但這並不表示我對那些自謙為「信門一軍」﹐尤其是用實際行動支持「群德基金會」的朋友們毫不感念﹐也不是我不想親自和他們見面說聲謝謝。但見面的機會很難﹕我不是一個好交際的人﹐有「聞喜宴﹐獨不戴花」的性格。再加上天時﹐地利﹐人和都不是那麼容易湊得齊。
現在有個機會。2012 年的 5 月26 日那個星期六的下午﹐我們會有一個「一個世代過來的講臺之二 -- The Long Way Home」的公開活動。和四年前「崑南論劍」不同﹐這次不是為了為群德基 金會募款﹐因此不賣門票﹐不登廣告﹐全靠我在這裡的「有事相告﹐誠心邀請」的文宣。換句話說﹐這件事會吸引多少人來﹐要靠各位幫我在彼此之間口耳相傳。活動的詳情請看 《The Long Way Home》
容我在這裡對住在外地的「我輩之人」特別發出邀請﹕如果你住不是離灣區太遠﹐就算在南加州﹐我希望你能考慮利用這個 long weekend 的機會﹐在五月的最後一個星期六﹐來北加� '7b渡個週末。我雖然一直有移師南下的念頭﹐但 logistic 的問題不易解決。這次見不到面﹐下次是什麼時候就沒有人知道了。如果你們要來﹐先告訴我一聲﹐我一定會對你們特別招待。我在此也謝謝有幾位來信表示不能來的朋友﹐你們的禮貌和週到﹐我不會不知道的。
至於家居外州的朋友﹐我很抱歉不能為你們服務。您也許聽過「楚人失(遺)刀d﹐楚人得之」的故事﹐我只好用這個故事來向你們說抱歉。
不要被我的一大堆路線指南嚇倒﹐別忘了信懷南是幹什麼出身的﹐寫 SOP 和User's Manual 是我的吃飯傢伙。我的指南非常詳細﹐路其實很好找。建議您來之前才看/印﹐避免錯過最新的更正。
請注意﹕5/26/2012 那個週末﹐Dumbarton Bridge 將會關閉﹐住在 Palo Alto 附近本來打算過 Dumbarton Bridge 的朋友﹐請轉用 San Mateo Bridge 或 Bay Bridge.
信懷南敬啟 3/27/2012。
先講一個故事﹐這個故事聽說是真的﹐發生在好幾年前﹕
在蒙特拿 (Montana) 州 90 號公路上有一個小城叫曼哈頓 (Manhattan), 小城有個牛排店叫Sir Scott's Oasis Steakhouse。 牛排店生意很好﹐通常要等 45 分鐘才能有空位。有天牛排店來了兩個客人﹐一男一女。女的聽帶位的說要等 45 分鐘﹐問﹕「妳知不知道我是誰﹖」
帶位的說﹕「我知道。」於是那位女客人要求見餐館的經理。
經理出來後女客人問﹕「你知不知道我是誰﹖」
經理說﹕「我知道﹐但妳要和其他的客人一樣要等 45 分鐘。 」於是女客人要求見餐館的老闆。
老闆出來後女客人問﹕「你知不知道我是誰﹖」
餐館老闆說﹕「我知道」同時反問那位氣勢凌人女客人﹕「妳知不知道我是誰﹖」
不等女客人回話﹐餐館老闆說﹕「我是這個餐館的老闆﹐我也是打過越戰的退役軍人﹐不但今天妳不會在這裡用餐﹐妳以後也不會。」
看到這裡﹐您大概知道這位女客人是外號「河內珍/Hanoi Jane」的珍方達 (Jane Fonda)。我們用這個故事﹐戲劇性地介紹信大「瞎」點鴛鴦譜(當然﹐也可以讀成信大﹐瞎點鴛鴦譜)的女主角出場。但珍方達的外號為什麼會是「河內珍」呢﹖這話得從 1972 年的七月說起﹕
1972 年的七月﹐美國陷在越南的戰場的泥沼中進退維谷。反戰的珍方達到北越首都河內去訪問並發表反美言論。好死不死﹐在離開北越的最後一天﹐珍方達頭戴鋼盔和北越士兵在一座高射砲前照了一張照片。這張照片立刻傳遍全世界。這下美國上下火大了﹐妳這不是公然吃裡扒外嗎﹖於是「河內珍」的外號不脛而走﹐從此成為珍方達的招牌。
現在介紹「叛逃林」出場。「叛逃林」原名林正義﹐1952 年出生在台灣的宜蘭。1971 年考上台大農工系。那時候台灣考大學非常難﹐哪像現在考上比考不上還容易。那時能考進台大農工系﹐絕對是頂尖的學生。大一的時候﹐林正義上「成功嶺」接受軍訓﹐不知道為啥﹐他突然告訴「成功嶺」的長官他要投筆從戎﹐台大不讀要讀軍校。並且不讀軍中的理工科大學﹐要讀「怒濤澎湃﹐黨旗飛舞﹐這是革命的黃埔」的陸軍官校。
