Sat, Dec 15, 2007 page8

• Johnny Neihu's Mailbag

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  Dark days at end of Empire

  Dear Johnny,

  I find it deplorable for British Foreign Secretary David Miliband to suggest that the UN referendum threatens cross-strait stability (Editorial: "A British warning hardly registers," Dec. 8, page 8). It is more of a threat to peace in the region for supposedly mature democracies like the UK to continue to pander to the wishes of China and give tacit blessing to its oppressive polices and warmongering.

  As for the letter from my countryman (Johnny Neihu's Mailbag, Dec. 8, page 8) that appeared to ridicule Taiwanese democracy -- and I apologize to John if it was not meant in that way -- it only goes to prove the worrying trend in education we have here.

  I'm afraid I don't have room to list even a fraction of the atrocities committed by Britain throughout its history. However, for those of us who learn our history courtesy of Hollywood, I have one word: Braveheart.

  I would like to urge Mr Miliband and the UK government to concentrate on issues closer to home. Even without the rising taxes that make things harder to bear, the state of education, medical care, policing and general behavior and manners of a large proportion of society disappoints me at best, and on darker days, leaves me ashamed to be English.

  As to how any of this involves Taiwan, would you agree, Johnny, that there is a real danger that the petty antics and name-calling between Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) will make others consider Taiwan's democracy a laughingstock?

  I would urge them to concentrate on building on the things that have made Taiwan great and improving its global image on a more basic level than simply anti-China rhetoric.

  It may surprise many Taiwanese to know that I have yet to find an Englishman who has even heard of Taipei 101, let alone know that it is the tallest building in the world. Unsurprisingly, all can picture the Petronas Towers; again, courtesy of Hollywood. None of my work colleagues have placed Taiwan successfully on a map and despite me having corrected them on numerous occasions, most still refer to Thailand every time I talk about my visits there or my Taiwanese wife.

  Indeed, the majority only remember Taiwan as the place where their plastic toys were made in the 1970s and 1980s.

  Taiwan is a fantastic, beautiful place that should be known for its stunning scenery, culture and quality of life (I know where I'll be retiring) rather than for getting involved in petty squabbles with the People's Republic of China and between its political parties.

  Kevin M

  Lincolnshire, England

  PS: You would not believe how hard it is to get a good naicha over here. Can I have a Red Sun Tea franchise for Christmas?

  Johnny replies : I don't give a rat's ass if someone thinks of Taiwan as a laughingstock if that person does not already sympathize with Taiwan's predicament -- or if that person is just plain ignorant.

  I also think that you misread John's letter.

  If you describe cross-strait tension as a "petty squabble," then I can call the Battle of Britain a lark with toy planes.

  As for Taipei 101, I had never heard of it either until you brought it up. I suggest we call in Hollywood to make a sequel to that Petronas Towers movie. In Entrapment II: Take the Plunge, Sean Connery will illegally BASE jump from the Taipei 101 observation deck onto a nude Catherine Zeta-Jones on a parking garage roof.

  That'll educate the English.
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