Taiwan Elections 3/20

Things are reaching a fever pitch for the upcoming election on the 20th. Though I thought the U.S. was fairly tiring in terms of election rhetoric, it is easy to see how one can get even more overwhelmed here. In addition to the constant static of TV ads, there is a lot more flag waving and such things. Trucks drive around with huge banners on their sides and loudspeakers blaring the political messages--pretty much none of which I understand. But the whole atmosphere is, for me, adrenaline-inducing.

Election support seems to me more coalesced in tems of neighborhoods rather than individuals. For instance, my street, by all appearances, is COMPLETELY D.P.P., with hordes of green flags and banners hanging everywhere. But I live in what is most likely a D.P.P. stronghold--an old part (i.e. Taiwanese vs. Taiwanese-Chinese) of the city in the south of Taiwan. A short drive puts me in a geographically distinct neighborhood with blue flags. I believe it was a former army village, therefore inclined to support the K.M.T.

But here in Kaohsiung where D.P.P. support is especially strong, it feels misleading--I can't imagine that there is any support for the other side, because I just don't see it here. On Saturday, for instance, the KMT had planned a big "anti-corruption" rally for an area in the north of Kaohsiung. The DPP responded by staging their own rally nearby. For some reason, the KMT rally was altered from an anti-corruption rally to something else, but they supposedly still rallied. I really can't verify that, though, as for blocks and blocks, all I saw--to my great delight--were people carrying the green flags and banners of A-bien's DPP party. A huge parade flowed down Boai Road, and although I looked, I didn't see a single blue banner or "2" anywhere (the parties are numbered 1 and 2). Apparently, the KMT rally was completely drowned in a the sea of opposition support. Considering that my apartment and motorcycle both fly the DPP's green flag, I was more than happy with that.

The issue for me is polarized in terms of identity. While neither the KMT nor the DPP is officially pro-unification or pro-independence, they definitely characterize themselves as such, respectively. In the 6 months I have been here, I have yet to talk with anyone that feels differently from this: Taiwan is not China. We have no desire to reunify with a country that has no democracy, horrible infrastructure, a militantly oppressive government, is technologically 20 years behind us, and which trains its missiles on us. So what does that mean for elections? I don't know who supports a gradual course of re-unification. I know that they are out there, but I don't know where. Of course, you can support the KMT and not desire unification, but instead seek to maintain the status quo. I disagree with that line of logic, however, as nothing remains constant, and doing nothing is simply a way of deferring problems until a later time when they are more concretized in minds of the populace--seek the status quo and you will find that you have lost the options that were open to you earlier. Sure, patience is good, but inaction and the status quo is highly overrated.

On an emotional side, however, the issue is getting difficult. I love this place, and I shudder at the thought of an invasion by China. But that is exactly the fear that I know I must fight if my true feelings about the issue of Taiwan independence are to be realized. I also have been drawing back from my position a bit out of a concern that I am making it more of an issue than I have the right to. But I know what people here would say to me, because for some reason, it seems to be a phrase thrown casually in my direction so often that I am not sure what it really means anymore: "You think too much."

P.S. If this post doesn't get my site blocked in China (yes, the "world wide" web is not available to everyone), this just might do it, if it isn't already:

Comments

[pete]

Feedback. I'm in Guangzhou and just read this post Tiger.

[Martyn]

Please keep "thinking too much" Tiger...and keep the green flag flying!

[FrankLin]

You sound like a real Kaohsiuner.

It's true, Americans are more intellectual.

[善男子]

台灣的選舉非常煽情！
中國和台灣的歷史情仇，總是在選票考量下被活化，
非理性的對抗、省籍情結的撕裂、放大自己、渺小對手！

我認為，台灣是「中華文化」延續最佳的典範，所以說～
台灣延續中國的是「文化」，不是「政治」！
真不明白為什麼有那麼多人都搞不懂？

[Crystallic]

:) An observer again.

Martyn, you should not be scaring Tiger.. that's so naughty! Hehe, but funny. In fact, I too want to respond to that phrase "think too much", and also "I am making it more of an issue than I have the right to".

Tiger, it's good that you think. I commend you for that. But try think with reason and knowledge, it feels great.

In fact, you have the total right to "make an issue" of something you believe in. But you seem to be making it more of an issue than it should be.

I applaud what 善男子 has written. If you can understand and appreciate that, you won't be so confused today and worry about "invasion" by China.

However, it's understandable why you're that way... media and politics together, are too powerful an influence on people's mind. How I know? Well........

Be discerning.