"To prevent another Asian war by miscalculation, Washington must state clearly, decisively, and publicly that it will defend Taiwan against Chinese aggression or coercion." - Joseph A. Bosco
Read the whole article: here.
-- Joseph A. Bosco served in the office of the secretary of defense as China country desk officer from 2005 to 2006 and previously taught graduate seminars on China-U.S. relations at Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service. He is now a national security consultant
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Saturday, June 25, 2011
On Abuse of Power by the Elitists in Power
The following is an essay by a pastor regarding power structures and the abuse of power in the human institution of the church. It is equally applicable to Taiwan's civil government and in particular the R.O.C. regime in power. The article assumes the majority abusing the minority, but in the case of Taiwan, a minority have been able to seize power and oppress a majority population.
The entire article can be found here
Below are some good excerpts helpful especially for those raised in the KMT privilege class. Note also the paragraph on those in the oppressed group who actually try to curry favor and follow those in power. It explains a lot of those who are Taiwanese yet support the Ma regime.
===============================================
A theologically liberal critique of the theological liberals
Written by Brian Carpenter, The Layman
Saturday, 25 June 2011 09:59
... When I was a student at Louisville Seminary I was presented with the critiques of power which are offered by both liberation theology and feminist theology. Those who are in power tend to sinfully use that power to perpetuate the status quo and keep themselves in power. They build power structures which are fundamentally unjust and oppressive....
... One of the key insights of this stream of thought is that those who are the beneficiaries of the unjust power structures seldom recognize the fact that they are the beneficiaries of injustice. They point to the rules to justify their behavior, but of course their group set up those rules in the first place. They claim to be wiser or more fitted for power than those they are oppressing. ...
Sometimes they will claim a special divine warrant for their behavior...
And, of course, there will be those in the minority who are anxious to curry favor or receive protection from the majority. They envy the power of the powerful and try to emulate them while still being what they are. They are willing to give lip service to the status quo, and validate the perpetuation of power by the majority in exchange for tokens of acceptance by the majority.
They are seen by the majority as the “Good (fill in the blank.)” They know what side their bread is buttered on, and they are enormously useful to the majority to deflect criticism about their treatment of the minority. They are also usually hated by those members of their own group who are not willing to compromise their identity. This phenomenon rears its ugly head wherever there is longstanding conflict between groups of unequal power.
...And an ecclesiastical structure has a dominant culture, just as a nation or a corporation does. It sets up rules which tend to benefit those who are members of the dominant culture and which tend to perpetuate their tenure of power.
It also has its benighted minorities, those who are “different” or “other.” Those who, for whatever reason, are at odds with the dominant culture and power structure.
... You have systematically ratcheted up the pressure on the minority for a long time, until now it is to the point of causing even those traditionalists who have been quiescent and compliant for years to consider leaving. But they do not want to leave in dribs and drabs, like those of us who have left before. They want to leave as a cohesive group, with mutual support and care for the hazards of the journey. They want to envision a new future for themselves and build it.
And they want to take the property and resources they paid for with their own blood, sweat and tears with them. And you extort them and take them to court to prevent it. You point to the rules you wrote to perpetuate your tenure in power and say “See, it’s the right thing to do.”...
...You betray your very deep loathing and hatred of the other in your midst by what you do to them. You say what every abuser says to the one he abuses, “You are mine to do with what I wish, and if you try to leave me I will hurt you.” ...
Now that I confront you with this, will you shrug your shoulders and say what those members of the majority who have been complicit by their silence often say, “It’s just the way things are and I can’t do anything about it.” Where is your passion for justice then?
...Have done with this sickening behavior. Please, for the sake of some kind of integrity with your own principles, let my people go.
Brian Carpenter is a Teaching Elder in the Presbyterian Church in America. He serves as pastor of the Foothills Community Church (PCA), Sturgis, S.D. This article was written for and first appeared at The Layman online and is used with the author’s permission.
The entire article can be found here
Below are some good excerpts helpful especially for those raised in the KMT privilege class. Note also the paragraph on those in the oppressed group who actually try to curry favor and follow those in power. It explains a lot of those who are Taiwanese yet support the Ma regime.
"And, of course, there will be those in the minority who are anxious to curry favor or receive protection from the majority. They envy the power of the powerful and try to emulate them while still being what they are. They are willing to give lip service to the status quo, and validate the perpetuation of power by the majority in exchange for tokens of acceptance by the majority.
