Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Assignment #6

Military's `hug-hug' policy suspended

Minister of National Defense Lee Tien-yu [was criticized] in the legislature yesterday over the military's "hug-hug" policy.

"It was initially thought that the policy would help new recruits feel more comfortable in their new surroundings. However, I also understand that many of them do not like it. So we will cancel the policy immediately," Lee said.

Lee made the remarks during yesterday morning's National Defense Committee at the legislature where the "hug-hug" policy was ridiculed and criticized by legislators.

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lin Yu-fang said that the policy was written down in black and white.

The "manual" also "teaches" new recruits "how to hug each other closely."

"Here, it says that `when you hug a person, your body shall stick to his or her body closely.' Things like this will only make [new soldiers] tense. It is not going to improve anything," Lin said.

Another KMT Legislator and retired general, Shuai Hua-min, poked fun at the policy and said it would create a bunch of sissies.

"What is this all about? This is the military, not Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain" Shuai said.

Lee explained that the idea actually came from the "give me five" gesture.

"We hope that everybody would treat each other like family," Lee said.

Lin then asked Lee to perform a demonstration "hug" with General Political Warfare Bureau Chief Chen Kuo-hsiang, but Lee refused.

"We are old friends already so we do not need to do that," Lee said.

The minister was then criticized for forcing soldiers to do something that he would not do himself.

Lee promised to suspend the "hug-hug" policy immediately.

Questions:
1. Do you hug your friends? Your family?
2. Do you think Taiwan's army soldiers should be encouraged to hug each other?
3. Why do you think this policy was started?

Real article:
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2007/10/23/2003384369

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes I have hug my family,but not friend.〞hug〝this word is not common in Taiwan. In U.S.A. people always hug each other but in Taiwan people think it is strange to hug your friend or classmate.So if we want to have this policy we should change people's mind,then wecan ues this.

William said...

Yes, I sometimes hug with my friends and my family. The Taiwan army soldiers can be encouraged to hug each other, it depends on what they think or define the word "hug". I think Shuai's idea of "Brokeback Mountain" is not polite to the ones who hug, I mean he shouldn't be teasing people like that. I think this policy started because they think this will make the soldiers stay closer, but really, maybe some of the new soldiers who are not used to hug others might get nervous.

Anonymous said...

Yes, I do hug my family and my friends. Friends are even more often, such as what girls like my classmates like to do. They like to hug their friends(not boys) to show their kindness. They usually hug others with no reason. Maybe she just saw you at the first second. At the next second, she had already rushed toward you to give you a big hug.
Though I will not hug a person without any reason, I feel no uncomfortable when people hug me.
I think the "hug hug" policy be held or not should depend on what the sodiers think.
If they fell okay, that will be a meaningful activity.

In Chinese tradition, this isn't an usual way to show one's emoition.
Until now, our Chinese teachers always say that they prefer the tradition way of expressing the fellings.
I think this idea may came from wastern countries, which have the different way of showing their love.
None of the ways is "better". Wastern people's love have no differences from eastern people. Everyone can choose the way he or she prefer. Maybe the wastern way is too bald, or the eastern way is too unclear. I don't know. It depends on the people who use them.
However, according to the general moods of Taiwaness, the new soldiers will be embrassed about hugging a person they don't know.
But it's sill unkind to tease at the policy, such as what those KMT's legislature said.
I agree with William. What's wrong with "BrokeBack Moutain"?
Maybe this way is a little bit strange to middle-aged or elder people, it's sill impolite.
The way they look at these things makes me angry.
I think their mind are too old. They make themselves like fools. If hug a person has that kind of "special meanings", we all have special relationships with our friends.
Equally, it's funny that Lee didn't want to hug his old frind, but ask new soldiers to hug people they don't know.
What's wrong with those middle-aged "uncle"? Can't they try to see the new world by a new sight?
.....Carrie

Anonymous said...

HUgging is an action that people show their love and friendship. A hug can also encourage people and consolidate their confidence. People who full of enthusiasm may want to hug the others, and people who is frustrate may need a hug. People hug each other when they want. Why it needs a "hug-hug" policy for soilders to hug? It's ridiculous, isn't it?
We shouldn't call those people who hug with the same sex sissies. At the samstime as Shuai Hua-min ridiculed Lee, he also showed his discourteousness and proved he disagree the policy with no reason.

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