"You tell them a lie, and then when you don't need it anymore, you tell them another lie and tell them they are progressing along the road to wisdom. Then instead of laughing, they follow you even more, hoping that at the heart of all the lies they'll find the truth. And bit by bit they accept the unacceptable. Amazing." - Terry Pratchett in Guards! Guards!
(p. 116 of Harper Torch edition) © 1989 Terry and Lyn Pratchett
Friday, August 6, 2010
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Refreshing: Miami Herald Article refers to Taiwan as Taiwan
Our thanks to the Miami Herald. In a report eulogizing a medical missionary who served in China then fled to Taiwan after the communists conquered China, the newspaper writer and editors correctly labeled Taiwan as Taiwan, formerly Formosa, instead of using some propaganda formula to say Taiwan is part of China.
"When Foochow fell to the Communists, Iverson escaped to Formosa, now Taiwan. "
Refreshing, indeed.
"When Foochow fell to the Communists, Iverson escaped to Formosa, now Taiwan. "
Refreshing, indeed.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Public Declarations of Taiwan's Nationhood and Sovereignty
Seen in the New York Times on Saturday, July 10, 2010
ONE MISTAKE: REPLACE "mainland China" with simply "China". Remove the word "mainland" in all communications. Using the word "mainland" implies that the two nations are one as Hawaii is united to its mainland USA.
臺灣人民建國宣言
1945年日本戰敗無條件投降。1951年9月，日本和美國等48國簽署舊金山和平條約。1952年4月28日該條約生效時，臺灣及澎湖群島成為未確定領土，同時臺灣人民亦成為無國籍者。它的主權乃屬於當時的六百萬臺灣住民以及其子孫。
臺灣人不是蔣介石從中國大陸帶入臺灣的中國人。目前在臺灣的中國人雖然長期居住在台灣，但不認同臺灣。中華民國是蔣介石帶入臺灣的流亡政權集團，很多國家認為它早已滅亡。中華人民共和國聲稱臺灣及澎湖是它的一部份，此既違背事實且無國際法的根據，台灣人民絕不接受。
臺灣人民謹向世界宣告：我們有強烈的意志要建立一個名叫「臺灣」的獨立國家，並願意與世界各國建立平等互惠的關係。我們不是從中國或中華民國獨立，臺灣本來就是屬於臺灣人民的領土。我們要行使人類天賦的住 民自決權利，建立臺灣人的民主國家。我們堅定向世界各國以及愛好民主自由的人民呼籲並懇求：請給予台灣承認與熱烈的支持。
簽署團體：
楊基銓國際文化基金會 臺灣平民民主黨
搶救台灣行動聯盟 臺灣制憲聯合黨
臺灣之友會 臺灣北社
福爾摩莎法理建國會 臺灣教師聯盟
農民黨 建國黨
臺灣平民共和黨 汎美聯盟
日期： 2010年 7月 10日
臺灣人民建国宣言
1945年日本は連合軍に無条件降伏した。1951年9月、日本国は米国など48カ国とサンフランシスコ和平条約を締結した。1952年4月28日、条約の発効により臺灣及び澎湖群島は未確定領土となり、同時に臺灣人民も無国籍となった。臺灣及び澎湖群島の主権は当時六百万の臺灣人民及びその子孫に属する。
臺灣人は蒋介石が中国大陸から連れてきた中国人ではない。中国人は長年臺灣に住んでいながら臺灣を国と認めない。中華民国は蒋介石が臺灣に持ち込んだ亡命政府の集団で、多くの国は既に滅亡した国と認めている。中華人民共和国（中国）は臺灣と澎湖群島が中国領土であると声明したがこれは事実ではなく、国際法的根拠はない。台湾人民は絶対に承認しない。
臺灣人民は強い意志をもって「臺灣」と呼ぶ独立国家を建設し、互恵平等な国際関係を建設することを世界に宣言する。臺灣は臺灣人民の所有するものである。我々は天賦の自決権を行使して臺灣人の民主国を建設する。我々は世界各国及び民主を愛する人々の承認と熱烈なる支持を希う。
署名團體：
楊基銓國際文化基金會 臺灣平民民主黨
搶救台灣行動聯盟 臺灣制憲聯合黨
臺灣之友會 臺灣北社
福爾摩莎法理建國會 臺灣教師聯盟
農民黨 建國黨
臺灣平民共和黨 汎美聯盟
日期： 2010年 7月 10日
Taiwanese People's Declaration of Sovereign Taiwanese Nation
In 1945, Japan unconditionally surrendered to the Allied Forces. In September 1951, Japan signed the San Francisco Peace Treaty with 48 countries led by the United States. When the treaty came into effect on April 28, 1952, the sovereignty of Taiwan and Pescadores Islands officially became undecided territories, and the residents of Taiwan also lost their nationality. We declare the right to decide the sovereignty of Taiwan belongs to those six million Taiwanese and their descendants.
