Meanly small; scanty or meager: left the waiter a niggardly tip.[/quote]
Yes, Mr He, I know what niggardly means. But the expression “niggardly people in a woodpile” is a malapropism. The original expression was “nigger in a woodpile” and its origins and meaning can be found by clicking here and here.
Hexuan…I can’t see your assertion…“It appears to me that some people on this board think no one should leave home, and if they do they give up all right to anything. It follows then that these people also do not believe in universal rights, in other words, they believe that people only have rights if they are present in the country of their citizenship.”
Who said you shouldn’t leave home. Of course you can leave home. Give up rights? Well let’s see…if the ‘host’ country in which you live has different laws then yes, I think you will have to modify your life to meet them. Muslims aren’t allowed to bring all of their wives to the U.S. are they? Americans’ have the right to carry concealed weapons (providing they meet certain requirements) but they give up this right when they visit England, don’t they?
And again, I must ask, who pray tell developed this compilation of universal rights? Are these rights like those clothes…where one size fits all?
I have yet heard any REAL human rights violations regarding the laws in Taiwan…no more so than anywhere else in the world…just tell me the name of one foreigner who has been dragged off the streets, locked in solitary confinement, beaten, tortured, had his property confiscated, etc. by the FAP or other duly appointed authorities and I will shut up. What people are complaining about here is the right to a hearing or some other court procedure but this IMHO is not human rights abuse. It is a shortcoming of legislation but not abuse.
Back before opposition parties were allowed I knew of at least three foreigners who were deported simply for stopping and gawking at some impromptu street protest. Now, I don’t think they were beaten or tortured, but the case would go like this: Walking down the road minding your own business. Stop and check out some noisy gathering of people on roadside, guy with a megaphone yelling some stuff in Taiwanese. Get photo taken by undercover KMT goons lurking nearby. Two or three days later the goons show up on your doorstep, search your apartment for your passport and anything ‘seditious’. Take you to CKS and put you on the first plane to HK, blacklisted of course so you can’t come back. Reason given? Activities incompatible with visa status.
If you can’t understand that as a violation of basic human rights, you just aren’t going to get it.
Ok, but that was then, this is now…where are the examples from now? It’s a historial fact witches were burned at the stake in the U.S., as well as gays being tortured by the state, but what does that have to do with now?
You sound somehow disappointed that this doesn’t happen anymore… Never mind, I give up. You keep your mouth closed while you’re here and I’ll carry on running mine off as I see fit. All my assets are here, and half my family are on local passports. I live here, though I’m not a citizen, and I’ll do or say whatever the hell I think is best for them, with or without your permission. I’m done, buh-bye.
I’ve been living here since 1988 but vising from 86… I can’t say it didnt happent that I also saw protests and didnt get deported… I also lived across the street from a DPP activist who burnt himself to death in his apartment on Minchuen Rd… without scant regard for his neigbours… I took photos and no-one bothered me.
I tend to join only the political activities in the town where I live. Usually to protest the damned noisy campiagn trucks at 6am.
hsiadogah…said “You sound somehow disappointed that this doesn’t happen anymore… Never mind, I give up. You keep your mouth closed while you’re here and I’ll carry on running mine off as I see fit. All my assets are here, and half my family are on local passports. I live here, though I’m not a citizen, and I’ll do or say whatever the hell I think is best for them, with or without your permission. I’m done, buh-bye.”
Actually, I am not disappointed, I was only pointing out that the past is the past as the present is the present. You seem to somehow come to the conclusion that I expect you to ask for my permission for something…I have never said that. I only stated my beliefs…but since YOU BRING IT UP…don’t you think it’s kinda chickenshit that you have a passport to freedom while HALF THE FAMILY I ASSUME YOU CARE ABOUT might be stuck here in case something goes wrong? Wow, you must be so proud that you can cut and run at the least bit of trouble leaving behind a place you call home. Guess I should aspire to be like you…
No. I’m chickenshit because I don’t want to waste two years of my life in the military in order to gain citizenship. In another couple of years I’ll be old enough to be exempt from conscription, and I can wait until 2008 before exercising my right to vote for an independent Taiwan. I suppose cutting and running and losing all my assets would be considered a good deal eh? How about leaving my wife behind? (she has no foreign passport). Do me favor okay, come back and argue this when you have something here worth fighting for.
I’m not arguing whether or not I need permission from some troll to involve myself in the political process here, or anything else for that matter. Thanks for stating the obvious. :raspberry:
hsiadogah, sorry I didn’t realize that I knew you personally. So you know I have nothing to fight for here, no investments, and no personal ties.
I just love how so many people on forumosa.com immediately start name calling when someone expresses an unpopular viewpoint. :loco:
Yeah, but your viewpoint is exactly the same as those of the brainless children on tealit – “Shut the fuck up or get the fuck out.” A viewpoint like that is so inane that it invites name-calling.
So Sandman…where in this post does it say “Shut the fuck up or get the fuck out?”
“Hexuan…I can’t see your assertion…“It appears to me that some people on this board think no one should leave home, and if they do they give up all right to anything. It follows then that these people also do not believe in universal rights, in other words, they believe that people only have rights if they are present in the country of their citizenship.”