林正義的這個震撼彈﹐可說是震驚萬教﹐轟動武林。天下只有軍校想轉學進大學﹐哪有台大不讀要讀軍校的﹖1975 年林正義以第二名的優秀成績從軍校畢業﹐因為他符合國民黨要刻意培養的「崔臺青(吹臺青)」三條件﹐於是特別讓他進政大企管研究所讀碩士。1978 林政大畢業﹐並且這時他已經結婚。
1979 年被派到離大陸最近的金門馬山當連長。馬山離大陸兩公里﹐是臺軍高級將領和外賓常來參觀之地﹐非絕對忠貞﹐又拿得出檯面的國家優秀年輕軍官﹐是不可能派到馬山當連長帶兵的。
同年一個月黑風高的晚上﹐林正義游泳去了大陸﹐台灣反面對此多方掩飾﹐對外宣稱林死了。直到林在大陸出現﹐1982 北大畢業﹐1986 芝加哥大學得博士學位﹐論文的指導教授是1979 年的諾貝爾經濟學獎的得主西奧多蘇爾茨 (Theodore Schultz)。這時候的林正義已經第二次改名叫林毅夫了。有次在同學會的舞會上﹐台灣去的劉憶如(我在寫這篇文摘的時候﹐把劉憶如的名字寫成她的媽媽的名字郭婉容。結果烏龍上了報被一位以前世界日報的讀者看到來信指出錯誤。這證明一件事﹐星島的讀者對台灣的事沒世界日報的讀者那麼熟悉)注意到林跳「吉特巴/Jitterbug」的招式是台灣大學生的招式。以後的事﹐就如我們常說的﹕「都是歷史了。」劉憶如現在是台灣﹐的財政部長﹐林毅夫則代表中國貴為國際銀行的副總裁。
我為什麼要把珍方達和林毅夫擺在一起談呢﹖最近大陸召開全國人大會議﹐林的太太是台灣代表﹐她又提出林想回台灣掃墓和探親的老問題。台灣到目前為止還是把林視為有罪在身的叛逃投敵者。「河內珍」和「叛逃林」的區別是珍方達雖然不愛國﹐但她沒有投敵﹐民間雖然鄙視她但美國並不認為她犯了法。林的情況不同﹐從台灣的立場看﹐他不愛國也就罷了﹐居然陣前投敵﹐這是要殺頭的。
如果你是台灣當局﹐你怎麼看這個問題﹖我的看法是既然現在兩岸的敵對情況和當年完全不同﹐時代的悲劇﹐歷史的恩怨﹐個人不應負完全的責任。林正義投敵﹐對台灣並沒有造成災害﹐美國的軍艦都可以開到河內去友好訪問了﹐大陸和台灣為什麼不能渡盡劫波兄弟在﹐相逢一笑泯恩仇呢﹖我認為台灣應該對像林正義類似的人給予概括式特赦 (blank amnesty)。
懷南補記﹕這下好了﹐掌門人沒事找事﹐居然主張特赦林正義﹐這不是在捅馬蜂窩嗎﹖任何人對掌門人「我的寶貴意見」有任何不同的看法﹐在發表「你的不寶貴意見」前﹐容掌門人把話講清﹕
有兩封對《十年後的林書豪》回應的信放到《十年後的林書豪》的懷南補記裡面去了。特此告知。
不出所料﹐收到不少對林正義(正誼﹐毅夫)發表意見的來信。附錄在後﹐以供參考﹐不想花太多時間 check typos or to pay too much attention to grammar 請包涵一二。
Dear Mr. Xin:
I always have a soft spot for the Vietnam Veterans. They are usually people of my generation. These people went and serve for it now seems a pretty screw up objective. What makes it hurt the most for the veterans is that the ones who did not go got a leg up on the poor ones who went (or worse, who never came back). They bore the blunt of hatred from the enemy and anti-war countrymen. The US had 16 years of “dodger” presidency since then. Hanoi Jane will always be a controversial issue to talk about.