Taiwanese people are not the Chinese whom Chiang Kai-shek brought from mainland China. Although they have lived in Taiwan for many years, they have never recognized Taiwan as a sovereign nation and refuse to be called Taiwanese. The Republic of China is Chiang Kai-shek’s government in exile group; many countries consider it as a fallen government. Although the People’s Republic of China insists that Taiwan and Pescadores Islands are part of Chinese territories; it is factually untrue and there is no basis under International law. Taiwanese people never recognize it.
We, the people of Taiwan, hereby declare our strong will and determination to build a nation called Taiwan, and to establish equal and reciprocal relations with all nations in the world. Taiwan naturally and rightfully belongs to the Taiwanese people. We exercise our innate self-determination and right to build a democratic Taiwan. We wish all nations and democracy-loving people of the world to give their recognition and strong supports to our cause.
Signed:
CCY
Center International Cultural Foundation
Taiwan Civilian Democratic party
Taiwan Rescue Action Alliance
Taiwan Constituent Party
Taiwan Friends Association
Taiwan Society North
Union of Taiwanese Teachers
Formosa Nation Legal-Strategy Association
ONE MISTAKE: REPLACE "mainland China" with simply "China". Remove the word "mainland" in all communications. Using the word "mainland" implies that the two nations are one as Hawaii is united to its mainland USA.
臺灣人民建國宣言
1945年日本戰敗無條件投降。1951年9月，日本和美國等48國簽署舊金山和平條約。1952年4月28日該條約生效時，臺灣及澎湖群島成為未確定領土，同時臺灣人民亦成為無國籍者。它的主權乃屬於當時的六百萬臺灣住民以及其子孫。
臺灣人不是蔣介石從中國大陸帶入臺灣的中國人。目前在臺灣的中國人雖然長期居住在台灣，但不認同臺灣。中華民國是蔣介石帶入臺灣的流亡政權集團，很多國家認為它早已滅亡。中華人民共和國聲稱臺灣及澎湖是它的一部份，此既違背事實且無國際法的根據，台灣人民絕不接受。
臺灣人民謹向世界宣告：我們有強烈的意志要建立一個名叫「臺灣」的獨立國家，並願意與世界各國建立平等互惠的關係。我們不是從中國或中華民國獨立，臺灣本來就是屬於臺灣人民的領土。我們要行使人類天賦的住 民自決權利，建立臺灣人的民主國家。我們堅定向世界各國以及愛好民主自由的人民呼籲並懇求：請給予台灣承認與熱烈的支持。
簽署團體：
楊基銓國際文化基金會 臺灣平民民主黨
搶救台灣行動聯盟 臺灣制憲聯合黨
臺灣之友會 臺灣北社
福爾摩莎法理建國會 臺灣教師聯盟
農民黨 建國黨
臺灣平民共和黨 汎美聯盟
日期： 2010年 7月 10日
臺灣人民建国宣言
1945年日本は連合軍に無条件降伏した。1951年9月、日本国は米国など48カ国とサンフランシスコ和平条約を締結した。1952年4月28日、条約の発効により臺灣及び澎湖群島は未確定領土となり、同時に臺灣人民も無国籍となった。臺灣及び澎湖群島の主権は当時六百万の臺灣人民及びその子孫に属する。
臺灣人は蒋介石が中国大陸から連れてきた中国人ではない。中国人は長年臺灣に住んでいながら臺灣を国と認めない。中華民国は蒋介石が臺灣に持ち込んだ亡命政府の集団で、多くの国は既に滅亡した国と認めている。中華人民共和国（中国）は臺灣と澎湖群島が中国領土であると声明したがこれは事実ではなく、国際法的根拠はない。台湾人民は絶対に承認しない。
臺灣人民は強い意志をもって「臺灣」と呼ぶ独立国家を建設し、互恵平等な国際関係を建設することを世界に宣言する。臺灣は臺灣人民の所有するものである。我々は天賦の自決権を行使して臺灣人の民主国を建設する。我々は世界各国及び民主を愛する人々の承認と熱烈なる支持を希う。
署名團體：
楊基銓國際文化基金會 臺灣平民民主黨
搶救台灣行動聯盟 臺灣制憲聯合黨
臺灣之友會 臺灣北社
福爾摩莎法理建國會 臺灣教師聯盟
農民黨 建國黨
臺灣平民共和黨 汎美聯盟
日期： 2010年 7月 10日
Taiwanese People's Declaration of Sovereign Taiwanese Nation
In 1945, Japan unconditionally surrendered to the Allied Forces. In September 1951, Japan signed the San Francisco Peace Treaty with 48 countries led by the United States. When the treaty came into effect on April 28, 1952, the sovereignty of Taiwan and Pescadores Islands officially became undecided territories, and the residents of Taiwan also lost their nationality. We declare the right to decide the sovereignty of Taiwan belongs to those six million Taiwanese and their descendants.
