Posted on Facebook by KMT presidential nominee Hung Hsiu-chu (洪秀柱) tonight; the party chairman is trying to have her replaced.

October 5: The Story of the Lock and Key



I’m going to tell you the story of a lock and a key.

An owner had a lock made, and obviously he had a key made to go with it.

But surprisingly, the lock then said to the key every day from morning to night: “You’re not shiny enough. Your curves aren’t beautiful enough. You’re made of poor-quality materials. You just aren’t suited for me.” [S.tw note: Hung assigns the key feminine pronouns.]

The lock replied, “I don’t quite understand what you’re saying. The owner created us together. I only know how to stay close by our master’s side and look out for our home. Don’t make the master worry.”

The lock wouldn’t listen to the key and kept moaning and complaining day after day.

One day the owner returned home and couldn’t find the key. He got very anxious and immediately called a locksmith.

But it was too late at night. He couldn’t reach the locksmith, so he became even more anxious. So anxious he smashed up the lock and threw it in the trash. He said to it, “A lock without a key—what’s the point of having you around?”

My father was thrown in jail by the Kuomintang for three and a half years, yet I chose to enter that party. I dedicated my whole life to the party-state. I didn’t complain. I didn’t feel regrets. And ever since the day the party congress nominated me, in accordance with the party charter I have been the KMT’s presidential candidate.

The West has a proverb: “Cemeteries are full of people who thought the world couldn’t go on without them.” I’ve never had the fatalistic attitude of “if not me, then who?” but the following basic principle is ingrained deep in my memory: “Do your best and never forget the feelings you had when you started.”

Since the day I was nominated, I have told myself that since I have taken on this heavy responsibility, why should I fear that it weighs a thousand pounds? Even if it does, I’ll shoulder it bravely. Recently I’ve heard some voices saying I must drop out in order to avoid a possible huge defeat by the KMT or influencing the legislative races. Although I don’t agree with them, I completely understand their worries about me, the party, the election, and the party’s future.

“Honesty, rationality, and peace” has been my promise to citizens this campaign. I will strictly demand myself to do what I must, and I ask everyone to monitor me. There is no way I can use some fake reason to drop out of this election, and I won’t drop out because the pressure is too heavy. I am even less able to stop flying because the wind is against me. Such actions would constitute a betrayal of my own character and a deception of all my supporters.

I want to remind my party comrades who want to “replace Hsiu-chu” (換柱) that the party’s ideals, values, and spirit are the elements it cannot do without if it is to turn things around and succeed. Whenever the party launches the “replace Hsiu-chu” movement, no matter what the result, by destroying its own system and jarring its own credibility it will have hurt all the comrades who are representing the party in the election most of all.

The road continues forward. We mustn’t hesitate on our course just because of the noise and obstructions of others. My good friends, the whole world is watching. We are sculpting a glorious history together!