Who Will Do Justice to Our Democracy?

Who Will Do Justice to Our Democracy?
China Times editorial (Taipei, Taiwan, ROC)
A Translation
July 29, 2009

"Haven't I contributed to Taiwan's democracy?" The Taipei District Court is trying former President Chen Shui-bian's family on four counts of corruption. Just before she was interrogated, former First Lady Wu Shu-chen spoke out. Wu Shu-chen was clearly indignant. Some people think the Chen family is making an emotional appeal prior to the first instance verdict. They think the Chen family is hoping to stir up old memories. They think it is turning the clock back to 24 years ago, when Wu Shu-chen suffered crippling spinal injuries in Tainan. They think it is turning the clock back to nine years ago, to the elation many experienced when the ROC underwent its first change in ruling parties. Perhaps the Chen family thinks this will inspire people to revise their image of the corrupt First Family. Wipe away the dust. Is the "Son of Taiwan" anywhere to be found? Is the heartfelt emotion between "Ah Bian and Ah-Cheng," the stuff of soap operas, anywhere to be found?

The Chen family is probably not alone in hoping to freeze that glorious moment in the history of democracy on Taiwan. Chen Shui-bian was not the only one who felt all was right with the world at that moment. How many champions of democracy felt unbounded gratification? How many people felt proud that "Taiwan" would henceforth go its own way? Wu Shu-chen naturally hoped to make an emotional appeal regarding the development of democracy on Taiwan. Wu Shu-chen was hardly alone in her desire. The development of democracy has touched many people, not just supporters of independence, not just supporters of Chen Shui-bian. Many of them truly want to shout "Yes!" Yes, Ah-Bian did nothing wrong. Yes, Ah-Cheng contributed to democracy on Taiwan. Unfortunately, the "Yes!" is stuck in their craw, and can't get out.

The wheels of time roll on relentlessly. They roll past the initial joy and pride at the first change in ruling parties. The Cape Seven Hundred Million, the Cape Hundreds of Millions, and the endless lies, have finally shaken us from our stupor. Wu Shu-chen said being bound to a wheelchair for 24 years was a fate worse than death. Wu Shu-chen reproached her husband for being a political animal and neglecting her. But many people are now sufficiently awake to respond to her emotional appeals with a clear head. We are sufficiently awake to draw clear lines of distinction. Prosecutors draw those lines in accordance with the law. For diehard supporters of the Ah-Bian family that line is about more than cold legal provisions. They draw those lines in accordance with human nature. But when it comes to the Chen family, public tolerance has reached its limit. And who is responsible for that?

The Chen case is now reaching its climax. But wheelchair bound Wu Shu-chen has never been the underdog. As Koo Chung-liang remarked, she has long been the power behind the throne, the one who has the final say on countless matters. When Chen Shui-bian was at the height of his power, wheelchair bound Ah-Cheng displayed a cheerful, cordial, humorous, and direct manner. During her visit to the United States, the media even described the First Lady as humorous and at ease. The media reported that the ruling and opposition parties in the United States were moved, and that she had won respect and dignity for "Taiwan." What a glorious time that was!

Wu Shu-chen's years in her wheelchair have been filled with glory and laughter. They were not all years of unspeakable pain spent consulting with anonymous psychiatrists. She has described Chen Shui-bian as a political animal. She said "Chen Shui-bian is tap water. He has no flavor. But without him, I cannot survive." Her daughter-in-law Huang Jui-ching was close to her, and gained her trust. Fear of Wu's wrath was not the only emotion Huang felt. That is why Wu took the precaution of putting half the money in her overseas accounts in her son's name. Wu Shu-chen also looked at Chao Chien-ming the way a mother-in-law looks at her son-in-law. She was not always denouncing him as an "ostrich with his head in the sand." Wu Shu-cheng's life has had its moments of joy, dignity, and honor. She possesses vast wealth. She wielded immense power. She has had so much. So what turned her life into what it is now? As she puts it, now all she wants is a bullet to the head to end her life. From Chen Shui-bian's "two bullets" to Wu Shu-chen's "one bullet," what did this family experience, what did this family do, that put the public through such an ordeal?

No one doubts that wheelchair bound Wu Shu-chen has endured a great deal of hardship, pain, and suffering. But no matter how tragic her plight might be, it cannot justify her illegal conduct. Chen Shui-bian was indeed a key figure in the island's democratization. But in a democratic society under the rule of law, no one has the right to engage in corruption. Chen Shui-bian and Wu Shu-chen are no exceptions. The justice system cannot write off the Chen family's crimes with a stroke of the pen, merely because wheelchair-bound Wu Shu-chen found life too dull, too bitter, and too tragic, or because Chen Shui-bian was the first president of the ROC following the change in ruling parties. Chen Shui-bian has long said "I believe in Taiwan." Wu Shu-chen and the members of the First Family need to understand that the society they claim to believe in has evolved to the point where it can examine such matters with a cool eye. People have enough discernment to know that a disgruntled spouse and a defacto Empress who brokers illegal deals are two different things, that wheelchairs and money laundering are also two different things.

