Statement of a US Practitioner: Why Do I Go to China to Appeal for Falun Dafa?

I wanted to write this letter to clarify why I decided to go to China. I started practicing Falun Dafa approximately a year and a half ago. I can honestly say that nothing in my life has had such a profound impact upon me. From the moment I read the book Zhuan Falun I knew that my life was about to change. I have gained so many positive things from Falun Dafa, such as improved health, a better state of mind, improved relations with friends and family, and a more enlightened view of life and existence. When I learned that people who were practicing Falun Dafa were being persecuted and tortured I couldn't believe it. How could something so good be treated so harshly? For people who don't know about Falun Dafa here are a few things that are taught. People should always be considerate of others and people should always take into account how whatever you are doing affects others before doing it. A person should also be honest, compassionate and tolerant at all times. One should never kill or take a life. These are things that practitioners of Falun Dafa believe and stand by. How can a practice such as this be persecuted in this day and age? Many people in America take for granted all the things that are given to them by this country of ours. People wake up everyday in America not worrying about whether or not someone will persecute them for what they believe. It's hard to imagine what it would be like living in a country where you were afraid to tell others what you really believe for fear that you would be thrown in prison or worse yet killed.

Many people might not understand why I would travel half way around the world to tell people and the Chinese government to stop persecuting Falun Dafa practitioners. Some people might think that I was coerced or driven to do such an action. However, I can tell you with total honesty that I undertook this action with my own free will and with no outside force whatsoever influencing me. How can I consider myself a true individual if I don't stand behind what I believe? My intentions are pure. I intend to go to China to tell the Chinese government that persecuting practitioners of Falun Dafa is wrong and to tell the Chinese people that Falun Dafa is good. I have no ulterior motives. I think many people in America should be impressed by how peaceful Falun Dafa practitioners have been in China throughout the persecution. In light of current events throughout the world I think people should look to Falun Dafa as a role model for peaceful demonstration. Since the beginning of the crack down on Falun Dafa not one Falun Dafa practitioner has used any form of physical aggression to fight back. They have used peaceful demonstration and peaceful demonstration alone to tell the Communist Government of China and the world of the atrocities that are taking place. If more people around the world learned from their actions the world would be a much more peaceful place.

I have also undertaken this action to clarify the truth about Falun Gong to the ordinary Chinese citizens themselves. Many of them have been made to believe that Falun Gong is being persecuted all over the world, the same way it is in China. I want to tell them the truth. I want to tell them from my heart that I practice Falun Gong in America freely and openly. They need to know this. They need to know that the whole world does not treat its citizens the way the Chinese government is currently treating theirs. They need to know that other countries around the world respect human rights and freedom of belief. I believe that I need to stand up and speak for so many people in China that can't. Finally, I would like to conclude by saying that I am a man who loves his family, stands by his country and treasures Falun Dafa.

Damon Joseph Noto, M.D. February 2002