(Clearwisdom.net August 23, 2003) On August 20, 2003, the Car Tour Across the US to Rescue Charles Li moved east and arrived at Jackson, Wyoming.
In Jackson, we visited the senator's local office, city hall and county council. A secretary in the county council especially supported our rescue activity. She told us that a member of county council had a company in downtown and asked us to look for him there. We went to the company and the member was absent. However, a lady in his company was very warm-hearted. She took the signature form from us and said that she would ask everyone in her company to sign. She distributed truth-clarification literature to each employee.
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| Group photo with county council secretary Darewich | Being interviewed by KJWY TV Station | In Jackson City |
On the same day, we also visited the local court. A judge assistant told us, "The judge has already received information about the lawsuit against Jiang. He knows the case and the persecution in China is not right."
On the way, we met a Mexican. He started to learn the Falun Gong exercises from us when he saw us practicing them. He was very pleased and said he would like to set up a practice site in his hometown. He planned to download Dafa books from Internet. When a local TV station interviewed us, he joined us to demonstrate the exercises.
On August 21, we arrived in Utah and explained the facts of Falun Gong to the local government, media and people under the help of local practitioners.
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| Meeting Utah practitioners | Being interviewed by media | Practicing the exercises |
Clarifying the truth to media with pure hearts by doing without seeking
At the beginning, we worried about the effect of media and had attachment of seeking. We
realized it was not right and we should get rid of the attachment. We should visit media if they do
not come.
In Salt Lake City, Desert News is one of the major local media. Reporters did not show interest to the arrival of the practitioners. To explain the facts and save sentient beings, the practitioners elaborated the facts of Falun Gong and the persecution. Talking about the holocaust of Jews in World War II by Hitler as an example, the practitioners explained to the reporter that the Jiang regime's persecution of Falun Gong in China is worse than the holocaust in brutality. The purpose of the car tour is to have more people know the facts and call on people with righteous minds to help rescue Charles and end the persecution. Listening to these facts, the reporter was deeply moved. He specially asked a photographer to take photos of the practitioners. He said, "Thank you for your effort. Every one of us should help." Later, the reporter and photographer followed the practitioners and took photos of the practitioners doing the exercises even though they had busy schedule. They signed the signature form before leaving.
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| In the office of Desert News | Photographer takes a photo of the practitioners | |
Support from the masses
When the practitioners set up poster boards, many passers-by stopped to look, signed and thanked the practitioners for their effort. A Westerner in his 50s said, "I am writing a book on human rights in China. It is near done. After it is published, I'll spend most of the money on stopping the persecution." Another person said that he would link the Dafa website to his personal website to have more people understand the persecution and learn Dafa. A man who had just come from China said that he heard of Charles Li. When he learned that all the practitioner did was to arouse righteous conscience, he signed on the signature form right away.
When we had a picture show in Boise, Idaho, a Native American said that our practice was peaceful
and that he would like to practice too. A man in his 50s said, "People like Charles who have
belief cannot be suppressed. Charles is great. Evil will be defeated. Because of this more people
will know the persecution. China's media slanders Falun Gong, which is similar to spreading Falun
Gong in effect." He said that he would contact his congressman and tell him the facts of the
persecution of Falun Gong in China.
Purifying Mind, Excluding Interference and Cooperating as One Body
On the way, various interference often occurred, for example, media did not receive the information that practitioners mailed before. The practitioners realized that the purpose of this trip was to expose the evil and save sentient beings, not to seek media coverage. Thus, when media did not show up, the practitioners visited them and reporters expressed concern after knowing the facts.
There were conflicts between practitioners. But they knew that demons would take advantage of the conflicts, so they looked inside and improved Xinxing (mind nature, moral quality). When reaching a destination, they cooperated and played each of their roles, such as setting up posters, explaining the facts to government and media, and practicing the exercises. Many felt that there was a special field around us, which made them feel comfortable.
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere"
-- The Series Report on Southern Branch of "the Car Tour Around US to Rescue Charles Li"August 21 was the fifth day for traveling in the Southern Branch. The practitioners visited the cities of Montgogery and Birmingham, Alabama.
Press conference in Capitol of Alabama
Reporter from local the newspaper Montgomery Advertizer interviews practitioners
Montgomery is the capital of Alabama. The press conference was supported by practitioners from Atlanta and Birmingham, who drove a long way to help. We set up banners and poster boards in a small park across from Montgomery's city hall. The local largest newspaper Montgomery Advertizer dispatched a reporter to cover the event. The practitioners explained the facts of Falun Gong, Jiang regime's persecution and Charles Li's illegal arrest. The reporter took notes of the practitioners' talks.
After the reporter left, a police officer asked us if we had permission to be there. As we obtained oral permission, the police called the city government to verify. Staff in the city government said after hearing Falun Gong, "We know about this movement very well. Let them be there." The police officer became friendly after hearing that.
In the afternoon, many passers-by came to look at our poster boards and were indignant after knowing about the illegal imprisonment of Charles Li.
Meeting the Mayor of Birmingham
Birmingham is the largest city of Alabama and the place where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. lived and strived for civil rights. Civil Right Institute was set up in the city to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
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| Reading a statement appealing to rescue Charles Li | Passers-by learn about rescuing Charles Li |
It was the day that the mayor met citizens individually. Two of the practitioners went to the mayor's office and met with the mayor. They expressed their appreciation to the mayor for Birmingham's proclamation to Falun Gong previously. The mayor listened attentively to the practitioners' introduction from what is Falun Gong, to how "Truthfulness, Compassion, Tolerance" is translated to English, the persecution Falun Gong practitioners suffer in China, and the detainment of Charles Li. When the practitioners mentioned Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous words "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere," the mayor agreed very much and expressed his understanding and support for us.
It was dark when we stepped out of the city hall. We would leave Alabama towards Mississippi tomorrow.
Category: Rallies & Protests
