Issued by Clearwisdom Net

This year, Falun Gong practitioners were invited to participate in the Independence Day Parade in New York's Chinatown on July 3, 2005, and there were warm repercussions in the community.

Colorful Falun Gong contingent in parade

Prior to American Independence Day, community groups in New York City's Chinatown traditionally hold a parade to celebrate the holiday. They want to express their support to the American people for their persistent efforts in promoting freedom and democracy, and also show that the Chinese people also love freedom and democracy. However, the parade's good spirit was distorted in the past several years due to the interference from the Chinese Consulate.

The Chinese Communist Party not only carries out autocratic, high-pressure mind control over the Chinese people in China, it also extends its influence abroad, using its consulates to buy off and entice the Chinese communities, and instigate them to continue oppressing their fellow citizens overseas by following the CCP's orders.

Since July 20, 1999, when the CCP started the suppression of Falun Gong, the Chinese Consulate in New York City has been active in Chinatown to compel the Chinese community members to oppose and be hostile to Falun Gong, to exclude Falun Gong's participation in community activities such as parades.

Over the past six years, Falun Gong practitioners have been holding a series of activities in Chinatown to clarify the truth, including outdoor exercises and truth clarification on the streets, frequent large scale weekend truth clarification rallies, and a weekend film show. The Chinese people all know that Falun Gong is remarkable.

In addition, Falun Gong practitioners have held many large-scale parades of over a thousand people with rich content, dancing and singing. The Chinese community has come to admire Falun Gong.

With the practitioners' truth clarification efforts being constantly extended, Falun Gong has begun melting into the life of the Chinese community. As a practitioner said while chatting with the community members: making friends with Falun Gong practitioners, you can feel assured and don't need to worry. Falun Gong teaches "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance," and they do not deceive people. Falun Gong practitioners are considerate of others, they do not contend or compete for things.

At the beginning of the year, Falun Gong participated for the first time in Chinatown's Chinese New Year Parade. At last year's Independence Day, Falun Gong practitioners encountered much difficulty but finally were able to participate in the parade.

Exercise demonstration

Falun Gong was invited to participate in this year's parade and the Falun Gong practitioners' contingent was, as usual, large and grand with rich performances that were natural, graceful, elegant, refreshing and adorable.

Precious Chinese people--Falun Dafa is Great

A large blue transparent banner with the words, "Falun Dafa is Good" could be seen in the Falun Gong contingent from a distance. There were also lion dancers, a flag group, a celestial maidens group, an exercise demonstration group, and a waist drummers group. The Falun Gong contingent was like a long dragon coming from afar.

The contingent was led by a huge banner reading "Falun Gong" in red characters with golden background. Lion dancers added to the fun of the parade. The lovely lion dance was followed by a large purple velvet banner reading "Falun Dafa" in both Chinese and English. Behind the banner was the martial flags group. Next was a large exercise demonstration group led by young practitioners. A young practitioner in the second row is just over four years old. Young as he is, he is a veteran practitioner. The banner reading, "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" looked graceful, and seven celestial maidens danced elegantly. There were also a lotus flower dance and fan dance. The dancing was lively and graceful, displaying the elegance of the traditional Chinese culture.

The banners reading, "Falun Dafa is Good" were displayed at interludes in the contingent. The song "Falun Dafa is Good" echoed in the streets, warm and appealing. At the end of the contingent came the vigorous waist drummers group led by a big plaque with the words, "Falun Gong" in red characters on a golden background, looking extraordinarily grand.

The streets were filled with people, with everyone trying to find prime viewing spots to feast their eyes. People shared the joy and were amazed at Falun Gong practitioners' excellent performances. They took pictures to keep as a precious memory.

Falun Gong contingent well-received by the spectators

A Chinese man gave his camera to a westerner near him and asked him to take a photo of him, and especially emphasized to use Falun Gong as the background.

A young man shouted loudly, "Falun Gong, Falun Gong."

A little girl saw the celestial maidens' performance, and clapped her hands excitedly, "Wonderful, Beautiful."

July 4^th was American Independence Day. Evanston is a famous city with a long history and dense population near Chicago, where the renowned Northwestern University is located. The annual Independence Day Parade is a celebration the people here love very much. Falun Gong practitioners' participation in the past years has brought the wonderfulness of Falun Dafa to the local people. The Falun Gong contingent won No. 1 and No. 3 of the Best Float Award respectively in 2003 and 2004. Prior to the event, as the practitioner who was previously in charge the parade moved away and changed his contact information, the organization in charge of the parade went all out to find the practitioner and cordially invited Falun Gong practitioners to participate for the sixth time in this famous parade.

