The Epoch Times

May 31, 2008

Westerners help to distribute Chinese-language Epoch Times in Flushing, New York, on May 28, 2008. (Dai Bing/The Epoch Times)

After suffering almost two weeks of abuse in Flushing, New York, the staff of The Epoch Times has detected a change and wishes to thank those responsible.

Since May 17, some mobs on the streets of Flushing, New York have been instigated by the Chinese consulate behind the scenes. While supporting the Chinese Communist Party regime, they have continuously humiliated and verbally abused Falun Gong practitioners on the streets. They have also deliberately provoked and cursed staff members of The Epoch Times, attempting to cause a conflict.

Yet recently, a growing number of righteous people have begun standing up to uphold justice. Many Chinese have given a "thumbs-up," showing their respect and support to Epoch Times staff members. Although the mobs have continued to hurl abuse and harassment, the overall situation this Friday is much better than it was a few days ago.

A reader is reading the special edition about the Flushing incident attentively. (Xu Ming/The Epoch Times)

The entire staff of The Epoch Times would like to express our heart-felt gratitude to all Chinese people in New York who have given us support. We believe that only through every righteous person's joint efforts can we safeguard freedom and justice. The Epoch Times will always uphold justice and speak to people's conscience.

On May 29, near the subway exit at the intersection of Roosevelt and Main Street, when a person hurled insults at a Falun Gong practitioner distributing The Epoch Times newspaper, someone immediately came up and condemned the insulter: "How come it's you again!?" The person who cursed the practitioner immediately shut up and sneaked away.

A local Chinese told an Epoch Times reporter: "The mobs who came to make trouble several days ago did not come today. You see, without them the streets are so much more peaceful."

In New York City's China Town, when a woman shouted abuse towards a young lady who was distributing The Epoch Times, a young mother pushing a baby stroller came over and confronted the woman, "You should not curse this young lady. She is doing good things.

"The government received the quake warnings but did not make it public, so many children died as a result. The government is responsible for their deaths. Now, in order to divert public attention, the government is defaming Falun Gong. It is really shameless!"

The passers-by all paused in their steps to listen to her. The woman who cursed the practitioner quickly slinked away.

An old Chinese gentleman walked up to a lady distributing The Epoch Times with a smile on his face. "Truly great!" he said, "Keep doing what you wish to do. I have read the (recent) newspapers. Thank you!"

A gentleman surnamed Wu had been reading other Chinese-language newspapers before, ones that were regime-sponsored. On May 29, he told an Epoch Times reporter that he read The Epoch Times three days in a row this time, and he was very moved.

"The U.S. is a free and democratic society," he said, "We allow different opinions to be expressed and people have the freedom to debate."

A young lady was distributing The Epoch Times on the street. A middle-aged man kept hurling insults at her for quite some time; the lady always wore a smile on her face and continued to distribute The Epoch Times. The man had no choice but to leave.

Another man with a Fujian Province accent came over to support her: "That man and the woman behind him are two bullies. They don't do anything but spread rumors and provoke conflict. They were also among the pro-communist mobs who yelled out loudly yesterday.

"Do not pay any attention to him. He proclaims himself to be patriotic. He does not know in the least what 'patriotic' means. Why would he come to the U.S. if he is really patriotic? He even forgot how he came to the U.S. to begin with. If he is really patriotic, he should go earn more money to support the quake-stricken area. What does hurling abuse on the street all day long account for?"

A mob surrounded a lady distributing The Epoch Times and cursed her harshly. When they finally left, a Chinese elderly gentleman came over to the lady. He was very angry at the mob: "I really do not understand what happened to this group of Chinese. They had had their fill of being oppressed by the Chinese Communist Party in China and escaped to the U.S. as refugees. After they tried all means to get refugee status here, they have turned around to serve the Chinese Communist Party like their obedient dogs."

"I will write to the immigration office," he continued, "I will ask the immigration officers to deprive them of their legal resident status. I will also ask the immigration officers not to grant legal status to people like them."

Source http://en.epochtimes.com/news/8-5-31/71235.html