How The New York Times' Article Was Used By the Chinese Communist Regime

By Ouyang Fei

(Clearwisdom.net) On February 6, 2008, the New York Times published an article about the Divine Performing Arts "New Year Splendor." The reporter who wrote the article clearly expressed both prejudice and ulterior motives. His description of "possibly several hundred people" leaving the theater was not at all accurate and later removed. Furthermore, the reporter's attitude was both irresponsible and unprofessional. When ChinaNews.com reprinted the report, it omitted altogether the background of the persecution of Falun Gong, interviews with performers of the Divine Performing Arts, and the audience's positive responses that the original article contained. In addition, it fabricated a scene of "several hundred" people leaving and showing the theater empty. It is well known that the Chinese Communist media has been publishing vicious articles against Falun Gong with the intent to fan the flames of hatred and persecution. What are the consequences of such irresponsible journalism? Does it not assist in the murder of innocent people? The New York Times reporter apparently never heard the warm, resounding applause from the audience during the show. Instead, he must have waited outside for maybe a few individuals leaving early. If he really wanted to report some news, he should have dug deeper to find out why some individuals didn't like what they saw. Did those people side with the Chinese Communist party? Or did they think that the persecution of Falun Gong was not real? Was it because they didn't like Falun Gong, so the persecution of Falun Gong was all right with them? If the reporter had done this, perhaps his report would have been had some value.

When the Jews were being massacred by the Nazis, reporters should have been concerned about the atrocities, and their main responsibility was to report it. But if instead they started nit-picking about something being wrong with the Jews, then wouldn't they have been indirectly assisting in the genocide? The main point of the article in the New York Times was that there was no mention of Falun Gong in the flyers or anywhere else, but some programs were related to Falun Gong, so some people left the show. The programs were rich, colorful, and the main theme had to do with traditional Chinese culture. Falun Gong itself is closely related to traditional Chinese culture, so this should not be a surprise to anyone.In the show, one could see myths, fairy tales, themes from Buddhist and Taoist spiritual disciplines, historical allusions, ethnic dances, traditional musical instruments, songs, drum performances, and more. Among more than 20 programs, there were two, plus some song lyrics, related to Falun Gong: "The Risen Lotus Flower" and "The Power of Awareness". The promotional flyers and advertisements did not list out programs, so why should these have been singled out?

As a matter of fact, from all the feedback received, many audience members were especially interested in these two programs and they were very moved by them. After all, the persecution of Falun Gong has been going on for more than eight years and is still happening. It's attracting a lot of attention and sympathetic responses.

What the Divine Performing Arts displayed was traditional culture from ancient China to the present, from the traditional moral values dating back to distant ages to today's "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance." The story of Falun Gong has a great impact indeed. Sometimes standing up for morality requires courage and conviction, and one to recognize the difference between right and wrong.

February 14, 2008

Chinese version available at http://minghui.org/mh/articles/2008/2/15/172425.html

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