Why Bother

Cynics have long viewed the legal challenge doomed from the beginning, and all scientific investigation of the March 19 shooting as either futile or whitewashing. They say that the March 19 incident has been thoroughly politicized, and the science of terminal ballistics is not socially or politically relevant, for the following reasons.

(a)

Most people are unable to understand the technicalities and nuances in a scientific report and make independent judgment, because they do not have the time, patience, or adequate scientific background. They already made up their mind concerning the truth of this apparent attempt on Chen's life one way or another, and will not be swayed by a scientific report.

(b)

There will never be a ``definitive version'' of the truth. The testimony of the witnesses, how the evidence was collected, the design of the experiments and the interpretation of the data can and will all be questioned.

(c)

Most people in Taiwan have come to view 3/19 as an event in the distant past, and are no longer interested.

(d)

There is little possibility that a sitting president can be unseated on the strength of a technical report, especially if many voters viewed such a shooting incident as a legitimate, if distasteful, campaign tactic.

The above points are well taken, but we strongly disagree. If the March 19 incident were staged, then it was an assault and subversion of the democratic process. To tolerate or condone such an act is to abandon the basic tenets of any democratic society.