Time heals all wounds
Justice for victims, their families and society is changing our system so that those of us who commit crimes are reformed and reintegrated back into society as safe members. The death penalty does not prevent crime.
Canada and Europe have no death penalty, and they have less crime than the US where there is the death penalty.
We are rightfully outraged at the horrible murder of “Little Lightbulb” (小燈泡). The crime was extremely violent, and the victim extremely innocent. We are all violated and we all innately want to protect children. And in this instance, we failed to do so.
However, killing her killer is not the answer. Killing him is revenge, not justice.
There will always be murderers among us, even in a nation as safe as Taiwan. And capital punishment will always be easy when someone we love is taken from us.
This terrible crime has wounded us. And punishing the man who wounded us will not heal the hole in our collective heart. We will only heal when we forgive him. And even after forgiving him, we will not heal immediately.
Wounds heal on their own time. And sometimes they leave scars. And those scars remind us of our pain and our healing.
Andres Chang
Taipei
It is almost three years since Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) and Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a friendship with “no limits” — weeks before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Since then, they have retreated from such rhetorical enthusiasm. The “no limits” language was quickly dumped, probably at Beijing’s behest. When Putin visited China in May last year, he said that he and his counterpart were “as close as brothers.” Xi more coolly called the Russian president “a good friend and a good neighbor.” China has conspicuously not reciprocated Putin’s description of it as an ally. Yet the partnership
The ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu (孫子) said “know yourself and know your enemy and you will win a hundred battles.” Applied in our times, Taiwanese should know themselves and know the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) so that Taiwan will win a hundred battles and hopefully, deter the CCP. Taiwanese receive information daily about the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) threat from the Ministry of National Defense and news sources. One area that needs better understanding is which forces would the People’s Republic of China (PRC) use to impose martial law and what would be the consequences for living under PRC
Although former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo — known for being the most pro-Taiwan official to hold the post — is not in the second administration of US president-elect Donald Trump, he has maintained close ties with the former president and involved himself in think tank activities, giving him firsthand knowledge of the US’ national strategy. On Monday, Pompeo visited Taiwan for the fourth time, attending a Formosa Republican Association’s forum titled “Towards Permanent World Peace: The Shared Mission of the US and Taiwan.” At the event, he reaffirmed his belief in Taiwan’s democracy, liberty, human rights and independence, highlighting a
The US Department of Defense recently released this year’s “Report on Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China.” This annual report provides a comprehensive overview of China’s military capabilities, strategic objectives and evolving global ambitions. Taiwan features prominently in this year’s report, as capturing the nation remains central to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) vision of the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation,” a goal he has set for 2049. The report underscores Taiwan’s critical role in China’s long-term strategy, highlighting its significance as a geopolitical flashpoint and a key target in China’s quest to assert dominance
RSS