact
that it is necessary at times.
5. I do not support
the police in using excessive force to quell the protesters, but I do
acknowledge the fact that there has been no precedent in this type of protest
in the last few years and that a hard call probably had to be made in this
circumstance. Violence is should be used
as a last resort, but if and only if that is the last resort. Every action should be questioned beforehand.
The fact is that
even if the FTA is passed, it can be revoked.
All it takes is a government whether it be this one or one with a DPP
majority to say, “look, we don’t like this, sorry, but no more.” I
mean we saw direct flights to and from the PRC established even after the terms
of President Chen Shui-Bien. In the
terms that President Ma has been in power, there has been an increase in
Cross-Strait relations. Doesn’t mean
that the next President will want such, it is very possible that everything
that the President has done will be all revoked the moment the next President
is in office. Nothing in politics is
static. What is interesting is that the
protests have now drawn two types of people.
1. Those who are concerned about the lack of transparency from the
government and 2. Those who fear an overreliance on the PRC with our economy
due to the signing of the FTA. I will
now address both concerns to the best of my ability.
1. Regardless of what happens, transparency from
the government will most likely stay the same.
Yes, civilian watchdog groups can be formulated and installed but all
this will do is increase the bureaucratic process in which the government is
already flooded with. Even the US government has a buffer time in which they
are allowed to release classified documents.
2. The fact is that
the ROC is already heavily reliant on the PRC for its economy. ROC’s main export is computer chips and LCD
panels, both of which are manufactured in factories in the PRC. The PRC is the ROC’s number one trading
partner in which it accounts got 28.0% of the exports and 13.2% of its
imports. The ROC has already signed a
trade agreement with the PRC in 2009 called ECFA, in which it could potentially
expand the market for ROC exports (the benefits to ROC have yet to be
determined though). ROC also has seen an
increase in the tourism industry. 500
thousand tourists from the PRC came to the ROC in 2013. If the FTA is not signed, then there must be
more FTAs with other countries to compensate because economic development
should not be stunted as a result.
To be honest, I
found it funny when I started seeing pictures of TAS students joining the
protests because I began to question if those students really knew what was
happening. I remember a couple years
back in middle school, my parents took me to the protests that called for the
removal of President Chen Shui-Bien. I
had no idea what was happening, besides the fact that I had to stand, and yell
and maybe get a free hat. I did not know
the controversies that surrounded the President and at the time nor did I
care. Now I’m not saying that TAS
students are ignorant or oblivious because I know some are probably following
the news intently and have a clear sense of what is happening. I do find it funny though that the first news
outlets that were being sourced by iReporters on CNN iReport came from Apple
Daily, which in my opinion is nothing more than news being over hyped with cool
pictographs.
In conclusion, what
this article and what my comment and what everyone else’s comments are is an
exercise of our rights as well. However,
it does not call for bashing of other opinions, yes some may be unsubstantiated
or come from people like me who know that they don’t have the whole facts but
nonetheless it doesn’t mean that I should be mistreated or shamed on the
Internet. The freedom of speech and
press does not entitle people to be attacked or mistreated due to their
opinions
NickYeh • Mar 26, 2014 at 11:26 am
Trillium Chang She said IB Chinese, not IB History.
Trillium Chang • Mar 26, 2014 at 11:17 am
@Andrew Scheidler hear, hear
Trillium Chang • Mar 26, 2014 at 11:10 am
You are completely misunderstanding the issue.
A) The protests are not about the treaty itself but the lack of transparency and due process. If it was about the treaty solely, protests would have started in 2009 when it was first introduced.
B) This piece completely neglects the violence from the other side. Why is there no mention of police brutality to the peaceful protestors?
C) Not all of the protestors are militant. In fact, the majority of the students only “occupied”.
D) I ask you, what is the purpose of education if not to prevent other entities from violating our rights? What is the purpose of education if not to think rationally and critically? Just because these students chose not to go to school for a few days, in pursuit of what they believe is their fundamental rights, does not in no way mean they do not value their education.
E) It’s annexation not absorption. You are not an amoeba. Your IB/AP History teacher would be appalled.
Eric Chen • Mar 26, 2014 at 10:13 am
Tackling a controversial topic (especially one that is so close to home) is extremely difficult. It takes courage not only to form an opinion but also publish it for the world to see. I believe it is quite daunting.
However, I would like to point out a few things that the author should be aware of that I found quite offensive:
First off – I completely agree with fads in Taiwan. I was there when people waited for Mister Donuts and the McDonald’s Hello Kitty dolls for 2+ hrs on end. Yes, I too am quite familiar with this craziness. However, it is plain insulting when she compares Krispy Kreme fads to people that are tired, hungry, injured, and fighting for “Taiwanese democracy.”
