Recently, I have seen practitioners, fliers and truth clarification newspapers at many places in Manhattan. I am very touched by the practitioners' magnificence and the actions taken to save sentient beings. It is almost as if we have clarified the facts to the extent that everyone in Manhattan knows about Falun Gong. However, at the same time, I also remembered that Master has reminded us that besides clarifying the facts extensively, we need to also clarify the facts in depth and with wisdom.
"You still need to step up your clarifying the facts some, and still need to do it in greater depth, do it better, and do it more solidly; you absolutely can't just go through the motions."
Teaching the Fa at the 2004 Chicago Conference
Personally, I feel that we still need to improve on how to clarify the facts more in depth, on how to clarify the facts with more wisdom and on how to do better in thoroughly "clarifying" the facts. How to take to heart Master's requirements for us to clarify the facts directly reflects how we can better save sentient beings.
"Doing a better job of informing people about the facts more deeply is tied to the people of the future obtaining the Fa, tied to all beings being rescued, tied to negating the old forces, tied to eliminating the evil and this persecution."
Teaching the Fa at the 2004 Chicago Conference
In New York, people often ask practitioners that since the persecution and torture are occurring in China, what does it have to do with New Yorkers? After learning about the ongoing torture and cruelty, some people will express sympathy but also a sense of helplessness. Some of them are cold and aloof, although they expressed some of their sympathy. There are also some who seem to be absorbing the information but still cannot understand their relationship with the persecution. One suggestion is to talk about, as appropriate and with wisdom, the two lawsuits in New York.
These two lawsuits can be used as concrete examples of how China is exporting the persecution to New York. Not knowing much about the law should not affect using the lawsuits to clarify the facts on a casual basis. The main purpose is to let people know the underlying situation that led to the lawsuits and to let people know that the Chinese agents who have resorted to violence against the peaceful practitioners and the newspapers that published false information against Falun Gong practitioners have been sued in the US courts. This is also exposing the evil and one of the effective ways to let people know more in depth about this persecution and to more thoroughly clarify the facts. In the following, I would like to briefly describe the background of the two cases and to also share some angles on how to use these two cases to clarify the facts concerning the persecution extended overseas.
The Libel/Conspiracy Case:
An Example of the Persecution Extended to New York Through Jiang's Control of Chinese Media
When clarifying the facts, many people have asked, why is it that the media have not reported on this serious situation? When we are discussing how the attention seems to be missing from the western media, we can, as appropriate, talk about how the Jiang regime controls the Chinese newspapers in New York, interfering with freedom of speech and abusing the freedom of press:
- Intentional publication of false materials in high frequency resulting in an average of 1 article every 3 days
- Using the 9/11 tragedy to incite hatred in the Chinese communities against the Falun Gong practitioners
- Current development of the case
Since the persecution of Falun Gong started in 1999, The China Press has been working in collaboration with the state-controlled media in China to smear the reputation of Falun Gong. In about 3 years, The China Press has published systematically more than 300 articles filled with fabricated information, intentionally demonizing Falun Gong and damaging Falun Gong's reputation.
Singtao Daily and The China Press seek to achieve the same goal in their publications with respect to Falun Gong. On September 20, 2001, only a few days after the 9/11 terrorist attack of the World Trade Center, Singtao Daily published a full-page article, with color photos, titled "Radical Religions in the World Advocate Destruction of the World". In the article, Singtao conspicuously listed Falun Gong and included color photographs of Falun Gong practitioners among other infamous groups. It also used the self-immolation at Tiananmen as an example and claimed that CNN filmed the entire process, which had been refuted earlier by CNN publicly as untrue and misleading.
The truth is always the truth. The lies will one day be revealed. The intention of Jiang and his cohorts can never stop Falun Gong practitioners from using their sincerity and compassionate actions to talk about the unbelievable incidents that are currently happening to a group of people who seek to improve themselves according to "Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance". This is why the practitioners of Falun Gong, as plaintiffs in the lawsuit, will be petitioning the case to the United States Supreme Court after the Court of Appeals affirmed the decision of the lower court. The attorney is in the process of preparing the petition and will be filing the petition with the United States Supreme Court in early November 2004.
The June 23rd Beating Case:
An Example of the Persecution Extended to New York through Physical Violence
New Yorkers all know about Chinatown. Many of them have been to Chinatown for its food or shopping. Many tourists visit Chinatown. If we mention New York's Chinatown, most likely people would be somewhat familiar with the place. If the person who we are clarifying the facts to has come to understand the peaceful nature of Falun Gong, we can, as circumstances allow, describe how Falun Gong practitioners were able to practice their exercises in Chinatown parks prior to the persecution. However, after the persecution of Falun Gong started in 1999 by Jiang Zemin, an unimaginable situation developed.
- Control and Brainwashing of Chinese living in New York
- Guanjun Liang led an attack to damage practitioners' printed materials and personal property
- Guanjun Liang led a gang to beat, physically assault, curse and make indecent moves against the practitioners
- On October 4, 2004, the United States Congress House of Representatives passed Resolution 304 Urging the Chinese Government to Cease Its Oppression of Falun Gong Practitioners in the United States and China
- Current developments on the legal front
After the persecution started, some practitioners went to Chinatown to let the people there know about the persecution started by Jiang Zemin and his cohorts. As usual, their presence was lawful and peaceful. However, in the recent years, due to the fact that a number of the Chinese newspapers have been controlled by Jiang's regime, one newspaper has published more than 300 articles defaming Falun Gong. Many Chinese who rely on these newspapers for information have been brainwashed by these articles on Falun Gong.
Materials and poster boards printed and prepared by practitioners were grabbed away and torn up by a gang led by Guanjun Liang. A walkman-like piece of equipment was also pulled from a practitioner's body.
While holding a poster board, a practitioner was beaten by a gang led by Liang. The practitioner had bruises on his face and body. His shirt was torn. The gang of men cursed as they used physical violence and made indecent moves against the practitioners who did not fight nor curse back, but remained peaceful throughout the night. At first, this might sound like an incident in a foreign nation lacking a developed justice system and the respect for basic human rights, but this in fact occurred in the United States. In June of last year, the persecution through the use of violence against the Falun Gong practitioners flagrantly extended to this land of freedom.
Resolution 304 was introduced by Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen from Florida and was co-sponsored by 75 Members of Congress. On the night of October 4, 2004, the House unanimously passed the resolution. The resolution spoke of how "On June 23, 2003, Falun Gong practitioners were attacked outside a Chinese restaurant in New York City by local United States-based individuals with reported ties to the Chinese Government". Resolution 304 requested the United States President to issue an official public demarche, a formal protest, to China for its repeated violation of the fundamental human rights, the Attorney General to investigate reports that Chinese consular officials in the US have illegally interfered with Falun Gong practitioners and to take appropriate legal course of action, the local government in the US to support Falun Gong in accordance with law and to report any incidents of harassment or pressure by the Chinese agents to the Members of Congress, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of State.
In a rule of law nation, a person who commits illegal acts and uses physical violence will have to be held responsible under law. While the Manhattan prosecutor continues to conduct his criminal investigation, Falun Gong practitioners have filed a civil lawsuit against Guanjun Liang and other defendants for 6 causes of action: battery, assault, conspiracy, defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress and violation of civil rights.
In this free and democratic society that protects the fundamental rights of its people, every person has the right and should be able to know the truth of this persecution Although the persecution is still happening, when everyone realizes the unacceptable nature of this oppression, it will be difficult for this persecution to continue.
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