Though it rained heavily that day, and even though Falun Gong practitioners have attended several times and won awards for two consecutive years, practitioners were still very earnest, and tried their best to perform the Tang Drum, celestial maidens' dance, demonstrate the five sets of exercises, and distribute Dafa truth clarification materials. They wanted to let more people learn about the wonderfulness of Falun Dafa. The spectators seemed moved by the practitioners' sincerity and spirit of disregarding the wind and rain, and they requested materials, applauded the practitioners and shouted their appreciation. An elderly man pressed his hands in front of his chest to make the Heshi gesture of respect, and bowed to practitioners numerous times.

Exercise demonstration on float

Falun Gong practitioners' Tang Drum performance

People request truth clarification materials

Falun Gong contingent

On the morning of July 2, 2005, Falun Gong practitioners in San Diego participated in the Independence Day Parade held in Oceanside. The Falun Gong contingent was composed of a large banner reading "Falun Dafa," a beautifully decorated float, graceful and elegant fan dance and vigorous waist drummers group. During the parade, practitioners continuously demonstrated the exercises on the float to display Falun Dafa's peacefulness and wonderful nature to the people. Practitioners who performed the Fan Dance and waist drum performed all the way.

Falun Gong contingent

This was the second time that practitioners had participated in this parade, and the sponsor and audience's enthusiastic response were not reduced compared to that last year. Wherever practitioners passed by, the audience gave warm applause, and requested materials that introduce Falun Dafa from practitioners. A photographic reporter walked into our procession, taking photos of the dance and waist drum performances. A child of about two years old saw us and was very excited. He could not help dancing to the music. After the parade, a spectator told practitioners that he had never heard such good-sounding music as "Falun Dafa is Good."

Wherever practitioners go, the spectators give them applause

People request introductory materials from practitioners

Photographer takes beautiful photos

What is worth noting is that in order to participate in the parade, practitioners took about a week to make a beautifully decorated float, which gained much acclamation. An elderly couple that just took up Falun Gong four months ago participated as well and actively distributed Dafa materials all the way. The elderly woman used to suffer from Parkinson's disease, and she could not walk steadily. But this time she insisted on walking all the way and actively distributed materials.

On the morning of July 4, 2005, Falun Gong practitioners from the North California Bay Area were invited to participate in the annual American Independence Day Parade. They displayed Falun Dafa's greatness to the local people, who gave the practitioners warm welcome. Falun Gong practitioners' banner reading "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" was very eye-catching. The citizens said, "Welcome for bringing us Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance."

Falun Gong contingent

Banner reading "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance"

A Falun Gong practitioner said the organizer of the parade contacted him and expressed that Falun Gong practitioners stood out in last year's Independence Day parade, and they hoped we would continue participating this year.

Falun Dafa banner

That day, young practitioners from Minghui School performed lovely the little flying angels dance. Practitioners from different places of the Bay area performed the vigorous and vivid dragon dance; they unceasingly performed in the Falun Gong contingent and won the spectators' warm applause. Practitioners also demonstrated Falun Gong exercises to the spectators, who felt a peaceful atmosphere.

Young practitioners from Minghui School perform little flying angels dance

Lively little flying angels dance

Wherever the Falun Gong contingent passed by, people would express their admiration and constantly say, "Wonderful."

Demonstrating Falun Gong exercises

Vigorous dragon dance

A resident saw the banner reading, "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" in practitioners' hands, and said excitedly, "Welcome, you who bring us Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.

Distributing truth clarification leaflets

Distributing truth clarification leaflets

One spectator had been smiling and waving to the Falun Gong practitioners. She asked practitioners what the group was called. When she heard it was the Falun Gong group, she said that she had read about Falun Gong in the newspaper, and she knew that the Chinese Communist Party prohibits people from practicing Falun Gong in China. The practitioners told her that people do not have freedom of belief in China, and many people have been tortured to death for practicing the exercises. People in other countries all can practice the exercises freely.

Enthusiastic audience

Enthusiastic viewers

Many residents of Chinese origin saw Caucasians in the Falun Gong contingent. They were amazed and shouted, "Look, Westerners." Practitioners learned that they came from Mainland China, and asked them if they had heard about Falun Gong. They said, "We did, and Falun Gong is quite good."

The organization thanks practitioners for their wonderful performance.

When the parade concluded, the organizer issued a certificate of appreciation for practitioners, thanking practitioners for their wonderful performance in the parade.