陳如媜 | Tiffany Chen
民主自由並非無法無天 在美國沒人敢舉五星旗
回想三十年多前移民美國申請入籍時，公民考試一百題當中，有一題印象最深刻，那就是「你是否共產黨員？」，倘若回答是，就不能成為美國公民。可能有人心存僥倖而說謊，但這可犯了美國人的大忌，將來若被發現反而更慘，不但會被驅逐出境，終生不得入境美國，更必須先被罰、被關。
這是冷戰過後，美國政府針對共產黨所訂定的政策，禁止共產黨員入境美國，直到今天仍是如此，五年前（二○二○年）十月，移民局（USCIS）更發出新的政策指引，明確指出針對共產黨的移民禁令，包括共產黨分支機構或與其關係密切者，都不受理申請移民。原因很簡單，因為共產黨和其他極權政黨成員，他們所秉持的觀念，與宣誓效忠美國的誓言不符合。這項指引雖未指名是哪個國家，但大家心知肚明，它就是針對中國共產黨。許多觀察家認為，美國重現冷戰期間意識形態，乃針對具有中國共產黨背景的移民，而當時正是川普總統執政時期。
我住大華府地區已三十多年，看過許多示威抗議活動，但不曾見過五星旗飄揚，唯一的兩次，是多年前中國總理江澤民和後來的習近平訪美時，中國同鄉會在白宮外搖旗歡迎的場合，當時我們台美人和西藏難民等團體則在對街舉台灣旗和藏旗抗議，雙方對峙的場面記憶猶新。
美國是全世界自由民主國家之濫觴，唯獨不容許中共和它的旗幟，在華府也不曾見過俄國等共產國家明目張膽的舉旗招搖。在國家利益面前，限縮個人自由，乃放諸世界一致的準則。
前幾年回台灣，在台北街頭驚見五星旗飄揚，當時真是非常震撼，還以為台灣淪陷了，至於首都的台北火車站則坐滿遊民或東南亞移工，宛如落後國家遍地難民的景觀，一時也不知如何向外國朋友解釋，當時的台北市長就是柯文哲。
最近老K黨員公然以納粹形式招搖，已觸怒國際公憤，另有中國人故意在台灣舉紅旗，居然還有人辯稱這是「自由」，實在令人憤怒，試問你敢去中國天安門舉青天白日旗嗎？
中國國民黨主席朱立倫抨擊台灣總統「獨裁」，但依我看，台灣的自由民主程度遠遠超過美國，甚至可說已達到「無法無天」的地步，K黨別把自己淪為世界笑柄了。
（作者為華府媒體工作者）
本文原登於自由時報 5/29/2025
Taiwan is freer than many people might think
More than 30 years ago when I immigrated to the US, applied for citizenship and took the 100-question civics test, the one part of the naturalization process that left the deepest impression on me was one question on the N-400 form, which asked: “Have you ever been a member of, involved in or in any way associated with any communist or totalitarian party anywhere in the world?” Answering “yes” could lead to the rejection of your application. Some people might try their luck and lie, but if exposed, the consequences could be much worse — a person could be fined, imprisoned, or be deported and banned from re-entering the US.
The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, passed amid Cold War-ear fears of communist infiltration, authorized the exclusion of any aliens on the basis of membership in or affiliation with a communist or totalitarian regime.
In October 2020, US Citizenship and Immigration Services issued guidance stating that association with or membership in a communist party “is inconsistent and incompatible with the Naturalization Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America.” Although the guidance did not name any specific country, it was clear that it was directed at the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Several observers said that the resurgence of such Cold War-era ideological scrutiny, beginning under US President Donald Trump’s first term, was aimed at immigrants with ties to the CCP.
I have lived in the Washington metropolitan area for more than three decades and have witnessed many protests and demonstrations in that time. However, I have never seen someone fly a Chinese flag — except on two occasions. The first was during former Chinese president Jiang Zemin’s (江澤民) visit in 1997, and the second was during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) visit in 2015.
On those occasions, Chinese community groups and associations waved Chinese flags outside the White House to welcome them. At the same time, Taiwanese Americans and other groups, such as Tibetan refugees, stood across the street waving the national flags of the Republic of China (ROC) and Tibet in protest.
Even the US — regarded as a nation founded on freedom and democracy — is intolerant of the CCP and its flag. Here in Washington, I have never seen people openly flaunting the flags of other communist countries. Restricting individual freedoms for the sake of protecting national interests is a universal principle applied throughout the world.
I visited Taiwan a few years ago and was shocked to see Chinese flags flying in the streets of Taipei. For a moment, I thought the nation had fallen. Taipei Railway Station was filled with homeless people and migrant workers, resembling refugees in a poorly managed country. I did not know what to say to my foreign friends. Former Taiwan People’s Party chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) was mayor of Taipei at the time.
Not too long ago, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) supporters openly flaunted Nazi symbols. Meanwhile, Chinese nationals have deliberately waved — and even planted — Chinese flags on Taiwan’s soil, with some claiming it as an act of “freedom” — a ridiculous and infuriating notion. Would someone dare fly the ROC flag in Tiananmen Square?
KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) compared President William Lai (賴清德) to a dictator, but from my perspective, Taiwan’s level of freedom and democracy far surpasses that of the US — it could even be said it is beyond all control. The KMT should stop making itself the world’s laughingstock.
Tiffany Chen is a reporter for the Pacific Times, a Chinese-language newspaper based in California.
Translated by Kyra Gustavsen
This article was published in the Taipei Times 6/2/2025