By a practitioner from Toronto, Canada

(Clearwisdom.net) During the last weekend in May, practitioners from Toronto traveled to New York for a rally and truth-clarification activities in support of the Flushing Quitting the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) Service Center and to condemn the violent attacks on Dafa practitioners outside the Flushing Public Library.

On the first day, we experienced heavy rain during the rally. Every time the Divine Land Marching Band finished a song, some agitators would start to shout loudly and ferociously. At the same time, passersby cursed and shouted obscenities. Many passersby walked by in a hurry looking embarrassed. I was ready to interview people and thought, "How can I interview in this kind of environment?" Then, I realized that I held the attachment of working, so I told myself, "I am here to save people!"

After I changed my attitude, I put the camera into my backpack to prevent people from realizing that I was a practitioner. Then I started to chat with some bystanders. I realized that many wanted to hear the truth and wanted to know what Falun Gong was all about. Their questions reminded me of my sacred mission. After I understood once again why we were holding this event, I started to talk to individual bystanders. They spoke many different languages, such as Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, English, Taishan, Fujian, Chaozhou, Hakka and so on. Although I cannot speak all of them, I felt I could understand their conversation. So I listened and also joined in the conversations.

I was surprised that despite this evil environment, many passersby were courageously accepting our interviews and expressed their support towards Falun Gong. I found my courage and asked after each interview, "Did you quit the CCP?" Then, they created nicknames for themselves, so they could make their quitting the CCP statement on the Epoch Times website.

One gentleman used to be a provincial level government official in China. He said: "I support Falun Gong very much. Many Falun Gong practitioners said that I seem like a Falun Gong practitioner, but I feel that I cannot be compared to them, because they are great. They can sacrifice everything. I'm not able to be so altruistic."

When he walked away, I felt that I had to tell him something important, so I followed him. I gently tugged at him when he was boarding the bus and said to him: "I have something very important to tell you." I said, "Would you please read the book Zhuan Falun after you return home?" After hearing this, his eyes grew teary and he said, "I will give it a try." I responded, "You must read it." He said, "Yes, I definitely will." I was relieved and let him go. He kept looking back at me mouthing "thank you."

Every time I interviewed someone, there were some agitators coming towards me, saying sarcastic or threatening things to the interviewees. At the beginning, I only used my righteous thoughts to support the interviewees. Later I heard from the experience sharing of fellow practitioners that some repeat agitators would flinch as long as we looked into their eyes and sent forth righteous thoughts. So I gave it a try. It was very effective. However, my attachment to zealotry became strong, so several agitators surrounded me. I could not look at all of them at the same time. At that moment, my interviewee was talking about the most important points and he definitely could not be interfered with. I calmed down and sent forth righteous thoughts to eliminate the evil behind the agitators while recording the person I was interviewing. Soon, all of the agitators left without saying a word.

Those agitators were ignorant! They are to be pitied! Those who were hoodwinked into doing evil did not know what they were getting into. I felt very sad for these people. However, throughout my being there, I felt Teacher's compassion and so gave them a chance to know the truth.

A woman with a Fujian accent told practitioners distributing newspapers that she supported Falun Gong and that she would accept an interview. She claimed to be a practitioner. Alas, after only two questions I realized that she was lying. I knew that she was paid by the CCP to pretend to be a practitioner. So, I started from the most fundamental conscience as a human being, and talked about the persecution suffered by Falun Gong practitioners in China. I implied that being paid by the CCP would not bring her any benefits. Finally she said: "If one is bought by it [CCP] and does dishonorable things, then it would truly be shameless and lack of virtue." I told her, "It is good that you know this." She nodded her head to me and said: "I know." She waved her hand in farewell and left.

At the rally on the second day, for security reasons, the police kept the agitators on the opposite sides of the road to keep us apart.

As I walked passed a group of people speaking Fujian. I heard what they said. Sometimes their minds were clear, sometimes not. I pitied them. Looking at the group doing meditation across the street, one said, "See how capable Falun Gong practitioners are. They can let the sun come out." Then, a little while later he said, "See, there are so many people doing the exercise. It looks as if people from all over the world are doing it." I followed their words and said, "Yeah, they look so peaceful, why would the Communist Party persecute them?" They seemed to be thinking, but soon they started to insult Dafa again. Facing such a group, I really did not know how to address them.

While I was thinking about how to start the conversation, one of them pointed at me and asked, "Do you know how capable Falun Gong people are? Whenever they want, they can call on the police to arrest people." Just as I was going to talk to them, a practitioner found me working alone. So the practitioner came over and told them, "If you do not use violence, why would Falun Gong call the police to arrest people?" They found out that I was a practitioner, so they did not want to talk to me any more. But one of them, who looked like a leader told me, "Today you Falun Gong people had the upper hand." Later, I heard from a local practitioner that this leader was very obnoxious a few days ago. Now he is becoming less and less arrogant.

Actually these people are very pitiful. No matter whether in China or overseas, they are at the bottom of society. Now they are used by the CCP just for a little profit. However, we still will not give up on saving them.

After the first day rally, we were forewarned about how CCP spies were going to act the next day, so our media immediately exposed it. Therefore, they could not play any of their tricks after that.

During the rally, a spy stood in front of two female practitioners and used his cell phone to report the current situation to someone. After his report was over, a practitioner said to him, "You worked hard, you reported so diligently." Another practitioner tried to take a photo of him. He was so nervous that he used both of his hands to cover his face and ran away.

A middle-aged woman stood in a group of people and said, "I am a Falun Gong practitioner." Then she slandered Dafa. A practitioner wearing ordinary clothes questioned her, "Are you really a Falun Gong practitioner? Let me take a picture of you." She fled immediately.

During our stay in New York, we had the opportunity to share experiences with some local practitioners. We learned a lot from that. A practitioner said that this opportunity was offered to all sentient beings, as well as to Dafa practitioners, because many practitioners who generally are not involved in clarifying the truth came out this time. We also saw that those who were not very diligent became more diligent and those who were already diligent became even more diligent.

I wanted to share my experience and what I witnessed in Flushing. Please kindly advise me of anything inappropriate!

June 4, 2008

Posting date: 6/15/2008
Original article date: 6/15/2008
Category: Truth Clarification
Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2008/6/5/179744.html