Chao Yi-an asks: What's this for?

Chao Yi-an asks: What's this for?
United Daily News editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
September 19, 2007

On September 15, the day of the "March to Join the UN," Chen Shui-bian boasted that "everyone in the Chen family able to walk" had showed up. His sons and daughters, and his sons-in-law and daughters-in-law formed a veritable phalanx. His grandson Chao Yi-an and Chao Yi-ting became the focus of media attention.

Little An An in particular became a media darling. Every time television anchors mentioned him, their faces revealed a mixture of affection and pity. Chen Shui-bian had been up to his neck in scandals. Now, riding the wave of the "Plebiscite to Join the UN," he was suddenly "Standing Tall."

We have no idea what sort of advanced classes Chen family elders have been providing Chao Yi-an, who is not yet six. But based on Chao Yi-an's age, he probably doesn't understand the fact and fiction behind the "Plebiscite to Join the UN." He merrily waved a Green flag, turned to DPP presidential candidate Frank Hsieh beside him and asked: "What's this (Plebiscite to Join the UN) sticker for?"

The adults nearby laughed at little An An's question. Nobody bothered giving him a serious explanation. But one day, 10, 20, even 30 years from now, an intellectually mature Chao Yi-an may confront the reality of Taiwan. He may recall the march his elders took him on, and find the answer he was seeking!

But until that day, 10, 20, 30 years from now, can the Taiwan independence movement's "rectification of names and authoring of a new constitution" be considered a success? Will a "Nation of Taiwan" exist? Or will Taiwan be thoroughly marginalized and suffocated? Will Taiwan and mainland China establish a win/win framework for their mutual benefit? Will Chao Yi-an's grandfather Chen Shui-bian become the Father of a "Nation of Taiwan?" Or will he become Taiwan's Public Enemy, responsible for Taiwan's destruction and decline? Will Chao Yi-an's grandfather Chen Shui-bian, his grandmother Wu Shu-cheng, his paternal grandfather Chao Yu-chu, and his father Chao Chien-min, be found not guilty? Or will they be convicts serving time for corruption?

During political marches, whether Blue or Green, children are invariably the focus of media attention. The innocence of little children always provides such a striking contrast with the dark underbelly of politics. Other children may be nothing more than the rank and file of a Blue Army or Green Army. But Chao Yi-an as "First Grandson" has been branded for life. By the time he becomes an adult, will Chao Yi-an be an honored citizen of a "Nation of Taiwan?" Will he be proud of his grandfather's meritorious service and this historic event? Will he have departed for distant shores? Will he look back at a marginalized, crumbling Taiwan? Will he consider his family background and this event something to be ashamed of?

Chen Shui-bian desperately hopes to change history's appraisal of him from "corrupt kleptocrat" to "champion of independence." Everyone in the Chen family able to walk took to the streets, raising the banner of Taiwan independence. Their real purpose was to use the occasion to jettison the image of a corrupt Chen Shui-bian, an unethical Chen Shui-bian. But will waving a magic wand made in Taiwan in fact transform Chen Shui-bian the Kleptocrat into Chen Shui-bian the Champion of Taiwan Independence?

Who can tell Chao Yi-an the purpose of this "March for a Plebiscite to Join the UN?" Should we tell him what Chen Shui-bian said? That "Nothing's going to happen. We're simply going to end up where we started." After all, when Chen Shui-bian said "Nothing's going to happen. We're simply going to end up where we started," he meant that when the march was over, there would still be no "Nation of Taiwan," there would still be no change in the name of the country, and there would still be no UN membership. What we really want to know is, what's going to happen to the corrupt Chen family? Nothing? What about Chen Shui-bian's rampant misrule, which has precipitated a national disaster? Is it too merely going to end up where it started?

On September 15, hundreds of thousands of demonstrators will stick up for Chen Shui-bian. But Chao Yi-an, who is not yet six, might not. They may be able to dress him up in a green "Taiwan for UN" T-shirt. But they won't be able to stop him from asking "What's this for?" For that matter, do the hundreds of thousands of adults whom Chen Shui-bian has led into the streets by the nose truly understand what the march if for? For whom they are marching? Are they really marching to found a "Nation of Taiwan?" Does founding a "Nation of Taiwan" mean that one "loves Taiwan? Or is Chen Shui-bian merely using them? Are they merely helping "Chen Shui-bian the Kleptocrat" turn himself into "Chen Shui-bian the Champion of Taiwan independence?"

When Chao Yi-an grows up and becomes aware of his family's reputation, what will he make of his grandfather's misrule and his grandmother's corruption? What will he make of his father and paternal grandfather's conspiratorial relationship with the First Family? What will be make of his mother Chen Hsing-yu's public falling out with her father-in-law? Will he think of Taiwan independence as "saving Taiwan, loving Taiwan?" Or will he think or Taiwan independence as "deception of oneself, and deception of others?" When the time comes Chao Yi-an to find an answer, questions will abound, and they won't be confined to "What's this sticker for?"

Chen Shui-bian may be able to fool his followers and supporters part of the time. But he prorbably won't be able to fool Chao YI-an for another 10, 20, 30 years.

