Chapter 22 a seemingly dated letter

Foreword: A few years ago, two female students of Beiyi Girl committed suicide together.Leaving a suicide note saying "the essence of living in society" is not suitable for them.At that time, the attitude of the headmistress of Beiyi and some teachers and classmates disgusted me so much that I wrote this letter shortly after the suicide.Many of the names of the people mentioned in the letter are of course no longer in place, and the newspapers quoted have long been piled up in the library, turning yellow and brittle.How I hope that the issues discussed in this letter can become a thing of the past, and there is no need to discuss them anymore.

Regrettably, similar student suicides continue to occur, and the attitude of the school's response is still so familiar and so disappointing.Although this letter to the female teachers and students of Beiyi was outdated, the concerns in this letter were not outdated.I decided to republish this letter here exactly as it was originally published in China Times, to remind everyone who should be reminded, including myself. The suicide of two female students forced many people to express their thoughts on some things. The article you are reading now has absolutely no intention of speculating on the cause of the deceased’s suicide, nor of who is responsible for it—life is a huge confusion, who is qualified to determine the cause?Who is qualified to take responsibility?

nobody.No one is eligible. I am writing this text because after reading many reports of this incident, I discovered some of the beliefs you expressed and some of the attitudes you adopted. These beliefs and attitudes are what I want to explore, and I hope to draw your attention. First of all, if we admit that no one is qualified to "affirm" their cause of death, then should we also admit that no one is qualified to "deny" any possible cause of their death? In my reports, I repeatedly saw the headmistress of Beiyi or the director of the counseling room "rule out this possibility" and "deny that possibility", but at the same time repeatedly stated that they "cannot understand the real reason".

If you don’t understand, if you can’t imagine, then why do you “exclude” and “deny” Some possible causes of death? According to the China Times Evening News on July 26, reporter Shi Wennan reported—"Ding Yawen solemnly denies today that the so-called rumors of the relationship between the two, she emphasized, is absolutely impossible. Because there is no relevant information in the class or in the counseling room. statements and interview records.” Principal Ding, "There is no record in the tutoring room" is one of the important symptoms of the whole incident. Why did you use it as evidence instead?If the police decides that a person has committed a crime and wants him, will this person still go to the police station to "seek help" when he is helpless?If he goes, he can only "turn himself in", and the records he can leave can only be "confessions" and "criminal records"!

Therefore, I have to ask two questions next. These two questions are not only for Principal Ding, but also for the female teachers and students of Beiyi University who have expressed their opinions during the whole incident, because I believe that the atmosphere of the whole school, It will not be decided by the principal alone—— I have absolutely no qualifications or mentality to ask questions. I sincerely ask: First, do you think it was wrong for the two deceased to have loved each other?Is it morally wrong?Is it a legal crime? Second, if you don't think it's wrong for the two to have feelings for each other, why do you keep denying the possibility in the absence of evidence?Why, while you ask the outside world to "don't speculate", you yourself make the biggest speculation and conclude that this matter has nothing to do with love?

If the two teenagers fell in love with each other under free will at the stage when they first met love in their lives, what would be the secret? ! When did it start that love was stipulated to "leave a record in the counseling room"?To be judged on the balance of morality? On July 27, China Times, reporter Chen Rongyu reported—“As for some people speculating that the two female students may have acted this way because of their relationship with each other...the school hopes that the outside world will not speculate and cause unnecessary trouble to the deceased’s family and others The school personnel pointed out that when they asked the students in this class whether there were any signs, the students laughed a lot and thought it was impossible."

I don't believe you guys laughed, I think the "school person" made a mistake.I don't believe that you who have always been reported as "full of sorrow" will "students laugh more" when asked this question. If someone actually laughed, what kind of laughter would it be?Is it the "this question is ridiculous" laugh?Is it the laugh of "how did it get here"?Is it contempt or shyness?What is so ridiculous? I also read in the China Times Evening News on July 26 that reporter Chen Xianglan quoted the words of Huang Fu, director of the Counseling Office of the High School Affiliated to Normal University, "I advise the public not to make any judgments, because any judgments involving emotions are related to Children's festival."

Festival? !I couldn't believe my eyes.These two characters were cut out from which book of Confucianism and Confucianism in the Song Dynasty? ! What is the reason that made you regard a possible relationship between the two young people as a ridiculous object?As a terrible, scourge to avoid? Where did this obsession with emotional cleanliness come from? Let me emphasize again that I have no intention and I am not qualified to speculate on the reasons for the suicide of the two deceased.When they have exchanged their lives for a space to survive, we living can only bear silently and respect their choices.

What right do we have to say "this is impossible" and "that is impossible"?They are already reluctant to say more in their suicide notes, why do you want to explain and make judgments on their behalf? !If you want the "outside" to respect the silent heart of the dead, where is your respect? A few years ago, Social University organized a delegation of professors to visit mainland China. During the dinner, the topic of homosexuality was somehow brought up.On the spot, a "senior cadre" from the YMCA stood up and proclaimed triumphantly: "In China, there are absolutely no homosexuals! Absolutely impossible!"

I have always believed that the speech of this high-ranking cadre is a concrete indication of the cultural gap between mainland China and Taiwan.When China's high-ranking cadres can face homosexuality, it will be a small step closer to a pluralistic society.My little naivete and confidence in Taiwan were shattered by your values ​​and actions in the whole incident. The middle school education in Taiwan is still full of blind wariness about love and sex, just like people in the late Qing Dynasty who were afraid that the camera would take away their souls.Textbooks can praise any kind of human emotion, but love is not mentioned, as if human civilization has nothing to do with love or sex.

After the suicide incident, it was suggested that in the middle school curriculum, there were still only "religion", "life", and "philosophy" courses, and no one dared to mention "love" or "sex".Does Taiwan have to do this?Aren't we all affirming life and self in the happiness of love? One of the most important things in life, why are school textbooks afraid to mention it? ! I have never had anything to do with Beiyi girl.What the teachers and students of Beiyi Girls think and do has nothing to do with me. However, when I faced the paragraph in the suicide notes of the two girls—"What makes us feel difficult is not the setbacks or pressures that ordinary people imagine, but the nature of living in society is not suitable for us." I am obliged to remind you, no matter what the cause of the deceased’s suicide is, please think about it, the reason why you refuse to face it, strongly reject it, and feel extremely disturbed may be because you are the “essence of living in society” as mentioned in the suicide note what! You have made it clear time and again that this cannot be allowed to happen again.But have you tried to slightly change their so-called "essence of living in society"?I didn't see it. I don't see any "essential" effort or awakening. So how do you "never let this happen again"?