中時電子報 新聞
中國時報 　2009.07.29
社論－歷史還珍公道？誰還台灣民主一個公道！
本報訊

「我對台灣的民主難道都沒有貢獻嗎？」台北地院審理前總統陳水扁家族四大案，偵訊前第一夫人吳淑珍召開言詞辯論庭時，吳淑珍顯然心有不平地如此提問。有人認為，這是扁家在一審宣判前的溫情策略，希望藉此喚起許多人的記憶：把時間拉回廿四年前吳淑珍在台南挨那一撞的椎心之痛，或是拉回九年前，台灣第一次政黨輪替的徹夜歡樂，或許這樣會讓很多人願意把他們一家人在許多人心中的貪腐形象做一個重新打理──撢一撢厚厚的灰塵，「台灣之子」還在嗎？「阿扁與阿珍」的親切情意還在嗎？

希望時間可以就凝結在台灣民主光榮時刻的人，恐怕並不只有陳水扁一家。因為在那樣的時光裡，不只有陳水扁睥睨天下的滿足，還有多少台灣民主前輩苦盡甘來的欣然寬慰，更有人們對台灣未來走自己的路的昂然光榮。當吳淑珍在法庭上理所當然地想對台灣民主發展討個人情時，想要無怨無悔地肯定回答的人，恐怕也不只吳淑珍、不只獨派人士、不只挺扁的人，許許多多曾為台灣民主成就感動的人們，真的也很想、很想說聲「是」。是的，阿扁沒有做錯，是的，阿珍對台灣民主有功勞……，只可惜，這樣的答案卻只如鯁在喉，說不出來就是說不出來。

因為時間的巨輪終究輾過了我們在世紀之初、政黨初次輪替時的喜悅和驕傲，因為海角七億、因為海角Ｎ億，因為無數的謊言，我們已經清醒了，清醒到，當吳淑珍說她坐了廿四年的輪椅生不如死，清醒到當吳淑珍數落政治動物的先生讓她寂寞，許多人都已經能夠冷靜面對了；我們給心裡的同情清清楚楚地畫上了一個界線，檢察官說的，那個界線在司法，對向來不吝嗇給扁家溫暖和支持的許多人而言，這個界線並不只是冷冰冰的法律條文而已，這個界線，其實更是在人性。對扁家，人們的不忍之情，已經走到了極限；這是誰造成的呢？

在扁案進入審理的高潮之前，坐在輪椅上的吳淑珍從來不是弱者，她是辜仲諒口中「很多事都要她拍板」才算數的真正有實權的人。當陳水扁在政壇上春風得意的那些日子，輪椅阿珍曾以開朗親切幽默直率著稱，出訪美國時，媒體甚至形容台灣第一夫人的風趣和自然，讓美國朝野為之感動，為台灣贏得尊重與尊嚴；那是多麼美好的時光啊！

吳淑珍輪椅上的歲月也有過風光歡笑，不全然是匿名看心理醫生的不堪苦境；現在她口中的政治動物陳水扁，過往她自己的形容是：「阿扁的人就像喝白開水一樣，喝起來沒味道，可是如果少了他，又活不下去」；她對媳婦黃睿靚，也曾有親密互動的信任，並不是只有因為擔心翻臉，所以把海外帳戶的錢一半存在自己兒子帳戶內的提防之心；吳淑珍對趙建銘也曾有「丈母娘看女婿，愈看愈有趣」的心情，並不是只有「蓋頭鰻不知死活」的狂罵；吳淑珍的人生有過笑容、有過尊榮，她擁有巨額財富，她有過至高權力；她擁有過這麼多、這麼多，然而，是什麼讓她的人生變成如今她自己說的，想有的只是一顆子彈，好結束人生？從陳水扁的兩顆子彈到吳淑珍的一顆子彈，這個家庭經歷了些什麼，做了些什麼，而台灣又被迫一起承受了什麼？

沒有人懷疑過，長期坐在輪椅上的吳淑珍肯定遭遇過很多挫折、痛苦和磨難，但不論有多大的不幸，並不能合理化犯法違紀的行為；陳水扁確實是台灣民主化歷程中關鍵的重要人物，但是在一個民主法治的社會裡，沒有任何人被允許可以理所當然擁有貪贓枉法的空間，陳水扁、吳淑珍當然不例外。台灣的司法終究不能因為吳淑珍廿四年的輪椅生活太悶太苦太可憐，不能因為陳水扁是台灣第一次政黨輪替後的總統，就把扁家所為一筆勾銷。一直以來常常喜歡口口聲聲說「相信台灣」的陳水扁、吳淑珍和第一家庭的成員們應該明白，他們所相信的台灣社會，確實已經走到了一個冷靜理性的疆界裡，人們可以分辨得出，不快樂的妻子和喬事情的皇帝娘是兩回事；輪椅和洗錢，也是兩回事。