Oakville Beaver Editorial

Mar 17, 2003

Counting anything "on one hand" signifies a special preciousness or rarity and this week we learned just how priceless that number really is.

On Thursday, practitioners of the Chinese spiritual discipline Falun Gong returned to Oakville to thank area politicians, residents and media whose efforts helped release five loved ones from prison. It was a gesture made all the more touching considering that 100,000 other Falun Gong adherents are still locked away and routinely tortured - like the parents of Cecilia Xiong, who have not been seen by their daughter in more than five years.

But unlike [...] leader Jiang Zemin, the small group treasures every life and would likely have come back to Oakville to say thanks if even a single prisoner had been released - such is their gentle nature in the face of unchecked barbarity.

The group first raised our consciousness last August during a Canada-wide awareness tour for 13 jailed loved ones. On their Oakville stop, they spoke of Falun Gong's teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion and tolerance -- everything Zemin does not represent.

Fortunately, dignified protests like these shine a bright, cleansing light on the brutal retribution waged against Falun Gong practitioners in China. Last year, their efforts were rewarded when Parliament unanimously passed a bill requesting the release of the 13 prisoners. More than 800 other proclamations of support were received from across North America alone.

Among the five people freed was Tianxiong Peng, whose twin sister Tianying was shown last summer on the Oakville Beaver's front page holding a paper lotus of hope.

With that in mind, those who feel powerless against such overwhelming cruelty should realize that even one letter of protest - a fifth of what you can count on one hand - can indeed make a difference.

http://www.oakvillebeaver.com/hr/ob/opinion/editorial/story/947484p-1132961c.html