(Clearwisdom.net) In order to raise awareness and let more people help rescue
Dr. Charles Li, and to further explain the persecution facts to the US
government, media and public, Falun Gong practitioners in Texas carried out a
two-day car tour with the theme of "Urgent Rescue Dr. Charles Li".
Five groups of practitioners from different cities in Texas simultaneously
started their car tours along five different routes. During the two-day car
tour, they visited more than 20 cities in Texas. They invited local media and
conducted press conference in front the City Hall of each city they visited.
They introduced the incident of the wrongful arrest of US citizen Dr. Charles Li
in China simply because of his belief in "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance".
Practitioners also collected petition signatures to rescue Charles Li.
Practitioners who could not join the car tour also supported the event in
different ways including sending forth righteous thoughts.
During the whole process, practitioners also conducted group Fa-study and
experience sharing. We cooperated with each other and used our pure hearts and
righteous thoughts to participate in the event. From this activity, we deeply
realized the importance that Dafa disciples improve together and form an
integral entity. We also experienced that it is important to purify our
thoughts, maintain strong righteous thoughts, and do it without pursuit. In
fact, no matter what we do, no matter what forms we apply, our purpose is to
clarify the truth and offer salvation to sentient beings.
We explained to the media and the public that the arrest of Charles Li once
again demonstrated the Chinese government's persecution of Falun Gong has been
extended to overseas. They have already started persecuting foreign citizens. If
we do not work together to stop this suppression, more good people will be
persecuted tomorrow. This is closely linked to each one of us. At the same time,
we also explained, the Texas car tour is part of the global rescue campaign.
Falun Gong practitioners and supporters from other states of the America and
other countries are also applying different approaches to urgently rescue Dr.
Charles Li.
1. Making concerted effort to prepare
Since Dr. Charles Li (Charles Li) was wrongfully arrested in China,
practitioners in Texas exchanged their understandings from the perspective of
the Fa, and started the rescue campaign with different approaches. We will not
cease our effort until Dr. Li is freed.
During a group discussion the week before the car tour, some practitioners
proposed to carry out the event. We all thought that was a good idea. Then the
issue was discussed at group Fa-studies in other cities. We achieved common
understandings. Within two days, we cooperated with each other, encouraged each
other and supported each other to do the preparations. Some practitioners
contacted government officials and media, some made posters and banners, some
arranged the car tour routes.
2. Five routes, one body
The car tour embarked along five routes. Practitioners from different cities
participated the event.
(1) East route was set off from Houston, and passed by Beaumont, Victoria,
Corpus Christi and other cities. At 10 am on February 22, we held a press
conference in front of the Houston City Hall. CNN Texas branch--News Station
Channel 24 and other media attended the conference. The reporter came early and
asked many questions. The reporter also videotaped the scene of practitioners'
group exercises.
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| Houston |
Beaumont |
Beaumont |
At 2 pm on February 22 (Saturday), we carried out a press conference outside
the Beaumont City Hall. When a practitioner contacted the local media on Friday
(February 21), TV station ABC-12 showed interest in the event and immediately
interviewed the practitioner. On Saturday, another TV station (KBTV-4) attended
our conference and covered the story in their evening news. These two TV
stations' reports allowed local people to learn the facts that US citizen, Dr.
Charles Li is unreasonably imprisoned because he practices Falun Gong. As a
result, when practitioners collected petition signatures, many local residents
said that they learned the news from the TV reports and that it was absolutely
wrong for the Chinese government to do so. One after another, people signed the
petition to immediately release Charles Li.
On Monday, when practitioners phoned the TV station, the staff hoped that we
would inform them updated news about Charles Li. They also repeatedly
emphasized, "Keep in touch! Keep in touch!"
We held a press conference at 10 am on Sunday, February 23, at Victoria in
front of the City Hall.
At 3 pm on Sunday, we conducted a press conference in front of the Corpus
Christi City Hall. Although our conference schedule changed from 2 pm to 3 pm,
two media still came at 2 pm. Fortunately, we arrived there one hour ahead of
schedule. Reporters carefully asked many questions and satisfactorily left after
one-hour interview. Then two TV stations came at 3 pm to attend the conference.
So practitioners had sufficient time to present the persecution facts to the
reporters. One of the reporters said, "All media in Corpus Christi showed up
today!"
(2). West route set off from San Antonio. Practitioners passed by San Angelo,
Midland, Odessa and El Paso. Wherever they visited, they received warm response
from American people and media. People all condemned Jiang regime's senseless
persecution of Falun Gong practitioners including Dr. Charles Li.
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| San Angelo |
El Paso |
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| Midland |
Midland |
Major media from different areas all paid great attention to this rescue
activity. San Angelo branch of CBS TV station and a major newspaper reported the
event. Local ABC and NBC in Midland area also sent reporters to conduct
interviews. Practitioners were also interviewed by the local ABC TV station in
El Paso. Practitioners introduced the details about the arrest of Charles Li and
the persecution encountered by Falun Gong practitioners. Two western
practitioners pointed out during the interviews that Jiang's regime used the
arrest of Charles Li to test the American people and government's tolerance to
its evil deeds. They called upon their countrymen to firmly oppose this behavior
and stand out to help rescue Charles Li.
(3) South route embarked from Houston. Practitioners traveled through San
Antonio, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo, with a journey of more than 1,000
miles. Wherever they went, they talked with media and the American people, who
were all shocked to learn of the Jiang regime's brutal persecution suffered by
local Falun Gong practitioners, their family members and Dr. Charles Li.