Lin's case is little different. It's not a war between two countries (even though Vietnam War was never declared) but the extension of a civil war. Once civil war ended, brothers on both sides reconcile and heal. I don't know the details of Lin's events, but based on the lack of “public gloating” from Mainland China, Taiwan has some catching up to China's high road as of now.
The greatness of a civilization and society should be measured in part, by granting its member “conscientious objector” status. Lin, in my opinion, should be categorized as such a group.
Regards
Dear Charles,
Thanks for sharing your point of view, and if my guess is correct, you probably are not from Taiwan.
You articulated your points well, but I don't think Mr. Lin was a "conscientious objector", The fact that he decided to become a professional soldier by switching careers tells me he was not a "conscientious objector" but an opportunism or was hot-blood young man.
懷南敬覆 3/29/2012
林毅夫最大的問題是, 他是職業軍人, (投入敵營又帶了機密文件), 叛逃的時候就該知道後果, 再說當初被牽連的人又如何? 要特赦也得審判定罪後, 才能談特赦問題, 他願意回台先受審嗎? 嘿嘿......馬英九又有的頭痛!
Susan Dear Susan:
我知道您是眷村長大的﹐妳的看法和立場我完全能理解。林不會回臺受審﹐馬不會去淌這個渾水。對老共來說﹐林能不能回臺不是什麼大不了的事。
懷南敬覆 3/29/2012
Relation between ROC & PRC is just like the divorced parents.
There is no reason to ask the children to pick side and to join in the hostility. Absolute nonsense for the parents,
and even more so if a child ran to see the mother, or even decided to stay with Mom, that the father can denounce and
even declare that son should be punished. Punish yourself first, who told you husband and wife to fight like that
in front of your children. Not qualified to be parent, not to say no right to criticize whatever the child did.
They have brought enough suffering onto the children, just as any divorced couple does.
If government doesn't look after interest of its people, it has no ground to judge what its people do for themselves.
Remember the book you sort of "promoted" once for that Mr. Mou?
You can call this Lin a speculator, first did the exceptional move to join military.
May be after he joined, with better understanding, he already foresaw this is a dead end road.
Whatever motive, none of us (those that immigrated) is entitled to criticize him.
In a way, we are just like him, only that we were not in the military.
Louise Dear Louise:
I must say that I don't quite understand your analogies/examples and especially can't agree with you on your comparison of us who immigrated to the USA for seeking a better life to Mr. Lin's case. America was not our enemy, we came here legally and openly, we didn't bring any secret to America in any form and shape that could hurt my own country (Taiwan). I found your background as someone from Hong Kong and never served in theTaiwanese Army Forces could be the reason that you may not as familiar with the issue as many of us do. But again, nobody can say he or she is absolutely right. That makes the exchange comments on this issue interesting.