They are seen by the majority as the “Good (fill in the blank.)” They know what side their bread is buttered on, and they are enormously useful to the majority to deflect criticism about their treatment of the minority... "
===============================================
A theologically liberal critique of the theological liberals
Written by Brian Carpenter, The Layman
Saturday, 25 June 2011 09:59
... When I was a student at Louisville Seminary I was presented with the critiques of power which are offered by both liberation theology and feminist theology. Those who are in power tend to sinfully use that power to perpetuate the status quo and keep themselves in power. They build power structures which are fundamentally unjust and oppressive....
... One of the key insights of this stream of thought is that those who are the beneficiaries of the unjust power structures seldom recognize the fact that they are the beneficiaries of injustice. They point to the rules to justify their behavior, but of course their group set up those rules in the first place. They claim to be wiser or more fitted for power than those they are oppressing. ...
Sometimes they will claim a special divine warrant for their behavior...
And, of course, there will be those in the minority who are anxious to curry favor or receive protection from the majority. They envy the power of the powerful and try to emulate them while still being what they are. They are willing to give lip service to the status quo, and validate the perpetuation of power by the majority in exchange for tokens of acceptance by the majority.
They are seen by the majority as the “Good (fill in the blank.)” They know what side their bread is buttered on, and they are enormously useful to the majority to deflect criticism about their treatment of the minority. They are also usually hated by those members of their own group who are not willing to compromise their identity. This phenomenon rears its ugly head wherever there is longstanding conflict between groups of unequal power.
...And an ecclesiastical structure has a dominant culture, just as a nation or a corporation does. It sets up rules which tend to benefit those who are members of the dominant culture and which tend to perpetuate their tenure of power.
It also has its benighted minorities, those who are “different” or “other.” Those who, for whatever reason, are at odds with the dominant culture and power structure.
... You have systematically ratcheted up the pressure on the minority for a long time, until now it is to the point of causing even those traditionalists who have been quiescent and compliant for years to consider leaving. But they do not want to leave in dribs and drabs, like those of us who have left before. They want to leave as a cohesive group, with mutual support and care for the hazards of the journey. They want to envision a new future for themselves and build it.
And they want to take the property and resources they paid for with their own blood, sweat and tears with them. And you extort them and take them to court to prevent it. You point to the rules you wrote to perpetuate your tenure in power and say “See, it’s the right thing to do.”...
...You betray your very deep loathing and hatred of the other in your midst by what you do to them. You say what every abuser says to the one he abuses, “You are mine to do with what I wish, and if you try to leave me I will hurt you.” ...
Now that I confront you with this, will you shrug your shoulders and say what those members of the majority who have been complicit by their silence often say, “It’s just the way things are and I can’t do anything about it.” Where is your passion for justice then?
...Have done with this sickening behavior. Please, for the sake of some kind of integrity with your own principles, let my people go.
Brian Carpenter is a Teaching Elder in the Presbyterian Church in America. He serves as pastor of the Foothills Community Church (PCA), Sturgis, S.D. This article was written for and first appeared at The Layman online and is used with the author’s permission.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
No privacy or freedom from gov't intrusion where China holds sway
Annexation of Taiwan would result in ever increasing loss of freedom caused by the brutal, repressive Chinese communist dictatorship. Witness what is happening in Hong Kong.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Standing Against China's Territorial Bullying
Vietnam is standing up to China's maritime bullying. If you have ever seen maps where China (whether the communists or the Chinese nationalists) claims jurisdiction, you will note that China claims the South China Sea all the way up almost to the very shores of Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines. It is as if Taiwan were to claim as its sovereign territory the Taiwan Strait all the way to the shores of Fujian Province, China. Will China claim the Yellow Sea up to the shores of Korea?
It is time all of the nations of the world stand up to China's territorial aggression.
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U.S. Senator Jim Webb also took a stand on the issue, criticizing the "weak" Obama administration's lack of action.
Walter Lohman of the Heritage Foundation writes on priorities for the U.S.A.
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For further reading, take a look at Michael Turton's South China Sea roundup
-----
Take a look a China's land grabs and attempted land grabs:
It is time all of the nations of the world stand up to China's territorial aggression.
-----
U.S. Senator Jim Webb also took a stand on the issue, criticizing the "weak" Obama administration's lack of action.
Walter Lohman of the Heritage Foundation writes on priorities for the U.S.A.
-----
For further reading, take a look at Michael Turton's South China Sea roundup
-----
Take a look a China's land grabs and attempted land grabs:
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