Sunday, February 16, 2020

住在台灣的外國人為什麼有在乎「台商的孩子」?

I don't often blog in Chinese, and I am sure there are many mistakes. What can I say, I'm a second language learner.

But, I want to address a primarily Taiwanese audience so I'm going to go for it. Enjoy my terrible Mandarin!

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大家可能想問我,「妳為什麼那麼在乎那個小明/台商孩子的問題?」

就是因為我是個住在台灣的外國人。我沒有台灣國籍,所以我聽台灣人說,「台灣人第一」或者「所以我們不需要在乎和幫忙那些孩子就是因為他們不是台灣人」 我問自己~~~

如果台灣有一個疫情/流行病的狀況,他們怎麼對待我?有人會說我不能去醫院,因為台灣沒有足夠的醫療服務,台灣人比較需要,台灣人第一!?雖然台灣就是我的家,我沒有美國的家,我沒有可以去的地方,此外我在台灣納稅,有人會說我可以「回去」美國為了找醫療服務,但是無法用台灣的制度?

我了解我跟台商真的不一樣。我選了台灣,他們選中國(但是,他們的孩子沒有機會選)。我住這裡,他們住在國外。我在這裡納稅,他們避免。我支持台灣主權和台灣獨立(從中華民國殖民地制度獨立!),他們大部分支持統一。真的不一樣!

可是,我聽「台灣人第一」的時候,這讓我想起川普跟他的支持者。那些人也覺得「移民歧視」就是還OK的啦。在美國,這個民粹主義態度讓我不舒服,在台灣,我絕對有一樣不舒服的感覺。「台灣人第一」的意思不但是「小明第二」而且也是,外國人在台灣是第二階級,是不是?如果在未來台灣有個危機,台灣還是我們的家,但是,台灣對我們怎麼樣?我在台灣平常很舒服,我看台灣人很歡迎我們,但是,這個「台灣人第一」讓我不舒服。我需要問自己,「我真的是完全歡迎的嗎?」

我了解大家對這件事有很重的感覺。這個問題非常複雜,沒有一個完美解決的方案。我們住在台灣的外國人對不穩定的情況非常熟悉,因為我們的家不配合我們的國籍。我們大部分支持台灣,也支持台灣獨立。如果中國恐嚇台灣,我們也願意為台灣而戰。我們大部分不是有錢人,我們的生活很像當地人的。讓小明近來也影響我們,因為我們也住在這裡。但是,我求你想一想,我們為什麼在乎這件事情?

就是因為我們很容易會想像我們自己在類似的狀況。我們緊張,「台灣人第一」也排除了我們嗎?

7 comments:

Steve Weng said...

我們不會排除你

我們只會排除早就選擇中國的人,

例如小明的父母親。


Jenna Lynn Cody said...

那些父母選中國,可是他們的孩子沒有選。我了解,那些台商大部分不是好人,如果他們選擇中國,他們需要接受他們選擇的後果。但是,為什麼要處罰他們沒有選擇中國的孩子?他們不對他們媽媽爸爸的選擇負責。

dk said...

Left-leaning liberal在美台人十分能了解支持台灣政府及民众的立場,雖覺得政府講話不夠委婉太直接是失策,而且自己身為一個母親確也有一点無奈之下的同情。但是這二天的發展反倒令我十分厌恶那些抗爭的在台家屬及所謂的抗爭领導,而完全失去最後的一点同情了。尤其二件事,他們叫囂防疫是政府的事与他們無關,昨天还有人威脅要化整為零入境。如果只是氣話,那真是除了自利自利外还加個蠢;如果真动此念,那讓人懷疑他們的动机及實際需要。

妳的比擬並不完全恰当。首先這与他們父母是好是坯無関。我相信武漢台商不会全是只愛錢不愛台湾的,所以不能入境也会影響他們。但第一,本島安全是最重要的因為中國是不准台防疫人員入境確認領人和檢疫的。第二是,雖然子女不必对父母的选擇負責,但是在"法"和"理"上台湾也不需要、同時也無法对一群父母不在身邊的中国小孩負責啊!那就只剩下"情"的角度。於"情"上那就真是沒有一定標準的。很不幸這事發生在第一次撤侨机之後,如果一開始中国就照他国的方式辦理,我們出机出人先檢疫,那可能台灣人今天还不会反应如此激烈,搞不好就回來了。当然我覺得頭二天政府發言太过直白不夠婉轉,如果夠外交辞令,也不会讓人有這些異議及疑慮了。即便真正的政策上是殊徒途同歸。事实上,当初口罩發言也是如此。但怎麼說呢?看到美國這边口罩已被搶購一空,才剛做完化療抵抗力仍弱的我在只能希望東亞下波不是美洲的情況下,一週二个口罩的ration仍是相当attractive的。🙄

Jenna Lynn Cody said...

I discussed the Chinese interference issue in the previous post. I know it's a problem, obviously that limits Taiwan's options practically.

But still, I hear people saying things like "we shouldn't help them at all because they are Chinese". If the issue were just the practical issues, we'd be thinking "these kids have a connection to Taiwan whether their paperwork reflects that or not, let's help those in need who would be on the list first, regardless of their passport" while also acknowledging there are limits to what can be done because of the China issue and our own health care capacity.

But the analogy is correct. I have heard comments saying that the kids don't deserve help because the parents are terrible, "homewreckers", "illegitimate", "mistresses", "traitors" (at least there's a ring of truth to that last one). At that point, people ARE judging the parents when deciding what to do with the kids.

And those comments are not that different from Trump saying "they're sending murderers, drug dealers, rapists" about Latin Americans. I get that there are differences - bullying by China, power relations. China insisting Taiwaneseness does not exist (of course it does).

But please understand how such comments would bother and upset a foreign resident here, when the tone changes from "pro-Taiwan" sentiment, to "nationalistic" sentiment.

Tony Yen said...

Taiwanese nationalists rose during the election campaigns in most of 2019. Their rejection of refugee law revision regarding HK protestors, and bashing environment NGOs for distracting the focus from the China issue revealed what type of Taiwanese nation they were trying to build. And now this. If the trend continues we will probably get a fascist state in the coming decade, either built by the Chinese or our own people.

Jenna Lynn Cody said...

I wouldn't go so far as to say "a fascist state" but I admit I don't like the turn of nationalism (as opposed to being 'pro-Taiwan' which I support) that this whole issue has brought out.

Steve Weng said...

the door had been closed by China not by Taiwan,

at the moment they forced Chow Tzu-yu, the girl from Taiwan who became a member of K-Pop group Twice, to make apologize for her waving a flag presented Taiwan on a Korea local TV Show.

They made everyone to make a stand, to chose which side you need to stand for. No matter who you are.

We are not the one who lied the whole world that's not no a new outbreak caused by a new virus. We never make any trouble or even ask any trouble.

Kids can stay with parents in China, too. But they said it's only family union when they can get together in Taiwan.

Well, haven't you guy lived in China in recent couple years? How come you never feel not a family union in that way?

We never break any family. Never.