This year, 228 Memorial Day saw a memorable and meaningful commemoration. Yesterday was a most touching scene as people of Taiwan formed a human chain from one end of the island to the other and then held up their hands at precisely 2:28 pm. Rather than feeling hatred and vengeful, the message that the people tried to get across to the world is their love and faith in their land and their longing for peace. This was despite the tragic massacres and bloodshed perpetrated 57 years ago by the totalitarian Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) government, which served as a prelude to decades of white terror and the martial-law era.
Vice President Annette Lu (???) put it best when, during the televised vice presidential debates held yesterday afternoon, she said "the tragedies of history can be forgiven, but they cannot be forgotten." The reason that the 228 tragedy should not be forgotten is the need to learn the underlying lesson.
The 228 experience taught us the importance of democracy and freedom and the ruthlessness of single-party totalitarianism. The people of Taiwan will never give up the fruits of democracy and embrace the dictatorship of Beijing. The sovereignty of this country must be safeguarded. The experience also revealed to us the evil of unchecked aggression. Therefore, the people of Taiwan must call for peace and say "no" to Chinese missiles.
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/edit/archives/2004/02/29/2003100596
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