The Consequences of Political Power Trampling on May Fourth’s Spirit

 The Consequences of Political Power Trampling on May Fourth’s Spirit

CT May 6

In the “New May 4th Movement” launched by National Taiwan University, nearly 5,000 faculty members, students, alumni and supporters took part, shouting “Give me back university autonomy!”; some faculty and students of Tsinghua University, Chenggong University, Chiao Tung University, Central University and Chengchi University also echoed. The nitpickings of the DPP on the president-elect of a university have violated the core of university autonomy; this incident also allowed the various circles of society to gather together, using Kuan Chung-ming’s personnel case as the last line of defense to counter the government’s abuse of power.

Apparently, the DPP is in the process of setting up a "political rule," never allowing National Taiwan University to become the first domino in separating from the grasp and control of the DPP. The hatchet of the ruling party moves against Kuan Chung-ming, in actuality, is killing a chicken to warn the monkey in politics; beheading Kuan Chung-ming and hanging his head on the watch tower of the city gate for public view is, in fact, letting other universities witness that electing a university president who is disliked by the powers that be will possibly meet all the nitpickings à la Kuan Chung-ming, paralyzing affairs of the university, with the intended goal of creating a chilling effect in academic circles.

In the plucking of Kuan incident, the “Kuan” is no longer only plucking Kuan Chung-ming from being president, nor only the “Kuan” symbolizing whether NTU can maintain its autonomy, it even means the “Kuan” symbolizing Taiwan’s academic freedom, as well as democracy and rule of law. Those who pluck Kuan are no different from the "thieves of state." The May Fourth Movement nearly a hundred years ago wanted to remove "thieves of state from within," and today's New May Fourth Movement also wants to remove "thieves of state" that trample on academic freedom and destroy rule of law.

Also because of this, we want to solemnly advise President Tsai Ing-wen to halt her horse at the brink of the abyss, and do not for a short few years of presidential term of office, leave behind the infamy of the "thief of democratic state" in history. If the DPP does not wake up from its bewilderment, the people will have no other choice but to defend the spirit of the May Fourth Movement with all-out efforts, and step out shouting in fury: "Seeking university autonomy, removing thieves of democratic state." For, Taiwan's democracy and rule of law, will, we are afraid, perish in making this retreat in defeat.

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