Home News Tribune (New Jersey): [US Congressman Frank] Pallone backs Falun Gong practitioners

Letters to the Home News Tribune for 07/19/03

(Clearwisdom.net, August 10, 2003) As we near the four-year anniversary of the suppression of the Falun Gong movement in China, I wish to thank Rep. Frank Pallone who has courageously supported human rights.

I practice Falun Gong, a type of Chinese meditation practice that includes meditation, exercises, and teachings based on truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. Falun Gong has roots in traditional Chinese culture and was made public in 1992 by Mr. Li Hongzhi.

Falun Gong quickly spread by word of mouth throughout China and is now practiced in more than 50 countries. Although initially favored by the Chinese government, as Falun Gong began to touch the hearts and minds of millions of Chinese citizens, a fearful former President Jiang Zemin outlawed the peaceful practice in July of 1999. Unable to crush the spirit of millions who had experienced improved health and positive life changes from Falun Gong, the Communist regime intensified its propaganda campaign to turn public opinion against the practice, while quietly imprisoning, torturing and even murdering those who practice it.

Outside China, the Jiang regime also continue to slander Falun Gong, just as they lied to the world and covered up the SARS crisis. For example, across America, many local United States officials have responded to this persecution by sponsoring resolutions affirming the right of Falun Gong practitioners to enjoy freedom of speech and religion. These local officials have been pressured by Chinese officials demanding that they recant their support for Falun Gong practitioners.

This happened last year right here in North Brunswick when Mayor David Spaulding had to defend his township's position in person to Chinese officials. Even the local Knights of Columbus Council 6572 in New Brunswick, consisting of mostly World War II veterans, received pressure from the Chinese officials for their support of the movement's freedom. In a democratic nation, the value of free speech and freedom of religion means that this is absolutely unacceptable to us all.

In October 2002, while visiting Chicago, Jiang Zemin was served with a lawsuit alleging that he perpetrated genocide and crimes against humanity because of his regime's brutal suppression of Falun Gong. Spearheaded by Rep. Tom Lantos, D-Calif., more than three dozen members of Congress signed a friend-of-the-court brief suggesting that "the lawsuit was filed not to embarrass China, but to persuade the defendants to end their persecution of Falun Gong."

Pallone was one of the representatives who signed the brief. He also has assisted in trying to free Dr. Charles Li, a U.S. citizen and Falun Gong adherent who was arrested in China on bogus charges, convicted without the assistance of counsel and sentenced to three years. The congressman and his staff have been truly supportive in the campaign to stop human rights violations of which I am forever grateful, and I wish to thank him publicly.

Matthew A. Danza

NORTH BRUNSWICK, NJ