James Lilley, who died on Nov. 12, served as the senior US diplomat in both Taipei and Beijing, and was therefore intensely interested in Taiwan-China interactions. But he also had a healthy skepticism of the supposed benefits of cross-strait peace if it meant Taiwan were to be absorbed by China. Jim’s uppermost concerns were the values of freedom and democracy and the interests of the American people.

Since its launch in Taiwan during the administration of former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), the Apple Daily’s role has changed, yet stayed the same. It excelled at attacking the Democratic Progressive Party, but now, with the party still struggling to find its feet and Chen locked up indefinitely, the newspaper has defied the pro-China media’s endless program of Chen-bashing. Instead, it has taken national and local Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) governments to task.

The International Republican Institute (IRI) needs to do some serious soul-searching. Its stated purpose is to advance freedom and democracy worldwide; it promotes open elections, good government and rule by law. It supports the United Nation's Declaration of Human Rights where "Freedom is not the sole prerogative of a lucky few but the inalienable and human right of all human beings." This is all well and good, so then why of the many people who have sacrificed for cause of freedom is it honoring former Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger with the Freedom Award (October 2009)?