(Clearwisdom.net) On April 25, 2004, Falun Gong practitioners in St. Louis participated in a large-scale Earth Day activity in Forest Park of St. Louis, Missouri.
April 22 marked the 35th anniversary of Earth Day. On April 22, 1970, demonstrations to protect the environment swept American universities. Twenty million people were involved in the campaign calling for a clean, simple and peaceful living environment. It was the largest social activity in the U.S. since the Second World War.
Falun Gong practitioners in St. Louis have been participating in Earth Day activities since Jiang's regime started the persecution of Falun Gong in 1999. They introduced Falun Gong and told people about the brutal persecution in China at a booth in Forest Park.
What is special for Falun Gong practitioners about Earth Day this year? A Falun Gong practitioner said, "This year's Earth Day falls on April 25. On the same day five years ago, ten thousand Falun Gong practitioners appealed in Beijing, requesting the central government to give Falun Gong practitioners freedom of practicing their peaceful cultivation system. Their peaceful spirit drew the attention of the world. However, Jiang, out of jealousy and self-interest in power, labeled their legal appeal as a political pursuit. He launched the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in July 1999. Falun Gong practitioners, whose principles are 'Truth-Compassion-Forbearance', have been sent to forced labor camps, been illegally detained, tortured and murdered. On this side of the earth, Earth Day brought a clean and peaceful living environment to America. On the other side of the earth, it coincided with the beginning of a violation of human rights and persecution of innocent people."
Crowds of people continued to come to the Falun Gong booth. They praised Falun Gong for its peacefulness and beautiful exercises and sympathized with Falun Gong practitioners under persecution. Many showed interest in learning Falun Gong. Falun Gong practitioners distributed flyers and demonstrated exercises from morning to evening.
When asked why she sacrificed her weekend for this activity, western Falun Gong practitioner Carol said, "I want to help others. It is my pleasure." Carol learned about Falun Gong from a health expo two years ago. She felt the peaceful and beautiful energy field of Falun Gong practitioners and was touched by their sincere work at the health expo. While most other exhibitors charged for their service, such a wonderful exercise was taught for free. She started practicing Falun Gong from then on.
"I started this way, so I am here to introduce Falun Gong to more people," Carol said. After talking to her, many people became interested in learning Falun Gong. A gentleman said in amazement, "How can it be free?" Carol answered with a smile, "Because it is not meant to make profit, but to help people."
A few people said that they had learned Falun Gong before, but they could not continue for various reasons. All of them wanted to practice Falun Gong again and were happy to see Falun Gong practitioners at the Earth Day activity. A woman said she had learned Falun Gong at a group exercise site and felt very good afterwards. However, she couldn't continue when she started working on weekends. She had recently thought about resuming Falun Gong exercises and was very happy to see the Falun Gong booth. She said, "I will start practicing Falun Gong again. I know it is a very effective exercise because I have tried it."
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