Some day, Chen Shui-bian will either be known as the Father of a "Nation of Taiwan," or as the con artist and criminal responsible for Taiwan's disintegration. On that day, we will have our answer. Until that day, if Chao Yi-an asks "What's this for?" he may be asking in vain.

趙翊安問：這個貼紙是做什麼的？
【聯合報╱社論】
2007.09.19 02:51 am

九一五入聯公投大遊行，如陳水扁所說，他們一家「能走路的」都去了。子女媳婿一列排開，金孫趙翊安與趙翊廷尤其成為電視鏡頭的焦點。

小安安更是媒體寵兒，電視主播一說到他，都嘴角含笑，眉露愛憐。藉著入聯公投噴發的氣勢，一度陷於貪腐陰霾的陳水扁一家，儼然又「堂堂正正」地站出來了！

不知陳家長輩對不滿六歲的趙翊安曾作何種「行前教育」？但以趙翊安的年歲，大概不太容易瞭解「入聯公投」的是非真偽，難怪他一面興奮地搖著綠旗，一面仰頭問身邊的謝長廷：「這個（入聯公投）貼紙是做什麼的？」

當時，他身邊的成人們被小安安逗得相視哄笑，當然沒有人會認真去解釋他的疑惑。不過，總有那麼一天，十年後、二十年後，或三十年後，當心智漸趨成熟的趙翊安面對十、二十、三十年後的台灣，他或許會回想到當年由家中長輩帶去參加的這場大遊行，屆時他也許就會找到他自己的答案！

到了那一天，十年、二十年、三十年後，台灣正名制憲成功了嗎？台灣國建立了嗎？或台灣已徹底邊緣化而奄奄一息？或台灣與中國大陸建立了雙贏互惠的互動架構？到了那一天，趙翊安的外公陳水扁將是台灣國的國父，或將是使台灣撕裂而趨向敗亡的台灣大罪人？趙翊安的外公陳水扁、外婆吳淑珍、爺爺趙玉柱及父親趙建銘，是被證實無罪無辜，或是正在服刑或刑期已滿的貪汙犯？

在政治遊行場合，無論藍綠，兒童皆是鏡頭焦點；因為，童稚的天真，與陰晦的政治極易呈現強烈的對比。然而，其他的兒童或許只是遊行隊伍中的驚鴻一瞥，但趙翊安「第一金孫」的身世卻是他終身的烙印。待他成人後，趙翊安將是身處光榮的台灣國的領土之上，而以父祖的功勳及這場大遊行為榮？或屆時他已旅寄海外，遙望著邊緣化、甚或敗亡的台灣，而以父祖的罪孽及這場大遊行為羞恥憾恨？

陳水扁亟欲將「貪腐的道德評價」，操作轉變成「台獨的道德評價」。當陳家「能走路的」都走上街頭，標舉著「台獨的道德」，他們是欲藉此甩掉應對「貪腐的道德評價」所負的責任。貪腐的陳水扁，不道德的陳水扁，難道就此搖身一變成為台獨的陳水扁，道德的陳水扁？

誰能告訴趙翊安，為何要舉行這場「入聯公投大遊行」？難道要以陳水扁所說的回答他：只是為了「什麼事都不會發生，一切將回到原點」而遊行？何況，陳水扁所說的「什麼事都不會發生，一切將回到原點」，只是指最後還是沒有台灣國，沒有改國號，沒有入聯；但是，難道經過這次遊行，陳水扁一家的貪腐也就「什麼事都不曾發生」，陳水扁失政敗德所造成的國災民禍也能「一切皆回到原點」？

九一五，即使十數萬遊行者皆為陳水扁背書，但不滿六歲的趙翊安恐怕不能。因為，他雖被人穿上入聯的「青蛙Ｔ恤」，卻不解地問：「這個貼紙是做什麼的？」何況，那些跟著陳水扁上街的十數萬成人，難道真正明白他們為何遊行？為誰遊行？難道真是為了建立台灣國？難道建立台灣國又真是愛台灣？又難道只是被陳水扁欺愚利用，欲將「貪腐的陳水扁」翻製變造成一個「台獨的陳水扁」而已？

等到趙翊安長大，意識到他的家庭烙印，他將對外公的失政敗德及外婆所涉匪夷所思的貪腐案作何想法？他又將對父親及爺爺攀附上第一家庭後的人生悲劇有何想法？他又將對其母陳幸妤屢屢在公眾場合失態及與公公反目有何想法？他將認為台獨是救台灣、愛台灣，或認為台獨是「自欺欺人」……。可以確定的是，屆時等待趙翊安自己去尋找答案的問題有很多很多，絕對不僅只有：「這個貼紙是做什麼的？」

陳水扁在如今一時一地或許可以騙過他所有的追隨者及支持者，但是他也許騙不過十年、二十年、三十年後心智漸趨成熟的趙翊安。

屆時，陳水扁是台灣國的國父，或是造成台灣分崩離析的台獨騙子及台灣罪人，應當已有答案。到那個時候，趙翊安若再自問「這個貼紙是做什麼的」，或許已是多此一問，枉此一問了！