Remembering My Father
Author:Jessie Chai 蔡令怡
Though my father was President of the Student Council at National Taiwan University, I was not aware of any political aspirations during the first five years of my life in California. My parents were graduate students at University of Southern California during an era when O. J. Simpson was big man on campus. Those early years were characterized by studying, working, surviving.
We moved to New York City in 1969 to a gritty apartment complex next to the highway. Many of my father’s friends lived in the area, and it was there that I noticed my father’s political aspirations. One of my earliest recollections is spray painting stenciled signs and then picketing outside the United Nations, proclaiming “One Taiwan, one China” and “We Want Self Determination.” 1 had no idea what any of those statements meant, but we garnered enough attention to make front page news on The New York Times. During this era we were trailed by Chinese men, the Kuomintang, and American men, the FBI. 1 became adept at memorizing license plates, and T avoided our mail since letter bombs were commonplace. Coincidental with our move to more affluent surroundings in New Jersey, the turbulent times of the late 60’s and early 70’s eased into the more mellow late 7G’s and 80’s.
After founding World United Formosans for Independence which espoused violence, my father founded Formosans Association for Public Affairs which favored diplomacy. This time period was marked by frequent trips to Washington DC and stuffing many envelopes to American Congressmen. The Soviet Union was disbanded, and the Berlin Wall fell. In 1990 when my maternal grandfather was killed by a hit and run driver and my mother returned to Taiwan for his memorial service, my father felt safe enough to join her and stayed.
He was in his element in his native country and immediately ran for Congress. 1 do not know much about his political life in Taiwan, but I do know he had presidential aspirations. He may have been disappointed by not reaching the highest office, but like his good friend, the liberal lion Ted Kennedy who had failed presidential campaigns, my father probably better served his constituents in the legislative rather than the executive branch of government.