懷南敬覆 3/29/2012
老大好，
乖個攏叮咚，老大亂點鴛鴦譜居然點到幾個小弟有點意見的人。且提到特赦林上尉這種兩極問題，又有點馬蜂窩邊作樂的感覺，讓人又得捏把冷汗。
小弟小時候不太長進，小時被迫高唱從軍樂，不但當了三年大頭兵，而且是空降特種部隊。沒吃過豬肉但看過豬走路，仗沒打過但愛看戰史，所以對當兵的什麼該幹，什麼絕不能幹倒是清清楚楚。
兵者不祥之器，不得已而用之。既不得已就一定有些非常手段，所以有些在老百姓眼中沒有什麼大不了的事對軍人就罪不可恕，無比嚴重。前陣子美軍連續出現三、四個華人子弟自殺，當中當然有種族歧視和霸凌成分，但其中有個特案是北加出身的廖梓源小弟，因是聯邦眾議員趙美心外甥，特別引起注意。
廖小弟在阿富汗戰地連續幾次站崗時打瞌睡，最後一次被抓到後被同僚處罰數小時後舉槍自盡。處罰廖小弟的幾個海軍陸戰隊軍人在一般老中眼中當然是皆曰可殺的，看見軍法官輕判主嫌更是認為Adding Insult to Injury，種族歧視罪證確鑿。但是當過兵的人可能會知道事實不見得如華人新聞一般黑白分明的一面倒。神學士和凱達游擊隊和駐阿富汗美軍短兵相接，是百分百的作戰前線，廖小弟的死是極不幸的結果，但是換成任何處於神經緊繃狀態的軍人不止一次撞見廖小弟致戰友於險境又必須立即處置，處罰程度或許不同，但在當時會有不同反應的人可能不會太多。
先不管林毅夫是不是當時蔣政權蓄意培養的吹台青，敵前叛逃就是唯一死刑，何況以連長身分攜帶佈防軍情更是蓄意叛變，不是臨時起意，套句老大最近常講的話，林毅夫的幹法就是Burning the bridge，壓根沒打算回頭。林毅夫叛逃是文革正式結束很久以後的事，不然他在大陸不一定有什麼好果子喫。剛好同時間鄧小平復出改革開放，重視經濟，這才有林正義上尉搖身一變成為經濟學者林毅夫博士這件事。況且台灣政府和軍方雖然當時顏面盡失，但最後還是心存厚道讓林全家團聚，在林妻帶小孩申請留美時完全沒有為難她。任何人說同樣的事情若發生在中國大陸絕不會滿門抄斬而不心虛，我就服他嘴硬。
林叛逃時已28歲，該為自己行為負責。橋既然是他親手燒斷，且兩頭都是當紅炸子雞，就該心無懸念一心建設偉大祖國。而且事沒隔幾年林妻就攜雙子與他團聚，全家在大陸已屬Insider，還代表中國幹世銀經濟首席，名利俱全，台灣對他沒有任何虧欠。日前國台辦向台灣喊話或許有政治意涵姑且不管，但林先生林太太最近在兩大期間以人代身份高談闊論，把球踢還給台灣政府，還奉送一頂不顧人道親情的大帽子，讓人覺得得了便宜還賣乖。
美國當初主動涉入越戰是防堵共產主義，而非自衛，一般老百姓覺得美國於德有愧不願支持。而且當時美國自由主義風行，很少有年輕人不受影響。這群年輕人一方面高唱民主自由，一面焚燒徵召卡，拒絕參加保障民主自由的軍隊。有錢有辦法的人家想盡一切辦法避免徵召，逃不了的窮人子弟到越南戰場打一場沒有意義的戰爭，前線軍人滿腹怨言，毒品酒精橫行。後方老百姓反戰遊行外加河內珍胳臂向外彎外帶猛扯後腿。(嘿嘿又要打麥納瑪拉一扒，他老兄那套MIT/FORD數字管理，完全不管戰略，只管打死個Charlie 得花多少子彈是完全不靈的)。十年越戰撕裂了美國，軍費透支間接引發70年代的大衰退和通貨膨脹，要不是美國國力堅強，越戰應該早敗五年。接下爛攤子又滿頭胞的卡特除了特赦不然美國簡直沒有第二條路向下走。今天美軍採用徵兵制所以沒有大批逃兵，但以當今輿情美國總統想大幅特赦伊拉克阿富汗戰場逃兵可能也沒有那麼容易。
老大建議台灣似乎該放林毅夫一馬大概是受基督教思想浸潤頗深。七十個七次都可以饒恕，何況是小小的逃兵。歷史上一場大戰死傷無數之後能夠真心擁抱對方的似乎除了美國和西歐國家沒有什麼好例子。佛教主因果報應，種什麼因得什麼果。印度教講輪迴，回教和猶太教則是一報還一報，要這幾種文化背景的民族無條件寬恕敵人好像不太容易。況且戰爭有贏有輸，勝利的一方當然很樂意泯恩仇，但是要求失敗的一方硬擠出個笑容也似乎有點強吃豆腐的感覺。
