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THREAD: The WHO today attacked Taiwan for being racist. Prejudice is not what the current Taiwanese government stands for and I know this because I& #39;ve been to Taiwan several times (from end of martial law to now) and can say for myself. Pls read on this thread for more. #COVID19
Taiwan, in the first years of transitioning itself into a democratic society in the 1990s from close-minded martial law era, was not an ideal place to be in. I had to take certain precautionary steps to protect myself. / WHO thread
When I visited Taiwan again for the third time in 2005 (then a few times 2010 & more recently) under the then DPP administration, things consistently got better & finally freed up. Society began transitioning into a new age of openness away from colonial-era/racist perceptions.
I take the WHO& #39;s racism assertion of the current Taiwan government (under Pres. Tsai Ing-wen) to be extremely offensive bc it& #39;s not what she stands for. It& #39;s clearly not what her party stands for. They stand for transitional justice (look that up), LGBTQ, indigenous & minorities.
If you listen to Tsai Ing-wen& #39;s lectures early on in the academia as I have, you will find that she& #39;s very liberal-minded and has a very open vision for humanity. It is simply the openness that made me truly appreciate her on a professional and personal level. / WHO / Taiwan
Anyone (ie WHO) who wants to call out Taiwan for being racist (w/o proof as I& #39;ve followed #COVID19 news all along) simply does not fully grasp Taiwan& #39;s internal politics and history. If you want to bring prejudice into convo right now, I& #39;ve felt it more in people from China.
Someone really needs to write an article about the WHO& #39;s flat-out lie in calling Taiwan racist. It& #39;s a very offensive assertion to me, because I& #39;ve been studying and following Taiwanese politics (and have been there). This assertion by the WHO is so wrong, frustrating. #COVID19
The main opposition party in Taiwan (whose predecessors administered martial law for decades, and whom WHO supported) has overtly criticized Pres. Tsai Ing-wen for being single & motherless. For being too indulgent and lack of understanding mothers. Isn& #39;t that prejudice? #COVID19
In the final decade of martial law in Taiwan, the democratically elected party of the current Taiwanese government) was formed with a mission to bring down patriarchy and racism in Taiwan, between the so-called benshengren (natives) and waishengren (Chinese immigrants). WHO
Throughout the colonial era martial law, waishengren had a higher social and political standing in all of Taiwan society (like South Africa& #39;s patriarchy) For decades, a majority of cabinet officials were waishengren despite waishengren repping only 15% of TW population. / WHO