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| McAllen |
McAllen |
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| Laredo |
Laredo |
Brownsville |
Major media from the cities we visited all paid attention to Dr. Charles Li's
plight and this rescue event. A TV station from San Antonio and local NBC from
Laredo and other newspapers carried out extensive interviews. Practitioners
introduced details about the unlawful arrest of Charles Li and used their own
experiences and plight to illustrate the cruel persecution of Falun Gong in
China. The newspapers covered the story on their front pages on the next day.
(4) The north route set off from Dallas. The practitioners visited four
cities including Abliene, Lubbock, Amarillo and Wichita Falls.
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| Abliene |
Amarillo |
Many local media covered our event. In Lubbock, for example, almost all local
media including 3 TV stations and major newspapers showed up. After the press
conference, they interviewed practitioners and particularly asked the details
about Charles Li's situation. An American citizen's wrongful arrest shocked the
American media. Many reporters asked us what they could do to support us. They
said that they would put the address of Rescue Charles Li website on their TV
news program.
(5) Mid-Texas route. Practitioners started from Houston and passed by Dallas,
Waco, Temple, Austin and Bryan. We conducted press conferences in each city.
Chinese newspaper, World Journal and other English media including TV stations,
newspapers interviewed us. One after another, people signed the petition to
support. All media carried out careful interviews. They not only asked about the
arrest of Charles Li, but also inquired information about the overall
persecution of Falun Gong in China. They also interviewed a practitioner who
encountered the persecution when he went back to China to visit his family.
The most watched TV station in Austin had never interviewed us before, but
they attended the press conference this time and carried out a detailed
interview.
A TV station in Bryan asked us to come back on Monday to have an interview.
3. Voice of justice
Many media came to interview this car tour rescue event. Reporters were
deeply moved by practitioners' effort and expressed their willingness of help.
One reporter said that if Charles Li is not released soon, he will go to China
to conduct detailed investigation and report.
This rescue activity actually began two days before the car tour set off.
When a practitioner went to a sign shop to order banners, the shop owner was
very shocked by the arrest of Charles Li and immediately expressed that she
would write to his representative to appeal for rescuing Charles. When the
practitioner went to pick up the banners, this kind shop owner said that she
wrote the letter already and her shop assistants would also write to their
representatives. She said to the practitioner with profound significance, "The
banners will last a long time, but I hope you won't have to use them for long."
During the trip, practitioners distributed flyers and explained the facts to
people at restaurants, gas stations they passed by and received warm responses.
A young man was astonished and said, "Is he (who was arrested) American
citizen?" In a small restaurant, a family was about to leave after finishing
their meal, a 4 or 5 --year-old boy turned around and said, "I want one
(flyer)". In our trip, the banners on our vehicles drew lots of attention.
Some people said, "He should be released, for he did not violate any law, he
is arrested just because of his belief and the American government should do
something regarding this issue."
Some said, "I hate that this occurred. I think that they [Chinese government]
should free him."
Some said, "This persecution is just live virus, it is spreading. Everyone of
us should stand up to stop it."
Some said, "It is really inconceivable that the Chinese government does such
a thing.
Some said, "We will write to our Congressmen and urge them to get Charles
back."
Voice of justice closely followed and media and public all showed their kind
thoughts.
4. Cultivation experience: Improve as one body
This rescue action also provided us an opportunity to further clear the evil
factors in other dimensions and strengthen our righteous thoughts. Practitioners
cooperated with each other. When encountering difficulties, we encouraged each
other and formed an integral entity. A western practitioner conquered much
hardship and carried her two children to finish the 2-day journey. The two
children helped practitioners to hold banners along the trip. When she was
interviewed, her 10-year-old daughter held Charles Li's photo. The scene was
quite touching.
During this car tour, practitioners deeply felt the importance of righteous
thoughts, that is, maintain righteous thoughts at every moment, otherwise, the
evil will have opportunities to take advantage. When we reached San Angelo, two
TV stations did not show up. We then drove to visit them. When we arrived at the
first TV station, the news editor did not know about Falun Dafa and had some
doubts and concerns. Practitioners thus clarified the truth to her. She changed
a little bit but still wanted to report it to her supervisor before making any
decisions. After leaving there, practitioners realized that they did not have
strong enough righteous thoughts and therefore handled it as if doing a job. On
their way to another TV station, practitioners adjust their mindset and
seriously sent forth righteous thoughts in front of the TV station. As a result,
they accidentally met a reporter and the interview was quite successful.
In El Paso, two TV stations confirmed with us that they would come to our
press conference. When arrived at the City Hall, we sent forth righteous
thoughts and practiced exercises after setting up banners. A reporter from local
NBC TV station called us on their way here that they would be here in a moment.
At that point, practitioners started slacking off, and did not continue to send
forth righteous thoughts. A few minutes later, the reporter's vehicle drove on
the street in front of us and left. When we contacted the TV station, we were
informed that a big incident just occurred in the city and the reporter had to
go there. Our slacking off in just a few minutes gave the evil factors chance to
take the advantage. Practitioners felt very regretful, and further realized the
seriousness of cultivation in the Fa-rectification period. Our strong righteous
thoughts should not be let up.
Concluding remarks:
This car tour received great support from many media and the American people.
During the event, we let more people know about the severe situation of the
persecution of Falun Gong in China. Meanwhile, while taking part in this event,
Texas practitioners formed an integral entity.
Although the car tour concluded, we will continue our effort till Dr. Charles
Li is released.
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