Taiwanese people are not the Chinese whom Chiang Kai-shek brought from mainland China. Although they have lived in Taiwan for many years, they have never recognized Taiwan as a sovereign nation and refuse to be called Taiwanese. The Republic of China is Chiang Kai-shek’s government in exile group; many countries consider it as a fallen government. Although the People’s Republic of China insists that Taiwan and Pescadores Islands are part of Chinese territories; it is factually untrue and there is no basis under International law. Taiwanese people never recognize it.
We, the people of Taiwan, hereby declare our strong will and determination to build a nation called Taiwan, and to establish equal and reciprocal relations with all nations in the world. Taiwan naturally and rightfully belongs to the Taiwanese people. We exercise our innate self-determination and right to build a democratic Taiwan. We wish all nations and democracy-loving people of the world to give their recognition and strong supports to our cause.
Signed:
CCY
Center International Cultural Foundation
Taiwan Civilian Democratic party
Taiwan Rescue Action Alliance
Taiwan Constituent Party
Taiwan Friends Association
Taiwan Society North
Union of Taiwanese Teachers
Formosa Nation Legal-Strategy Association
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Ukraine is able to Identify with Taiwan
Pro-Taiwanese organizations should expand their connections to Ukraine. This nation has a cultural and historical background to readily identify and desire to support a nation like Taiwan oppressed by a geographically and culturally nearby expansionist empire. As you open up a dialogue and seek to convince Ukrainian organizations to acknowledge Taiwan, bring one name into the dialogue: Taras Shevchenko.
Sometimes, just a few men and women can lay the groundwork among a people for a future yearning for freedom and self determination. Ukraine, a Slavic nation, had been under the foreign rule of the Russian empire and afterwards the Soviet empire. Although possessing their own distinct language, it was increasingly being overshadowed by another Slavic language: Russian. In the 1800s, one artist, Taras Shevchenko awakened to the need to preserve his people, language and culture and to stir a longing for freedom among his people. While few around him even cared, he began to produce art works, poems, and other writings in his own Ukrainian language. Today he is heralded as both the father of Ukrainian literature and also one major cause for the perseverance of Ukrainian identity that resulted into them today having their own distinct nation.
In a time where those in search of power and prosperity would not deign to seemingly waste their time with the native Ukainian language and culture, Shevchenko produced a remarkably large output of art and literature whose subject was his native Ukraine.
He had a lot of trouble even convincing many of his fellow countrymen of the worth of being their own masters and throwing off the yoke of the Russian empire. In one poem, "Shevchenko turns his bitterness and satire against the Ukrainians themselves, reminding them that only in ‘one's own house’ is there ‘one's own truth’ and entreating them to realize their national potential, stop serving foreign masters, and become honorable people worthy of their history and heritage, in their own free land."* Hope beyond the present seemingly insurmountable difficulties drove him: "he remained steadfast in his belief that divine justice would triumph one day not only in Ukraine, but throughout the world."* Though he did not live to see the day, and even died in Russia away from his homeland, his labors for Ukraine and its people were indeed a major cause to help bring about that day of freedom for Ukraine.
-----------------------------------------
* quotes from The Encyclopedia of Ukraine website.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Boycotting China -- good for your health, the environment, your freedom, and in the long term even your wallet
Because of China's human rights abuses, despotic rule, support of the spread of weapons of mass destruction and authoritarian regimes, and not least it's continued abuse of and attempted annexation of Taiwan, individuals around the world need to begin in earnest to boycott China's products.
Do not buy the products. As a consequence of people power, as more and more boycott, all the foreign companies, particularly Taiwanese and U.S. companies that China has lured into starting factories in China, will begin to stop overlooking China's crimes and begin to feel regret about their deep economic investment in China and correspondent compromise of principles of truth and freedom that go hand in hand with doing business there.
Citizens of the U.S.A. -- whose current president and congress have caused their country to be more indebted to China than ever -- have an even greater vested interest in buying products made in their own country or other countries instead of China and by so doing cause big businesses like Walmart to pull away from such excessive dependence on China.
For example, if you go to Walmart and wish to buy something simple like tweezers to pull a splinter out of your hand, all but one of the tweezers are made in China. The following is made in Pakistan and works fine, so for the China boycott, buy this particular one instead:
NOT made in China... TWEEZERS
MEAT TENDERIZER: In the kitchen cooking tools section, almost all of the Walmart MAINSTAYS (TM) brand are made in China. But there is one Mainstays Brand meat tenderizer MADE IN TAIWAN:
Most of Walmart's Saute Pans are made in China, but one of them, the 5 Quart Covered Saute Pan under the Paula Dean label is made in Thailand.