好漢做事好漢當，西安事變中張漢卿由一人之下萬人之上搞到身敗名裂軟禁一生，生前他即使對花生米滿腹怨言，但即使在恢復自由身後他仍能不出惡聲。林毅夫該學學張學良小六子打落牙齒和血吞的那股狠勁才是真漢子。
小弟淺見是林上尉想回家掃墓可以，得先在國軍軍人監獄過過水。不過經濟學說沒有賣不出的產品，只有賣不出去的價格。我對林毅夫特赦的看法是原則不支持，但若是中共願意拿撤飛彈之類的籌碼來交換善意，我倒是頗聽得進。
不過老大老教誨咱們不要對祖國的事太熱情。小弟哪棵蔥也不算，隔海叫叫過乾癮罷了。
PS. 上禮拜的兩篇讀者回響寫得真好，尤其是George 的那篇讓林小弟不打先發先養技養望的論點頗有體育專欄評論的味道，是一片林來瘋聲中罕見的空谷足音，值得鼓鼓掌。
Cheers,
Jay Dear Jay 老弟﹕
Boy O Boy, 閣下那個語音輸入的軟體真是厲害﹐幫你天馬行空﹐要不是我老大久走江湖﹐還真不知道你叫老蔣花生米的典故出在那裡呢。
我主張特赦林正義是我認為在歷史的大環境和悲劇下﹐個人的行為在時過境遷後﹐應該重新評估﹐這倒和宗教信仰無關。如果我是林毅夫﹐我不會說想要回台灣。當年不顧一切叛逃﹐今天大搖大擺回來﹐這不是欺台灣太甚﹖我對特赦的認知來自福特特赦尼克遜 -- 赦你不坐牢﹐但並非赦你無罪。台灣可以不追究林叛逃的責任﹐但可將林視為不受歡迎人物看待﹐拒絕其入境。
總之一句話﹐林在馬英九當總統任上想回台灣的機會是零。如果我是老馬﹐我不去碰這件事。也沒有人會強力幫林遊說﹐老共不會做林毅夫的“ executive sponsor”.
懷南敬覆 3/29/2012
林正誼夫婦想返鄉祭祖的新聞鬧得沸沸湯湯, 連國台辦王毅都出面替他們緩浹, 許多人的觀念是兩岸已經和解, 曾任職過陸軍總司令的陳廷寵, 副總司令的葉競榮等高級將領都長期居住大陸, 甚至郝參謀總長也曾返鄉祭祖(如果郝沒有放棄四星終身職卻也不宜), 為何一個初級軍官三十年前叛逃的老案不能被原諒,
原因是退役與現役之不同, 且林案不是單純的敵前叛逃, 當年他是據點指揮官而非是幕僚軍官, 責任重大, 不僅有守土之責, 更肩負了防區內一百多人的生命, 卻帶著軍旗作戰計劃防衛部署圖叛逃, 如果中共當年砲擊, 所有第一線曾與他死生與共之弟兄的死傷將無法想像, 許多贊成對他赦免者都會提到林案連累到他的直屬長官, 個人卻認為此案對他的下屬影響更大, 一個受人尊敬的長官, 是弟兄將生命託付給他的人, 卻讓信任感價值觀一夕崩解, 不知此案是否影響了這些人在往後歲月的身心.
如果林案真想要解套, 唯一的方法是馬總統給予他特赦, 但是必須先考慮以下幾個層面:
1. 是通案還是個案? 黃植誠, 李大維, 林賢順等叛逃飛行員是否比照辦理? (記住李顯斌回大陸是走完法律程序坐牢的)
2. 兩岸目前還是交戰團體, 是否先簽國共停戰協定?
3. 能換到什麼? 提出以林正誼交換目前被大陸羈押的所有台諜?
個人認為林案不應該以叛逃事件來討論, 應該以國際間處理間諜案的方式來進行, 台灣國防部的高部長說的好, 林是自私的投機份子, 當年抓準時機棄台大入陸官, 棄台灣去大陸, 棄高堂妻兒而不顧, 可謂絕情之人, 立法委員羅淑蕾說他是丟祖宗的臉, 或許數典忘祖這句成語更適切.
今天社會中最缺乏的就是integrity, 往往名人權貴富豪等更是integrity最大的破壞者, 林案絕對不可以因為他的位階和學術地位而有特例, 就算林學術地位崇高, 也不能遮掩他品格的低下, 如果個人有機會見到他本人, 會低聲在其耳旁說, “我看不起你”!