Her statement of “Only this time, the crowd’s ignorant actions are immediately affecting the stock market and Taiwan’s international reputation,” she is placing a value judgement that money and image is more important than the message these protesters/students are fighting for. What about cultural ideals? And jobs for the Taiwanese people? It is truly unfortunate that she places so much value on those two items instead of what the true meaning behind the “Sunflower Movement.”
She also mentions that Professors at NTU and NTNU are promoting checking in on Facebook as a substitute for class attendance. She then proceeds to suggest these students do not value education. Who says that being at the protest or experiencing it first-hand is not education in itself? Education is everywhere. You don’t need to be in a classroom for learning to occur! If anything, this is an amazing learning experience. You could be part of history as we speak. I can hear Mr. Arnold say how wonderful it is.
Lastly, her statement – “However, any EDUCATED person should know that it is highly improbable for China to absorb Taiwan” is quite ignorant. It is a matter of debate and has nothing to do with being educated at all. There is a reason why those students and scholars are out there. I won’t dig any deeper because this a debate onto itself.
Bottom line is this – everybody is entitled to their opinions, ideas, and point of views. However, the author uses much ignorance in her opinions. I am pointing this out because as a TAS alumni it is disappointing to see that an individual in such a great education program can be so narrow-minded about the world around her. Moreover, individuals need to be held accountable for their opinions. We are in a highly connected world where repercussions from freedom of expression can be disastrous.
Thank you.
Best Regards,
Eric Chen
TAS Alum • Mar 26, 2014 at 8:35 am
Student protests have countless historical precedence that have been internationally accepted as politically justified. The fact that some students are participating out of boredom does not undermine the valid concern of disadvantageous or corrupt policies (though it would legitimize your claims if you had sources to back up your assertions). Either way, in my opinion, it is the responsibility of the government to educate its constituents and maintain transparency. This is something the incumbent legislature has failed to do, which could justify the protest in and of itself. Even though China is unlikely to forcibly annex Taiwan, the people obviously have the right to protest potentially unfavorable economic policies that are passed under less than transparent political processes. Also, the support of NTU professors and the level in which the students care about education is completely irrelevant to the issue on hand. As for the rule of law, vandalism as an act of civil disobedience has to be examined from a completely different light than recreational vandalism. I am not condoning their actions but wanted to point out the flaw in your line of reasoning. All in all, I am not disagreeing with your opinion that the protests are unreasonable, I just don’t think you supported your ideas in a coherent and logical manner. Disclaimer: I am neither for nor against the protests, though I do believe the protestors have a right to be there.
David Huang • Mar 26, 2014 at 8:27 am
As an alumni, it really seems like the arguments made in this article only highlight the ignorance of the author (comparing Krispy Kreme fad with protesting authoritarian legislative process… really?).
Firstly, she equates education with schooling, and assumes one is not learning anything by partaking in social or political activism.
Secondly, she grossly underestimates China’s influence on Taiwan, and that increasing economic dependence will only make it harder for Taiwan to say no to closer ties with China.
Thirdly, she assumes that these protests are violent in nature, which is not only false (if she had actually gone and sat down with people there, she would probably know better), but also greatly detracts from the purpose of the protest.
This could probably go on forever, but the fact that she never addressed the real issue at hand (the reason behind the protest) and that she believes she is more knowledgeable about this issue than the people actually protesting are true signs of ignorance and arrogance.
Andrew Scheidler • Mar 26, 2014 at 6:47 am
Hi Madeline,
You say that, “the crowd’s ignorant actions are immediately affecting the stock market and Taiwan’s international reputation”. I am not trying to deny negative effects of the protests, but where are the statistics and where are the quotes? If you could provide concrete examples of the protest damaging Taiwan’s reputation, I would be much more convinced. On the other hand, there are videos and photos spreading across the internet of foreigners all around the world voicing support for the protesters. This shows that people around the world admire the students’ courage to challenge a government that disrespects their country’s democracy. What do you make of this? If there’s any bad reputation of Taiwan, it would be of the government and not the people. The whole point of spreading the news in Taiwan on social media outlets is to show people what the government is doing wrong. Giving the government bad international reputation is a GOOD thing because when the world is watching, they have to break their bad habits.