So take the time, look around. You should be able to find at least one product in each category made in some place other than China.
The same goes for Home Depot or Lowes products. If you are getting paint brushes, a lot of them are made in China, but some are made in the U.S.A. U.S.A.-made paintbrushes are usually a little more expensive, but they are better quality and will last longer.
That is pretty much true for most products.
And remember, Made in China products carry the added danger of toxic chemicals -- remember the recalls of toys with lead, jewelry with Cadmium. With such a corrupt country, companies can bribe their way into cutting corners that disregard safety and endanger the consumer.
And of course stay completely away from food products -- remember the milk with melamine, the hairy crabs with toxins, etc., etc.
You as an individual consumer can do something, but it takes more effort and you can't be lazy about it. But this boycott is well worth the effort and a little extra expense!
P.S. Please do not be enamored with Chinese medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine with its appetite for sympathetic magic products like bear paw, rhinoceros horn, all parts of the tiger, has probably single-handedly caused the endangerment and even in many parts regional extinction of tigers, rhinoceroses, bears, clouded leopards, and many other animals. Yes, in Taiwan, the Eastern medicine value of a certain fungus has led to the discovery of high-molecular-weight polysaccharides with anti-tumor properties. We are not saying that all Chinese or Eastern medicine is bad, but if you do not know what products you are consuming or where they come from, if you do not know the procurement practices of the local Eastern medicine store, you may just be participating in the slow but steady extermination of endangered species.
Do not buy the products. As a consequence of people power, as more and more boycott, all the foreign companies, particularly Taiwanese and U.S. companies that China has lured into starting factories in China, will begin to stop overlooking China's crimes and begin to feel regret about their deep economic investment in China and correspondent compromise of principles of truth and freedom that go hand in hand with doing business there.
Citizens of the U.S.A. -- whose current president and congress have caused their country to be more indebted to China than ever -- have an even greater vested interest in buying products made in their own country or other countries instead of China and by so doing cause big businesses like Walmart to pull away from such excessive dependence on China.
For example, if you go to Walmart and wish to buy something simple like tweezers to pull a splinter out of your hand, all but one of the tweezers are made in China. The following is made in Pakistan and works fine, so for the China boycott, buy this particular one instead:
NOT made in China... TWEEZERS
MEAT TENDERIZER: In the kitchen cooking tools section, almost all of the Walmart MAINSTAYS (TM) brand are made in China. But there is one Mainstays Brand meat tenderizer MADE IN TAIWAN:
Most of Walmart's Saute Pans are made in China, but one of them, the 5 Quart Covered Saute Pan under the Paula Dean label is made in Thailand.
So take the time, look around. You should be able to find at least one product in each category made in some place other than China.
The same goes for Home Depot or Lowes products. If you are getting paint brushes, a lot of them are made in China, but some are made in the U.S.A. U.S.A.-made paintbrushes are usually a little more expensive, but they are better quality and will last longer.
That is pretty much true for most products.
And remember, Made in China products carry the added danger of toxic chemicals -- remember the recalls of toys with lead, jewelry with Cadmium. With such a corrupt country, companies can bribe their way into cutting corners that disregard safety and endanger the consumer.
And of course stay completely away from food products -- remember the milk with melamine, the hairy crabs with toxins, etc., etc.
You as an individual consumer can do something, but it takes more effort and you can't be lazy about it. But this boycott is well worth the effort and a little extra expense!
P.S. Please do not be enamored with Chinese medicine. Traditional Chinese medicine with its appetite for sympathetic magic products like bear paw, rhinoceros horn, all parts of the tiger, has probably single-handedly caused the endangerment and even in many parts regional extinction of tigers, rhinoceroses, bears, clouded leopards, and many other animals. Yes, in Taiwan, the Eastern medicine value of a certain fungus has led to the discovery of high-molecular-weight polysaccharides with anti-tumor properties. We are not saying that all Chinese or Eastern medicine is bad, but if you do not know what products you are consuming or where they come from, if you do not know the procurement practices of the local Eastern medicine store, you may just be participating in the slow but steady extermination of endangered species.
Homeland
One young Taiwanese woman shares: "This song came into my brain lately, it's so beautiful, it talks about a man was far away from home , the sunset reminds him about his hometown, the song was forbidden during White Terror of Taiwan."
1987年7月15日中國國民黨結束了在台灣實行世界上最長的38年戒嚴，今年適滿20週年。 2007年11月11日晚間行政院新聞局繼高雄、台中在台北縣三重市主辦的禁歌演唱會，包括呂副總統、行政院長張俊雄、行政院秘書長陳景峻等都親自到場，共同欣賞這些曾經被禁的台語老歌。
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