09.22.05
Monty Python and Taiwan Independence
What has Monty Python’s ‘The Life of Brian’ got to do with Taiwanese independence? More than you might think … try comparing this news article:
The leader of World United Formosans for Independence said yesterday that he disagrees with the view expressed by the Taiwan Defence Alliance in an advertisement in the Washington Post that Taiwan, like Puerto Rico and Guam, is an autonomous territory of the United States.
Asked to comment on the advertisement placed in the American daily Tuesday, WUFI Chairman Huang Chao-tang, who is also a presidential adviser, stressed that Taiwan belongs to the 23 million people who live on the island.
With this scene from the Life of Brian:
REG: Right. You’re in. Listen. The only people we hate more than the Romans are the fucking Judean People’s Front.
P.F.J.: Yeah…
JUDITH: Splitters.
P.F.J.: Splitters…
FRANCIS: And the Judean Popular People’s Front.
P.F.J.: Yeah. Oh, yeah. Splitters. Splitters…
LORETTA: And the People’s Front of Judea.
P.F.J.: Yeah. Splitters. Splitters…
REG: What?
LORETTA: The People’s Front of Judea. Splitters.
REG: We’re the People’s Front of Judea!
LORETTA: Oh. I thought we were the Popular Front.
REG: People’s Front! C-huh.
FRANCIS: Whatever happened to the Popular Front, Reg?
REG: He’s over there.
In case you were wondering the ‘World United Formosans for Independence’ and the ‘Taiwan Defence Alliance’ should not be confused with pro-formal independence political parties like the Taiwan Solidarity Union (which regularly polls between 5-10% in national elections), the ‘Taiwan Independence Party’ (which gained 0.3% of the vote in the last election), the ‘Peasant Party’ (0.4%) or the ‘Taiwan Number One Party’ (didn’t bother standing).
Further relevant words of wisdom from the Life of Brian can be found:
- Arguments continue over the correct Romanization of ‘Romanes Eunt Domus’.
- What have the Japanese/KMT ever done for us?
- Chen Shui-Bian’s mother addresses a TI rally: “He’s not the Messiah. He’s a very naughty boy!”
Wolf Reinhold said,
September 22, 2005 at 3:20 pm
There are 94 political parties in Taiwan on my four-year-old list.
Jason said,
September 22, 2005 at 7:24 pm
FAPA’s also distancing itself from the ad. Looks like Richard Hartzell’s been dropping names of groups who he has no connection to. I’ll try to scan the ad in later today. It’s a hoot!
asiapundit said,
September 22, 2005 at 11:20 pm
thursday links
ESWN makes a good argument in defense of
Michael Turton said,
September 23, 2005 at 6:38 am
Ironically, there’s no contradiction between Hartzell’s view and WUFI’s.
Michael
The View from Taiwan said,
September 23, 2005 at 2:50 pm
㊣ ㊣ ㊣ ㊣㊣ ㊣ ㊣ ㊣ ㊣ ㊣ ㊣ [IMG]Over at jujuflop, David appliesMonty Python to the Taiwan independence party experience: In case you were wondering the ‘World United Formosans for Independence’ and the ‘Taiwan Defence Alliance’ should not be confused with pro-formal independence political parties like the Taiwan Solidarity Union (which regularly polls between 5-10% in
Mad Minerva said,
September 27, 2005 at 7:31 pm
What a great post! I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve linked to it here:
http://madminerva.blog-city.com/monty_python_and_taiwan_independence_groups.htm
Cheers,
MM
Curious said,
September 27, 2005 at 8:39 pm
I’d be interested to know any considered opinions on the legality of the position put forth in the Washington Post ad, regardless of who does or does not support it at present.
David said,
September 27, 2005 at 9:57 pm
You can see the text of the article here. 60 years ago it might have been a good argument.
MacOrbinson said,
February 4, 2006 at 2:18 pm
In December 2005 Dr. Huang Chao-tang held a conference to say that he supports the stationing of US military troops in Taiwan. This is very close to established position of Mr. Hartzell, Dr. Lin, and the Taiwan Defense Alliance.
Monty Python and Taiwan Independence Groups (madminerva.blog-city.com) said,
July 20, 2006 at 11:11 am
[...] Here is a hilarious comparison of Monty Python’s "Life of Brian" and some of the goofier fringe pro-independence groups (link xie-xie to Jujuflop).Definitely giggle-worthy, which is just fine by me, as I’ve a lot of meetings with Nerd Lords and am feeling particularly grim and grumpy about the whole grad school thing. Still, as Monty Python’s on the brain, I feel like yelling to the profs, "I’m not dead yet!!!"posted Tuesday, 27 September 2005Questions, comments, snide remarks? Hosted by Blog-City Version: 4.3.1Terms & Conditions of this blogcity site [...]
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