Deceased Taiwanese Gangbanger Finds Redemption via Charity
Gangbangers are worthy of neither praise nor emulation. Sometimes, however, a gangbanger transcends his or her past. For instance, Tookie Williams managed it by becoming an author of anti-gang and anti-violence literature for children. Lee Chao-Hsiung, on the other hand, found redemption via a post-mortem donation to charity.
Gangbanger Lee Chao-hsiung, 73, was an influential leader of the Triad in central Taiwan. For those of you unaware of the Triad, it is a gigantic criminal organization with branches all across the world, including China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and even the United States.
According to Agence France-Press (AFP) news agency, Lee succumbed to lung cancer on March 11, 2010. Prior to his demise, Lee pleaded with his son to donate 60 million NT$ (Taiwan Dollars), or 1.9 million USD, to charity. In accordance with his father’s wish, Lee’s son donated the coffer of cash in his father’s name to four religious organizations, as well as disabled people and low-income families.
Although the exact nature of Lee’s criminal activities is unknown, local Taichung politicians and businessmen like city council speaker Chang Hung-nien praise Lee for being a successful “mafia arbitrator.” During his tenor as a gangbanger, Lee helped negotiate the release of various kidnapped officials, including Mr. Hung-nien.
It is perhaps for this very reason that over 20,000 people are expected to attend Lee’s funeral in late April. It will, in fact, be “one of the island’s largest gang funerals” to ever be hosted in Taiwan.
In the meantime, approximately 1000 people congregated on Monday, March 29 to setup a makeshift shrine for Lee.
By V Saxena on 07-04-2010
