DEATH OF THE ROC

What is the ROC? What do I mean by its death? The Republic is on its most basic level a democratic republic, built on the Three Principles of the People. Any trampling of the Three Principles, no matter what flag the tramplers might be flying, is to be seen as a threat to the Republic's existence.

The greatest threat to the Republic of China has for long been the Communist Party; as the Civil War ended, the threat was changed to the authoritarianism and corruption of the KMT; recently, the main threat comes to Independence zealots and anti-zealots.

Firstly, the threat from green Independence zealots is evident, with their Independence causing splits in the Ming-zu - discriminating themselves from China and therefore saying even China is not Chinese. This split would also cause a decline in Ming-shen, and also Ming-quan. The Ming-shen would be threatened with Taiwan returning to protectionist isolation. It and Ming-quan would be threatened with any major provocation of the PRC, which would be sending in missiles or setting up a naval blockade if Independence is declared - affecting the lives and obstructing freedom.

Then thinking about it, the death is being put into place slowly from inside. Presidents of the ROC have slowly shifted from "Let's reclaim all of China!" to "Let's be a good example of the Principles to all of China!" to the current "Let's not care about China!". I understand that Ma should focus on setting the internal affairs first, and needs his "I only love Taiwan" stance in face of the green zealots. However, it still is a blatant contradiction to Ming-zu.

Even more fundamental to the death is simple apathy. With the removal of the singing of the Anthem in the morning and mandatory study of the Three Principles in schools, the children are becoming disillusioned about what the Republic is and what it stands for. Yes, they might be singing the anthem and flying the flag everywhere; but the anthem is only an anthem and a flag is only a flag. For example, the zealots flying the flag during the anti-China demonstration in November clearly had no idea what Ming-zu is. By not teaching or even indoctrinating children starting from a young age, children become loyal to only the visible representations of the Republic - and not to its actual purpose.

Then comes more. I realized with my recent re-reading of Fahrenheit 451, that popular culture has grave effects on the people. Contrary to say 1984, the television and Seashell indoctrination is indoctrinating people into escapism and laziness and pure apathy towards anything real. What with the obsession of young Taiwanese nowadays with their "music" and the money and time spent devoted to it, one can easily see the effect.

I can do mostly nothing about this slow murdering of the Republic. It is up to all of us to save the ROC, before it becomes merely an empty shell of flags and anthems and slogans.