Comments on: Freedom House reports declining media freedom http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2009/05/freedom-house-report-press-freedom/ commentary on all things Taiwanese -- Taipei, Taiwan Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:42:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: David Reid http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2009/05/freedom-house-report-press-freedom/comment-page-1/#comment-84945 David Reid Thu, 14 May 2009 00:54:26 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/?p=4229#comment-84945 I'll just add something to give this more context. It is important to understand that up until 1990 there was no freedom of association on Taiwan university campuses. All student activities were closely monitored and controlled by the apparatus of the KMT Party State. Remnants of this authoritarian mentality still live on today. I have heard numerous stories about students being actively discouraged from engaging in political activities. Furthermore I have heard of teachers that constantly propagandise and present extraordinarily distorted views of Taiwanese history and politics to their students. It is not fair to say that students are stupid if they make voting decisions based on what their teachers said unless you try to understand the broader situation of what is going on on the campuses. I’ll just add something to give this more context. It is important to understand that up until 1990 there was no freedom of association on Taiwan university campuses. All student activities were closely monitored and controlled by the apparatus of the KMT Party State. Remnants of this authoritarian mentality still live on today. I have heard numerous stories about students being actively discouraged from engaging in political activities. Furthermore I have heard of teachers that constantly propagandise and present extraordinarily distorted views of Taiwanese history and politics to their students. It is not fair to say that students are stupid if they make voting decisions based on what their teachers said unless you try to understand the broader situation of what is going on on the campuses.

]]> By: cfimages http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2009/05/freedom-house-report-press-freedom/comment-page-1/#comment-84944 cfimages Thu, 14 May 2009 00:03:33 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/?p=4229#comment-84944 Well Manuel, if your classmates believe stuff like that, it's amazing they ever managed to graduate high school, much less get into university. Well Manuel, if your classmates believe stuff like that, it’s amazing they ever managed to graduate high school, much less get into university.

]]> By: Manuel http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2009/05/freedom-house-report-press-freedom/comment-page-1/#comment-84943 Manuel Wed, 13 May 2009 17:13:57 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/?p=4229#comment-84943 Very simple...they do it the same way like the NAzis did under Hitler. They spread out fear ... they say things like "If you vote for the DPP tomorrow the communist will Taiwan as part of them"...or like "Chen will force your sisters and mothers to prostitution and send for independence war against China, while he will live happily with his US greem card in the US."...mostly take the teacher the United Daily News into class and read the propaganda in front of us. Very simple…they do it the same way like the NAzis did under Hitler. They spread out fear … they say things like “If you vote for the DPP tomorrow the communist will Taiwan as part of them”…or like “Chen will force your sisters and mothers to prostitution and send for independence war against China, while he will live happily with his US greem card in the US.”…mostly take the teacher the United Daily News into class and read the propaganda in front of us.

]]> By: cfimages http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2009/05/freedom-house-report-press-freedom/comment-page-1/#comment-84919 cfimages Mon, 04 May 2009 00:20:48 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/?p=4229#comment-84919 Manuel, I'm curious how your teachers can force you and your classmates to vote for Ma. Unless you tell the teacher who you voted for, how would they ever know? Manuel, I’m curious how your teachers can force you and your classmates to vote for Ma. Unless you tell the teacher who you voted for, how would they ever know?

]]> By: David Reid http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2009/05/freedom-house-report-press-freedom/comment-page-1/#comment-84918 David Reid Sun, 03 May 2009 08:12:55 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/?p=4229#comment-84918 Thanks for your analysis Manuel. It would be interesting to conduct a survey on attitudes to democracy to understand this better. Thanks for your analysis Manuel. It would be interesting to conduct a survey on attitudes to democracy to understand this better.

]]> By: Manuel http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2009/05/freedom-house-report-press-freedom/comment-page-1/#comment-84916 Manuel Sun, 03 May 2009 06:20:17 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/?p=4229#comment-84916 My classmates (males) told me that they voted for Ma not just because our teachers forces us,too, but mainly because most of them aren't sure if they can live and handle Western values like democracy and human rights. So voting for the KMT means to identify yourself as a nationalist, capitalist Chinese and distance yourself from Taiwanese identity which means to be liberal and open minded or simply Tai Ke. It's of course a different story outside of Taipei. I'm seriously thinking about leaving Taipei. The right to say my personal opinion gets more and more limited in my campus. My classmates from the economic department talk a lot about Singapore. Same as Jackie Chan they agree that Chinese people need a strong leader and control. Adolf Hitler is very glorified in Chinese societies. My classmates (males) told me that they voted for Ma not just because our teachers forces us,too, but mainly because most of them aren’t sure if they can live and handle Western values like democracy and human rights.
So voting for the KMT means to identify yourself as a nationalist, capitalist Chinese and distance yourself from Taiwanese identity which means to be liberal and open minded or simply Tai Ke.
It’s of course a different story outside of Taipei. I’m seriously thinking about leaving Taipei. The right to say my personal opinion gets more and more limited in my campus.
My classmates from the economic department talk a lot about Singapore. Same as Jackie Chan they agree that Chinese people need a strong leader and control. Adolf Hitler is very glorified in Chinese societies.