Next, you claim that “Without having proper knowledge of CSSTA, some students just jumped on the bandwagon out of boredom.” Again, you don’t have any evidence of students joining out of boredom. Do you think people enjoy locking themselves up in a meeting hall without air conditioning for hours, or sitting outside in the rain, just because they’re bored? Even if it’s true, you’re missing the point. There are many other students that understand the dangers of CSSTA and genuinely care for the country’s future, and those are the ones that you should be paying attention to. In addition, the main issue is that majority of the people in Taiwan do NOT have “proper knowledge” of the CSSTA. Hence, it is irresponsible of the government to rush the trade pact undemocratically without making its details clear to the country, which is the main goal of the protest.
“What does this say about students sincerely interested in their education?” If you have seen photographs of students studying inside the Legislative Yuan, you would understand that they care both about their education and about their country’s future. Plus, there were public lectures held outside for the public to attend, maintaining an educational value in the protests. Just as one cannot give up food and water, the students realize that they can temporarily put their educations on hold while they prioritize fighting for their rights and futures.
“Vandalism of a national historical monument is a crime. Therefore, the students are criminals, and should suffer consequences.” Yes, you are correct, but I am appalled that you are more concerned about historical monuments than you are about the government’s violation of democratic processes.
“Most of us are not knowledgeable enough to have informed opinions for or against the CSSTA; we do not know enough about economics or of politics to draw conclusions about the future of our beloved country.” You can’t argue for intentional ignorance. If you truly care about the future of your “beloved country” then you would read up about and study the details involved with the CSSTA, and that is what many of the students have done. Many of these people are conscious of the consequences of hastily passing a major trade pact with China without going through due processes. Don’t insult the intelligence of the students who are capable of forming their own thoughts (and not just jumping on the bandwagon), just because you choose to not learn about contemporary issues.
“Just because China wants to get Taiwan back, doesn’t mean it can.” Same goes for the opposite; just because Taiwan doesn’t want China to absorb it, it doesn’t mean that China can’t.
“Let our generation be defined not by our youth and craze, but by our intelligence.” I’m guessing you haven’t been watching the news, because I’m convinced that you are not aware that the students are not the only ones involved in the protest. Doctors, lawyers, and professors have voiced their support and joined the movement. Even the students’ parents are cheering them on. Are you saying that doctors, lawyers, and professors are driven by “youth and craze” and not intelligent?
Vicky • Mar 26, 2014 at 6:14 am
It’s Ma administration’s violence response that has been condemned. Salil Shetty, Secretary General of Amnesty International tweeted “Security forces in Taipei must respect rights in student-led protests – disturbing reports.” Also, please do not oversimplify matters by claiming you are aware of what every educated person should know. These student leaders of the protest hail from Taiwan’s most elite colleges and universities and had to actually work for their education.
Kevin Chou • Mar 26, 2014 at 6:02 am
Don’t use education level to back up all your arguments. You’re only a high school student. The protest was led by Taiwanese elite college students so you’re at a disadvantage. You are still young and there are many things to learn in life. Please keep that in mind because these are the wise words from a current college junior and tas alumni.
Jenny K • Mar 26, 2014 at 4:32 am
Actually, I take my comment back. I respect your opinions
Jenny K • Mar 26, 2014 at 4:11 am
As a TAS alum, I am hurt to see that a fellow TAS student have failed to understand the multifaceted nature of the situation. Instead of thinking the protest as a “trend”, why don’t you study up and understand why democracy is so important for these protesters? I have personally grown up in Taiwan and both of my parents have fought for the democracy you have taken for granted. For the past 100 years, Taiwan has always been an authoritarian society (Japanese occupation and White Terror). It is only till the 90s when Taiwan has become democratic. So many people has fought for democracy and will continuously defend it because it has been a difficult journey. Yes there are students who join the bandwagon simply because it’s popular. There are also students who are there trying to demand an answer from the government. That reason itself cannot be the sole reason for you not to join the protest. Instead, as an IB student, you should study up and understand BOTH sides of the argument before deciding whether to join the protest. Do understand that the government cheated the democratic system in the first place, which is why the students are outside rallying outside. They are demanding the government to revoke the act and give everyone a free platform to choose whether they support CSSTA or not. If the students are not there right now, the government will have passed an act without consulting the people first. The issue is not as simple as you make it to be. As for your argument on the economy, you do realize that the source you’re relying on is the Taiwanese media, right? They are (as you should know) invested by Chinese firms. The economy can also be a result of a long term international trend instead of this incident. Correlation does not imply causation. You should really study up on the issue because it will directly impact the politics of Taiwan in the future, and especially your generation when you enter the workforce in 10 years.