WILLisms.com: Following "The Blueprint" In Taiwan.

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Following "The Blueprint" In Taiwan.

Last week, China passed "anti-secession" legislation in order to send Taiwan a signal:

WE OWN YOU.

Essentially, the Chinese law declares that if Taiwan asserts its independence formally, China reserves the right to launch military strikes against the island.

In response, the Taiwanese have decided to display their unity behind the values they have been living for decades now; Taiwan is sending a message back to China:

NO, YOU DON'T.

Some reports put the pro-democracy crowds at more than one million strong, while others claim smaller numbers.

One thing that is interesting to note is that the Taiwanese seem to be following "the blueprint" (which must mean that rascal Karl Rove is involved somehow). They are speaking not only to China, but also to the free world, the international community, to America:

And the cameras always seem to find the babes at these things:

[This one was from a couple days ago, announcing today's demonstration.]

This picture has particular significance:

It is vaguely reminiscent of Tienanmen Square, yet also looks like the "women-passing-flowers-to-military" scenario we've seen in other countries.

This demonstration is about a lot of things, primarily the idea that free people do not willingly acquiesce in reversal of long-held rights. Free people do not go along so cordially with tyranny:

The Taiwanese seem completely familiar with "the blueprint." They have the color, green. They have the slogans down. They have the babes. They have the cute kids. They have the street theater. They have the branding. They have the marketing. They have the moral cause.

How could they lose?

Despite what the Chinese bluster on about, Taiwan's freedom and independence will not lead to instability. China's sabre-rattling will.

Pubius Pundit has a great roundup of events in Taiwan, including more great pictures.

UPDATE:

Here is a flashback editorial from John Bolton on the subject of Taiwan, from March of 2000:

...it is important for Congress to send Beijing a clear signal that congressional support for Taiwan remains undiminished.
Supporting Taiwan's UN representation campaign is an excellent way to do so....

...the international status of our long-term ally Taiwan definitely qualifies for priority treatment.

UPDATE 2:

You MUST check out this awesome 360 degree panorama of the protests in Taiwan.

Posted by Will Franklin · 26 March 2005 11:34 AM

Comments

What I want to know, is where are the human shields now?

Posted by: Ryan Waxx at March 26, 2005 04:48 PM

Where there is a WILL there is a babe...Or is it where there is WILLisms.com there is a way?

Posted by: Zsa Zsa at March 26, 2005 05:19 PM

In view of the comments that freedom is viral, Mainland China may want to rethink looking for an excuse to seize Taiwan. If they do, they may end up infecting themselves.

Posted by: Charles Jones at March 26, 2005 05:33 PM

Green, of course, is the color of the DPP (Democratic Progressive Party - the party of Taiwan president Chen Shui-bian). That the protest is all green speaks to some extent to the lack of Nationalist party support for the event - this is not a de-politicized, "all we want is freedom" event (though the western media has managed to find a few Guomindang supporters to interview for every story so far). It's also not a straight independence protest (being against the new anti-secession law is different from specifically demanding independence), though that's how it's being played in the Chinese media, largely to discredit the protest.

Posted by: merry at March 26, 2005 05:57 PM

FYI, the inflatable green things say "democracy, peace, protect taiwan" (min zhu, he ping, hu tai wan)

if we're going with parallels to other recent protests, this would be roughly equivalent to the red scarves in beirut that said in arabic: freedom, sovereignty, independence

Posted by: Hunter at March 26, 2005 06:17 PM

But but but..... Buhs didn't find any WMDs in Iraq! ;-;

Posted by: Josh at March 27, 2005 01:49 PM

Anyone else agree that this could be part of a new domino effect?

Posted by: sortapundit at March 28, 2005 06:40 AM