San Francisco Examiner: Human rights in China

It was very interesting to read Warren Hinckle's column on the Falun Gong ("Mau-mauing the Falun Gong," The Examiner, Oct. 10). With the apparent pressure from the Chinese government, the issue of Falun Gong is emerging as one for The City. We thought we figured this out a long time ago, with men and women putting their lives on the line to fight and secure the freedom we know today.

To President Bush, the Congress and the international community at large, the fact of persecution of Falun Gong is undisputed and the act is clearly wrong. But indeed one wonders, in a city like San Francisco, why passing a resolution to defend the human rights and freedom of belief for Falun Gong is a problem.

What is at stake? Is it the trade-related interest, or the principle of freedom that is supposed to be long lasting but is currently under test?

Allen Zeng
San Jose