]]> By: roentarre http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2009/05/freedom-house-report-press-freedom/comment-page-1/#comment-84912 roentarre Sat, 02 May 2009 13:00:23 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/?p=4229#comment-84912 I am very amazed at this score taiwan managed to get I do think that media work in conjunction with politicians all the time. They are inseparable I am very amazed at this score taiwan managed to get

I do think that media work in conjunction with politicians all the time. They are inseparable

]]> By: David Reid http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2009/05/freedom-house-report-press-freedom/comment-page-1/#comment-84910 David Reid Sat, 02 May 2009 03:08:37 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/?p=4229#comment-84910 CW, thanks for your comment. It is worth noting that Singapore ranks 151 with a score of 63. Many people are unaware that Singapore is NOT a democracy. I included some of the concerns about Hong Kong in this article because it gives a glimpse of Taiwan's possible political future. Singapore is another possible future model. Neither are desirable even if Taiwan's current democratic system has flaws. I don't check Yahoo News, but will have a look at it to get an idea about what people are reading. I haven't heard the news about the Chen Wen-cheng case. It will be interesting to see what kind of reactions the release of "Formosa Betrayed" provokes. CW, thanks for your comment. It is worth noting that Singapore ranks 151 with a score of 63. Many people are unaware that Singapore is NOT a democracy. I included some of the concerns about Hong Kong in this article because it gives a glimpse of Taiwan’s possible political future. Singapore is another possible future model. Neither are desirable even if Taiwan’s current democratic system has flaws.

I don’t check Yahoo News, but will have a look at it to get an idea about what people are reading. I haven’t heard the news about the Chen Wen-cheng case. It will be interesting to see what kind of reactions the release of “Formosa Betrayed” provokes.

]]> By: CW http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/2009/05/freedom-house-report-press-freedom/comment-page-1/#comment-84909 CW Sat, 02 May 2009 00:19:04 +0000 http://blog.taiwan-guide.org/?p=4229#comment-84909 Hi David, somehow I found this blog and enjoyed several of your posts. Thanks for that. It is not surprising that Taiwan is downgraded by FH, especially with an administration taking Singapore as a successful model (seriously?). And it is again not surprising that on Yahoo!News no/few people recommend this news reported by Liberty Times. I don't know whether you & your friends notice that somehow the popularity of the news on Yahoo! represents quite well the majority of 20-40 years-olds. Another good indicator is the poll on Yahoo!. I found these indicators really explain quite well the results of recent elections. But when one does a little bit more study and thinking. It is not difficult to find that there are bunch of contradictions in between, implying that the majority of the young taiwanese cannot compromise with themselves (it's all the same people reading the news and polled). By the way, I do not know if it is because of the coming release of the movie "Formosa Betrayed", Ma administration just started to re-investigate Prof. Chen's case. News says the earliest report may come at June (so quick!!). It is so interesting to see all of these. Hi David,

somehow I found this blog and enjoyed several of your posts. Thanks for that.

It is not surprising that Taiwan is downgraded by FH, especially with an administration taking Singapore as a successful model (seriously?). And it is again not surprising that on Yahoo!News no/few people recommend this news reported by Liberty Times.

I don’t know whether you & your friends notice that somehow the popularity of the news on Yahoo! represents quite well the majority of 20-40 years-olds. Another good indicator is the poll on Yahoo!. I found these indicators really explain quite well the results of recent elections.

But when one does a little bit more study and thinking. It is not difficult to find that there are bunch of contradictions in between, implying that the majority of the young taiwanese cannot compromise with themselves (it’s all the same people reading the news and polled).

By the way, I do not know if it is because of the coming release of the movie “Formosa Betrayed”, Ma administration just started to re-investigate Prof. Chen’s case. News says the earliest report may come at June (so quick!!).

It is so interesting to see all of these.

]]>