Today is the eve of Taiwan's third direct presidential election.

This afternoon I was at home relaxing and watching the news with my Mom when I suddenly heard the news- that the President of Taiwan, Chen Shui-Bian was shot!

I was in such complete disbelief and shock that I had to leave the room, I couldn't watch T.V. and I burst into tears. I don't know what came over me just then. The phone started ringing off the hook- it was concerned friends and relatives calling to discuss the news with my Mother, who was a whole lot calmer than me. And I can't even vote in the upcoming election!

I just couldn't believe it- the questions started swarming in my mind- Who would do this? What kind of justice is this? (President's Chen's wife was paralyzed from the waist down in a car accident that is believed to be a botched assasination attempt on Chen Shui-Bian) What kind of society is this? How could someone possibly think that _this_ could solve any problems? What kind of people would pull such a stunt? What's going to happen now? I felt afraid and unsafe.

I guess I could begin to imagine how traumatizing the assasination of John F. Kennedy was for Americans. I calmed down soon after, when I learned that President Chen's wound was not a life and death situation.