橘子 上 Dear 橘子﹕
我同意你的看法﹐我也是看不起林這個人的。但看不起的原因是他完全沒有公開說明他當年叛逃的原因。現在想回台灣是自以為大咖﹐沒把台灣放在眼裡。
懷南敬覆 3/29/2012
謝謝你讓我瞭解更多關於林毅夫的歷史；他的後半生多半人都曉得，但他由成功嶺跳進黃埔的歷史我倒是第一次聽說。這老弟應該是熱血沸騰的衝動型人物，但也應該是絕頂聰明的成功型人物，值得佩服。
我個人覺得「叛逃」與否，沒有強調的意義。但當年他是現役職業軍人，帶兵連長，國有國法，軍法更是特別嚴厲，不能用任何理由逃避，否則如何管理其他軍人？尤其是今天他在中共政府與國際上都有相當地位，對他特案寬恕會引起不平的連想。
回台灣省親掃墓可以，但至少要判五年徒刑，樣子是一定要做的。坐一年後再假釋，這樣面面俱到，政府軍方的威信保持，人情也顧到，國際上應該也說得過去了。
Tony Dear Tony:
林毅夫如果真的那樣想回台灣﹐就回來坐牢做個樣子﹐然後再談特赦的問題。台灣可以把這個球拋給林接。
懷南敬覆 3/29/2012
Dear Mr. Xin,
This is my third time writing to you. And for the first time, I found I seriously disagree with you on a subject. (I have read your books too.)
I strongly support Taiwan's Defense Minister that 林正義/林毅夫 should never be pardoned.
Here is what I know about the story. (I graduated college in 1980. So I still heard some background about this event while I was in the military.) He not only swam to China as a company head, he also brought with him the defense plan against the communist invasion, if it ever happened, and the decryption codes.
After his escape (叛逃), the whole Quemoy island had to redraw the defense plan, move the machine guns and cannons around and replace the code books. I can't remember if he brougt other things with him. He did not just disagree with the government (I believe you agree with me that a soldier has no right for political opinion in any country.), he did not just desert his job (as a captain, he was responsible for the life and welfare of more than 100 soldiers, most of them were younger than 20), he went to China with the intent to harm or kill many people.
Jane Fonda's crime was only that she expressed her (wrong) opinion and went to enemy to express that opinion. It is debatable whether she would be forgiven. However, if you were a soldier in Vietnam during that time and you experienced your comrades die and saw Jane Fonda spoke for North Vietnam on TV, I can't see any reason you will ever forgive.
For 林毅夫, this is totally different. The more likely comparison is if Jane Fonda went to Hanoi with anti-aircraft ammunition. And North Vietnamese soldiers used them to shoot at US planes. And she claimed no US planes were downed and no US pilots were killed by these ammunition.
As you know, before martial law was lifted in Quemoy and Matsu, if a soldier ever tried to escape to China, he was pretty much automatically sentenced to be executed. In comparison, 林毅夫's crime is a lot more serious and he shouldn't be pardoned.
So, I have only one reason against pardoning 林毅夫: He brought material and knowledge to enemy with the intent to kill many of his countrymen, as a middle-level commanding officer, in a war zone.
Some people may say one should accept one's enemy after the fighting is over. I can agree with this because the enemy may act on the same belief/reason to fight for their own country. And in a was, most soldiers don't know anyone at the other side. But treason is different. The traitor knows the people he tries to harm so I think the behavior is much worse.
Sorry for the long writing. I have thought a lot about this issue. And I believe you can fully understand my points, whether you agree with me or not.
Regards,
Ching
PS. As you remember American Taliban John Walker Lindh. His crime was he went to Afghanistan to train with Taliban and did not leave when US invaded Afghanistan. He was not executed because there is no proof that he ever fought with Taliban/Al Qaeda against US troops or providing support to do it. So, it is not just the eastern laws are strict about this. In the west, at least in the US, it is not much different. Dear Ching:
I'm not only fully understood your points, but also agree with your arguments.