Who said you shouldn’t leave home. Of course you can leave home. Give up rights? Well let’s see…if the ‘host’ country in which you live has different laws then yes, I think you will have to modify your life to meet them. Muslims aren’t allowed to bring all of their wives to the U.S. are they? Americans’ have the right to carry concealed weapons (providing they meet certain requirements) but they give up this right when they visit England, don’t they?
And again, I must ask, who pray tell developed this compilation of universal rights? Are these rights like those clothes…where one size fits all?
I have yet heard any REAL human rights violations regarding the laws in Taiwan…no more so than anywhere else in the world…just tell me the name of one foreigner who has been dragged off the streets, locked in solitary confinement, beaten, tortured, had his property confiscated, etc. by the FAP or other duly appointed authorities and I will shut up. What people are complaining about here is the right to a hearing or some other court procedure but this IMHO is not human rights abuse. It is a shortcoming of legislation but not abuse.”
Or this post on another thread…
“hexuan, on a more positive note…may I ask why foreigners have not joined forces to press for reform? Yes, it is illegal for us to campaign WITHIN Taiwan for such reform but then again is it illegal for a person with a political agenda to visit Taiwan and meet with some government representatives? Is it illegal for foreigners to present a petition to the president via a third-party? If we want to be pro-active then that’s great…yes, I know this seems to contradict my early post but then again I don’t think so.
I am not political by nature but if I was so inclinded I think I would shop around for a political expert (a spin doctor?) in the U.S. (since I am more familar with the U.S…perhaps you would prefer England), hire him/her to design a campaign from abroad to influence the Taiwanese government to bring about change for foreigners here. Collect donations through paypal to pay for advertizing in magazines targeting businesses in Taiwan to press for more changes, etc. Maybe some people who have been here for a long time, can speak Chinese, and are married to locals could start petitioning TV stations, newspapers, and other media to give them interviews about their experiences here and sprinkle in a few comments about the discepancies in the immigration laws.
Anyway, just some thoughts…feel free to ignore them or expand upon them.”
It seems that you and others have placed me in a pigeon-hole based on a few posts simply because you disagree with me. That, of course, is your option.
[quote=“Vannyel”]So Sandman…where in this post does it say “Shut the fuck up or get the fuck out?”
“Hexuan…I can’t see your assertion…“It appears to me that some people on this board think no one should leave home, and if they do they give up all right to anything. It follows then that these people also do not believe in universal rights, in other words, they believe that people only have rights if they are present in the country of their citizenship.”
Who said you shouldn’t leave home. Of course you can leave home. Give up rights? Well let’s see…if the ‘host’ country in which you live has different laws then yes, I think you will have to modify your life to meet them. Muslims aren’t allowed to bring all of their wives to the U.S. are they? Americans’ have the right to carry concealed weapons (providing they meet certain requirements) but they give up this right when they visit England, don’t they?
And again, I must ask, who pray tell developed this compilation of universal rights? Are these rights like those clothes…where one size fits all?
I have yet heard any REAL human rights violations regarding the laws in Taiwan…no more so than anywhere else in the world…just tell me the name of one foreigner who has been dragged off the streets, locked in solitary confinement, beaten, tortured, had his property confiscated, etc. by the FAP or other duly appointed authorities and I will shut up. What people are complaining about here is the right to a hearing or some other court procedure but this IMHO is not human rights abuse. It is a shortcoming of legislation but not abuse.”[/quote]
In other words: “Shut the fuck up or get the fuck out.”
Sandman, and others, instead of blasting my tealit mentality…why don’t you simply respond to this statement - which I have repeated numerous times - “I have yet heard any REAL human rights violations regarding the laws in Taiwan…no more so than anywhere else in the world…just tell me the name of one foreigner who has been dragged off the streets, locked in solitary confinement, beaten, tortured, had his property confiscated, etc. by the FAP or other duly appointed authorities and I will shut up.” (naturally this should be qualified by a time limit…let’s say in the last couple of years…)
At least I attempt to back up my opinion with facts and/or examples without resorting to name calling.
So what you’re saying is that IF there were human rights abuses here, we would have your blessing to complain, but if it’s discriminatory laws we’re complaining about, or arbitrary interpretation of vague laws, we should shut the fuck up or get the fuck out?
Ah well, that’s not me. I’m not even sure of the exact definition of “human rights abuses.” In fact, that’s why I railed at Boomer over his Scott Ezell nonsense and urged him to take his fight instead to the CLA, which is responsible for giving Peter Chen the guidelines under which he works.
[quote]Nope, not at all. Complain all you want…I just want someone who has been bitching about human rights abuses to give me a REAL example. That’s all.
[/quote]
Whose definition of a human rights abuse are you talking about. A few xenophobic police of the ROC or the United Nations definition ratified by the ROC in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
George W. Bush also claims that his goverment has not violated anyone’s REAL human rights. I use the UN version myself but to each his own.
How exactly do you define politics?
But the expression “niggardly people in a woodpile” is a malapropism. The original expression was “nigger in a woodpile” and its origins and meaning can be found by clicking here and here.
