By Shi Cangshan

(Clearwisdom.net) Today, I called the associate chief editor of a newspaper and talked to him about the arrest of Charles Li, or Li Xiangchun. He asked me many detailed questions, including why Charles returned to China, whether he took equipment with him and whether he planned to tap into the television system.

I told him that I don't know about the details, and he appeared hesitant.

I said to him that I must clarify some fundamental issues.

Jiang's regime is persecuting and eliminating Falun Gong. Since the persecution began, more than 500 Falun Gong practitioners have been murdered. This is the first fact.

Falun Gong practitioners around the world are all opposing this persecution. This is the second fact.

During the past nearly four years, Falun Gong practitioners have always used non-violent protests, and they have never resorted to violence. They have not committed any crimes. This is the third fact.

Because the Jiang regime's persecution against Falun Gong violates the Chinese Constitution, he and his accomplices set up a series of "laws and policies" in order to justify their actions. Speaking from this perspective, from their activities against the persecution, Falun Gong practitioners have indeed "violated" the "laws" that the Jiang regime has founded after the large-scale persecution began. In fact, anyone in China would have already violated the "laws and policies" for persisting in practicing Falun Gong, although these so-called "laws and policies" were forced upon the Chinese people by Jiang in an attempt to cover up his crime of violating the constitution and trampling human rights. This is the fourth fact.

Over 50 years ago, Gandhi first promoted non-violent resistance and violated the laws in the British colony. He was put in jail because of that.

Over 30 years ago, Martin Luther King violated segregation laws in the South when he fought for the human rights of African Americans in Georgia. He was detained more than 20 times because of this. At that time, the segregation laws stated that black people could not enter white people's restaurants, but Martin Luther King insisted that black people should have the same rights as white people.

Peaceful resistance is aimed at correcting unjust and irrational laws. It pursues fairness and justice. Opposing and violating unjust and irrational laws is the necessary path for peaceful movements, and it is also a price that can't be avoided. Gandhi and Martin Luther King both violated laws in their times and at those places, but it doesn't mean that their goals were not great, nor does it justify the persecution against them.

Falun Gong practitioners are also seeking more just treatment, and they are also using peaceful means to do so. Charles went to China as a Falun Gong practitioner, if he is arrested because he "violated" the laws of China by just bringing some Falun Gong materials with him, then this is only fostering Jiang's evil persecution.

A civil rights leader, Dr. Yang Jianli in the United States, entered China with someone else's passport in hopes of learning more about the workers' movement in China. He was arrested by the Chinese authorities and illegally detained for over nine months. Nothing was heard from him. Overseas Chinese people and the U.S. government are trying hard to rescue him. Few people believe that Yang Jianli violated the laws of China. Yang Jianli has the right to go back to China as a Chinese citizen. After the Chinese authorities unreasonably rejected his numerous requests for a visa, Yang Jianli was forced to take a risk. As a scholar at Harvard University, Yang Jianli gave up the comforts of life in the U.S. and pursued justice. He has displayed rare morality and courage. He is viewed quite positively by many Chinese people.

The Chinese authorities implemented the information blockade inside China and have been interfering with the broadcast of Voice of America and Free Radio Asia to China. Because BBC reported news on Falun Gong, the Chinese authorities cancelled the BBC's broadcasts. On the contrary, the Chinese regime freely publishes newspapers and magazines, and broadcasts TV programs in places with freedom of press such as the U.S., Europe, Canada, also including Taiwan and Hong Kong. It secretly purchases large amounts of overseas Chinese and English newspapers and magazines to export countless lies. In fact, the Jiang regime is the least qualified to accuse others of "illegally" tapping into TV programs.

What we should think about is whether we should judge Gandhi with the British colony's laws, whether we should judge Martin Luther King with segregation laws. If we clearly know the answers to these questions, how can we have any other answer on the issue of Falun Gong and the rescue of Charles Li?

This editor quietly listened to all my words, and he was silent for a long time. In the end, he said, "I understand now."

Posting date: 2/7/2003
Original article date: 2/7/2003
Category: Practitioners' Insights
Translated on 2/6/2003
Chinese version available at http://minghui.cc/mh/articles/2003/2/6/44123.html

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