(Clearwisdom.net) On July 1, many residents in Hong Kong held a march to appeal for democracy and the rule of law. Among the activities of July 1 was a new phenomenon in China called "Step on Jiang and Create a New Future." It consisted of ordinary citizens stepping on a picture of Jiang Zemin, the former Chinese dictator who still holds control over the military. In the West, where photos of public figures and political leaders are often subjects of ridicule, this would not have raised too many eyebrows. It is an entirely different matter, however, for something like this to happen in China, where public criticism of past and present leaders and policies is still seen as taboo. In fact, several prominent Internet essayists have been recently jailed in China for "subversion."

So why this phenomenon? When asked why she joined the activity to "Step on Jiang," one Hong Kong resident said, "It's because Jiang Zemin has betrayed China. He always talked about uniting with Taiwan. However, behind people's backs he gave away to Russia China's own territory, an area 32 times the size of Taiwan. Also, when Jiang Zemin was the president of China, the corruption in China was rampant. The 'Three Represents' theory he offered was only to protect his own interests, while in fact he worked to take advantage of China's people." With his deceit and corrupt ways Jiang has alienated a large portion of the population.

In July 1999, Jiang banned Falun Gong, with 100 million practitioners. Disregarding protests from other Politburo members, Jiang started a persecution that has caused at least 1,006 deaths, sent countless innocent people to labor camps and prison, and forced thousands of mentally sound people into psychiatric hospitals. 100 million practitioners constitute nearly 10% of China's population, and each of these practitioners has his or her family and friends who care for their well-being. By launching this massive campaign of persecution out of jealousy and paranoia because the number of Falun Gong practitioners exceeded that of Communist Party members, Jiang placed himself directly against many innocent, good people, and dragged millions more along with him to persecute their friends, neighbors, and co-workers that they know to be good people.

For these simple reasons, it's no surprise that the people in China have begun to show their displeasure for Jiang in a simple, yet direct way. Ironically enough, during the persecution of Falun Gong, Jiang's followers place pictures of Falun Gong's founder at the entrance of bus stops and train stations, and try to force people to step on the picture. In spite of their coercive efforts, few people oblige. Now, as the persecution against "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance" is clearly failing, people are voluntarily stepping on the picture of the person who is known for his deceit, cruelty, and jealousy. It's an ironic, yet clear depiction of where the hearts of the Chinese people lie, and a sign that they are choosing their futures wisely.