From all the letters I received, I've drawn a general conclusion as following: People from Taiwan are strongly against the notion of granting pardon to Mr. Lin. People from Hong Kong or other regions are taking a different position. Strangely enough, I have not heard anyone from Mainland China made any comments on this issue.
Let me re-state my position of Lin's case:
1. After that many years, I think a "blank amnesty" to all the people caught in a senseless civil war should be considered.
2. The base for my position is not to tell the right from wrong but purely on humanitarian/humanism. An idealistic but unrealistic idea.
懷南敬覆 3/29/2012
Mr. Xin:
兩個人(蔣和毛)的恩怨造成中國人五十年的痛苦.國民党殺了上百万共產党, 共產党也殺了上百万國民党.可是現在都可以坐下來談.老百姓都來去兩地觀光.日本人殺了數百万中國人都可以去大陸,台灣.林毅夫只是意見/想法不同.或是像您說的"一頭熱血".
過去的就讓它過去吧.
Andrew Dear Andrew:
在所有的來信中﹐你的看法最接近我主張對林「赦刑不赦罪」的看法。最近看報﹐老許(信良)也主張對阿扁「赦刑不赦罪」﹐真是 unclear on concept。阿扁犯的是貪污罪﹐林犯的是叛逃罪。貪污不會因時間久了就可以不罰。叛逃可以因時間和敵我情勢改變而改變。「我的寶貴意見」不一定正確﹐but that's my five cents.
懷南敬覆 3/31/2012
I have been following your posts for a couple of years. This is my firsrt letter to you.
I am writing to respond a line in your response to one of your reader "Strangely enough, I have not heard anyone from Mainland China made any comments on this issue." I think a straightforward reason is because you already claimed yourself "The Last Generation of NDR". LOL.
I am from mainland China. Actually I sat in my flat in Shanghai Bund while writing the mail. I am quite interested in the topic of Mr. Lin(I'd call 林毅夫的問題 Linssue). Hopefully, a comment from a mainlander would not be interpreted 得了便宜還賣乖, which is another inimical behavior in Chinese tradition.
I actually asked my uncle and cousin how they thought of Linssue if they were in the position that's betrayed. My uncle, who had served in PLA for 2 decades, said "The man is a traitor. Period. But aren't we in the process of reconciliation? Maybe a public apology and an appropriate sentence(probation?)." My cousin, who's born late 80's and loves Taiwan talkshows, gave a simple answer "What the hell". So the whole Linssue is this: in personal level, his behaviour hurt face, feeling and most importantly, the law. He hence should be punished. But in the big picture of reconciliation and for the sake of peace of straits, would it be worthy of giving Mr. Lin let-go?
A betrayal soldier becoming a renowned economist and high-profile figure is a legendary story to a side and a humiliation to the other. I admire Mr. Lin. Yet you would whisper in his ear in contempt. The even weirder thing is both of us have good reasons to do so. I am not quite into the cliche of the divorce-and-children-choosing-side metaphor. But somehow it does provide a relief for how we are different.
Best Regards,
LQ
Dear LQ:
You got me! I indeed have self proclaimed that we are the Last Generation of NDR. Logically speaking, no wonder there is no one from Mainland China made comments on this Linissue.
Once we've settle the logic score, I must say its a pleasure to receive your well written e-mail from the legendary Shanghai Bund.
You see, most of the male reader's feed-back you read on this Linissue are from people like me who once served in the Nationalist Army Forces before we came to the States. Let's say that the Army is just like a "company", we, the so called reserved officer via ROTC program are the "contractors" or "temporary helpers" work for the company.
What to make Linissue so unique was he should have just like us but instead, he decided to become a permanent employee of the "company", got promoted, and then, he stolen the company's secret and went to work for the company's enemy.
It is also so true that many of us would react just like your PLA uncle who would consider Lin a traitor, period. To the younger generation of Taiwanese who knows nothing about Lin, "what a hell" is the likely answer.
I run into a young lady in our church a few weeks ago who happens to be Lin's student from Beijing University. I have no doubt that Lin is quite admired by his former students. I told the young lady I was her professor's upper class-mate.But I didn't tell her and did not want to call her professor a "traitor" -- because I believe the civil war between the Communists and the Nationalists was so *&^%&^ stupid.
Appreciate your sharing.
懷南敬覆 4/1/2012
Dear Mr. Xin,