Honorable to Block TV, Ban Children's Book, and Inspect Water Meters？
United Daily News, December 5, 2020
A picture book for children, Waiting for Dad to Come Home, depicting a child who misses his father, a doctor saving people and cannot return home during the pandemic, was banned in Taiwan. Because there were "Go Wuhan!" and "Go China!" slogans and illustrations of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) transport plane in this China-published picture book, which made some adults feel uneasy. Following multiple complaints by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators and city councilors, the Ministry of Culture cited the Act Governing Cross-Strait Relations and the book had not been submitted for review, requested booksellers and libraries across Taiwan to remove the book from the shelves.
This children's picture book contains only a few words, yet it compelled the administration of President Tsai Ing-wen to take up arms, as if the PLA plane would virtually fly out of the book. The DPP legislators, who accused the book as inappropriate, said that the book excessively "glorifies China" and feared that children in Taiwan to be brainwashed. In fact, regular people see in the book "the love of father and son", while those of the DPP see "Chinese invasion." What kind of person would a hysterical Tsai administration cultivate in Taiwan? Are children on both sides of the strait not allowed to share even the affection of father and son?
Even if words like "Go Wuhan!" and "Go China!" appear an eyesore to some people, should all the unpleasant things be erased and completely wiped out of sight? Earlier CtiTV News' reports and comments made the authorities and the ruling DPP unhappy, so the National Communications Commission (NCC) shut the TV channel down so that the Tsai administration would no longer hear harsh criticism. And this time around, it was mainland China's children's book that made the DPP unhappy, so the Ministry of Culture ordered the book to be removed. Does this prevent Taiwanese children from being "brainwashed red"? Is this any different to "close-minded"?
Shutting down CtiTV News is to gag the mouths of the media and the people of different views; Banning children's book is to cover the eyes of children to observe the world. With these successive suppressions on freedom of speech, the Tsai administration regressed to the authoritarian White Terror era of banning Communist books, even to the old times of "anti-communism and resistance to the Soviet Union". This is short-sighted, narrow-minded, and ignorant to values. Thirty years ago, Lee Yung-te, now the minister of culture, was the first to break the ice into mainland China as a reporter and won him a hero image. Thirty years later, as Minister Lee, he flagrantly imposed a ban on a children's book. Is this Lee Yung-te’s atavistic traits, or the collective degeneration of the DPP?
On the same day that the Ministry of Culture issued a ban on children's book, an old man in his 70s left a suicide note declaring his supports for CtiTV News and asking his daughter not to eat U.S. pork containing ractopamine. and set himself on fire in front of the CtiTV News building in protest against government heavy-handed moves. Cheng Nan-jung who set himself on fire to support freedom of speech 30 years ago. Thirty years after the lifting of martial law, people still choose the deadly remonstrance to protest the ruling party of injustice. Doesn't the Tsai administration feel ashamed? Does the DPP feel at ease?
Recently, Internet satire has changed the three characters of "Cheng Nan-jung" with homophone words "Her Majesty won't tolerate" expressing dissatisfaction with the arrogance and suppression of the Tsai administration. Whether it's shutting down CtiTV News, banning children's books, or lifting import restrictions on U.S. pork containing ractopamine, one can see "Her Majesty won't tolerate" behind the scene. Not only that, the government's "checking the water meter" (police investigation) has become even more outrageous. It did this unabashed. Netizens who reposted a post were immediately called in to be interviewed by the police; pig farmers wanted to march north to protest and police showed up at their doors; Royal Beef Noodle Restaurant challenged a government spokesperson's false information, and it was under inspection on the heels of unknown charges. Sings Kout Meat only issued a statement clarifying that it has never used pork containing ractopamine. The local fire department and labor department visited separately to show concerns. The DPP claims to be a democratic and progressive party, but the ruling officials mostly abuse their powers. They are intolerant of television, intolerant of children's books, and intolerant of any dissent. Such a ruling party has the audacity to criticize Communist China’s arrests in Hong Kong as a violation of human rights. Alas, this is simply the pot calling the kettle black!
More terrifying than shutting down television stations is those in power closing their ears; more terrifying than banning books is closing the hearts of the next generation; more terrifying than "checking the water meters" is the bureaucrats becoming political tools. The end result will be mental retardation across the nation.