During the recent campaign cycle, when senators and presidential candidates were meeting voters face-to face, Falun Gong practitioners in Missouri attended some campaign events with the hope of raising the issue of the repression of Falun Gong.
Falun Gong doesn't get involved in politics, nor does it support candidates. However, each Falun Gong practitioner as a citizen of this country also has the right to support certain policies. Therefore, several Falun Gong practitioners wrote letters to candidates thanking them for their legislative support of Falun Gong. These practitioners took this opportunity to express their support (as individuals) to these candidates' election campaign.
One western Falun Gong practitioner let us know that Republican candidates in Missouri would attend a small-scale meeting on the afternoon of November 1st. One Falun Gong practitioner attended the meeting, wearing the traditional yellow Falun Gong T-shirt. Since this was a small meeting, this practitioner had a chance to shake hands with each candidate, and passed the booklet of " Falun Gong: The Peaceful Journey" to them. One candidate for Governor told this practitioner, " Your freedom should be respected in any place." One Senate candidate said, "Thanks for your booklet."
The same western practitioner told us that George Bush and other Republican candidates would be attending an election meeting at a family theatre at11:00AM. on November 2nd, so several Falun Gong practitioners went there at 8:30 that morning. We walked down the line of people waiting to get in, handing out Falun Dafa newspapers and asking them if they had heard about Falun Gong and the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. Many people were concerned and asked for our newspaper. We quickly handed out one thousand copies of the paper. When we had almost reached the end of the line, a campaign staff member politely told a practitioner that because they had rented this meeting room and parking lot, no group was allowed to distribute materials. They found we didn't know this and asked us to stop immediately. Our practitioners apologized at once and said that of course we would cooperate.
In the noisy meeting room, Republican candidates including Governor Bush were giving speeches. When people crowded to the platform, several of our practitioners stood on the aisle that these officials had to use leave the stage, and prepared information packets explaining the facts about Falun Gong and the current situation. As Falun Gong practitioners we didn't have any intent to get involved in politics, we just hoped to give these leaders a chance to understand Falun Dafa from a positive perspective so they could make informed decisions about future policy. Falun Dafa has brought physical and mental benefits and moral improvement to 100 million people around the world. We wanted to help them understand that Falun Dafa could bring these same benefits to the American people.
After the speech, Mrs. Bush shook hands with the voters standing on the aisle. She stopped before three female Falun Gong practitioners and carefully asked about the situation and a lady in her retinue accepted our introduction information packet about the truth of Falun Gong. One Falun Gong practitioner waited on the steps at the end of aisle where Mr. Bush was going to leave. Mr. Bush, noticing the words "Stop Persecuting Falun Gong" on the yellow T-shirt, walked toward our practitioners and personally accepted the booklet of "Peaceful Journey of Falun Gong" that the practitioner handed to him.
On November 6th, one practitioner found out that Vice-president Al Gore and Missouri Democratic candidates would be at the American Center in downtown St. Louis. Since we arrived there pretty late, we couldn't find seats close to the platform, but we still found the entrance to the platform, which had been blocked. One Falun Gong practitioner kindly asked the staff whether we could come in. The staff hesitated for a moment and opened the railing to let us in. Remembering the last experience, we all stood before the railing that all officials would pass when they left.
After Vice-President Gore finished his speech, the governor, some Finance Department officials and Mrs. Gore made their exit, shaking hands with the voters beside the railings as they passed by. Our practitioners had a chance to give them the Falun Gong information. Vice-president Gore also noticed the word "Falun Gong" on our yellow T-shirts. After our practitioners handed him the Falun Gong booklet he asked, " You would like me to keep and read it, right?" and then accepted it. When Al Gore shook hands with another practitioner, he said, " I will support your freedom." When Mr. Gore and other Democratic candidates arrived in St. Louis and contacted the voters, 45 minutes later, the word "Falun Gong" on four Falun Gong practitioners' yellow T-shirts were there to greet him.
After the meeting, Falun Gong practitioners also distributed the newspaper to the media and other people attending the meeting.
During all these activities, we felt the importance for practitioners to improve ourselves together. The Western practitioner who had thought our appeal was getting involved politically, nonetheless provided us with valuable information during this election and helped us grasp such a chance that we could never have imagined. We more fully realize the implication of " Diligently strive forward together, the future will be bright." Every Falun Dafa practitioner is very important during this Fa-rectification period.
At the same time we feel that we could promote Dafa well in various environments, only if we all keep the pure mind-state of a Falun Dafa practitioner,. We once again understand Master Li's teaching, "The success of his work is only a form of manifestation among everyday people. It is the mighty power of Dafa itself and the specific arrangements made by my fashen that enable people to obtain the Fa and spread the Fa widely."
Master Li said in Western US Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference of Falun Dafa, "I'd also like to take this opportunity to really thank the various levels of government in the United States and Canada for the honors they've bestowed upon us and upon me! Under this special circumstance, I can't thank them individually, but I will bring them a wonderful future." We understand that when these government officials show their supports to Falun Dafa, they not only leave a beautiful future to themselves, but also to the people they represent.
(Reported by Falun Dafa practitioners of Missouri on November 8th, 2000)
Category: April 25 Events
