Every year, human rights organizations like Christian Solidarity
International, and the others who will speak with you today, join with you in
protest of the Chinese government's oppressive policy towards freedom,
especially religious liberty. Each year we hope it will improve, but each year
it is increasingly more deplorable. Nevertheless, the practitioners of Falun
Gong, Christians and others defy these policies by exposing themselves to
arrests, beatings, torture and even death. And again we stand in solidarity with
you, as you press forward for the great inspiring effort to bring freedom and
religious liberty to China. The Chinese government is able to block websites that use the word
"freedom"; it is able to arrest those expressing their first human
right to free exercise of conscience. It is unable, though, to read the minds
and the hearts of the Chinese people, for if it could, it would see that freedom
enlivens the people's imagination and inflames a passion for liberty that is
irresistible and cannot be conquered by violence and oppression.
So what you are doing here today is very important. It's significant not only
for you, but for all believers. You are supporting those who are suffering today
and those who will suffer tomorrow, in the future, for the right to practice the
dictates of conscience. And this is a struggle that takes great courage.
The courageous person is not the one who is exceptionally strong or powerful
or clever. The truly courageous person is the one exceptionally devoted to doing
the right thing and risking all in order to achieve that effort.
So today I leave you with this: continue to be courageous as you seek
justice. Be courageous by showing the best of human nature, even as that which
arises from man's worst nature is directed against you. And if you don't achieve
liberty in the near future, be assured that I and all these friends who join you
up front today will be here next year and we'll bring more people to join your
effort. Thank you.
Posting date: 8/5/2005
Original article date: 8/4/2005
Category: Worldwide Support
Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2005/8/4/107727.html