Amy Lin

Staff Writer

       February 28, 1947.  This date could be meaningless to many people around the world, but to the Taiwanese people, it means the loss of 10,000~30,000 lives brutally and unjustifiably murdered.  This was the day that the corrupt and oppressive government of the Kuomintang, also known as the KMT, killed tens of thousands of innocent Taiwanese civilians.  A significant number of those killed were high-occupation Taiwanese, such as doctors and lawyers, with the belief that if the highly educated Taiwanese people were killed, then the rest of the lower educated Taiwanese population could become more easily able to rule and sustain.  Although this tragedy happened 58 years ago, this somber day is still remembered, and forever will.  The woman, who was murdered right after delivering her baby, will be remembered.  The husbands, uncles, cousins, sons, who did not come home and was left dead on the streets, will be remembered.  The elderly, who was minding their own business, will be remembered.  The women and children, who were going to the grocery store, will be remembered.  The Taiwanese people will never be forgotten; they will be remembered.

I remember a time in my life, not too long ago, when I was passionately against the Kuomintang, when I severely opposed those who sided with the KMT.  I tried my hardest to reason with them; I did not want to convert them in any way to side with the DPP, but I just wanted them to understand where I was coming from, where the Taiwanese people stood and why.  However, after long debates and many weeks, I finally realized that after every legitimate point I made, there was a counterpoint made.  One of the series of points I made was the tragedy that happened on 2-28.  I thought that there could definitely be nothing to justify all the deaths, but to no avail, there was.  I must admit, I do not quite remember the argument this certain person made, but I do remember that he specifically stated that the 2-28 incident was just a propaganda technique used by the DPP.  This statement greatly angered me, but I decided that people like this person could never see and understand the reasons through my lenses, like the way I had tried to do with his views and why he believed what he did.  No amount of research or professional or objective views can change the mind of the stubborn, and I realized this.

An infinite amount of persuasion cannot change who I am; I am Taiwanese-American, not Chinese-American.  No matter how hard people try to make points to suggest that I am Chinese, I have the right to make the point that they are ignorant because they thought that the languages Taiwanese and Chinese [Mandarin] were the same.  When people try to conjure up an argument with me, I now just nod and walk away, because these kinds of people will never try to understand, especially with the way they are approaching me and the topic of my origin.

So I am here now to declare that I am Taiwanese-American, and I believe that 2-28 was an unjustifiable tragedy that dawned upon the Taiwanese people.  I offer this recognition of the stature of this tragic date, and it is quite unfortunate that such a grotesque, corrupt, and oppressive government could, with no conscience, murder such innocent Taiwanese people.  It was definitely not their time to leave the world yet, but this tragedy definitely opened a lot of eyes and helped Taiwan in spurring on a real democracy.