Thursday, July 22, 2004 - 12:01:03 AM PST

On July 20th five years ago former Chinese dictator Jiang Zemin began a brutal persecution campaign against a popular spiritual group known for doing slow, tranquil exercises called Falun Gong. Very few people know why he really did it. Was Falun Gong too popular? Did he need an enemy to take attention off his own failings and rally the Communist party behind him?

Whatever the reason, he thought the practitioners of Falun Gong would be an easy target because they believed in "turning the other cheek" when hit or insulted. Falun Gong practitioners try to live by the principles of truthfulness, compassion and tolerance so this became a persecution of the kindest and most peaceful people in their society.

Jiang predicted Falun Gong would be eradicated in three months but history has shown that there is strength in sticking to good principles. Five years later, after constantly escalating in rhetoric and brutality, it is estimated almost 1 million Falun Gong practitioners are in labor camps, families have been broken apart, many have been tortured and 5,000 have been killed.

So I am asking that after five years of this irrational persecution you take time out of your busy schedule and sign a petition on the Friends of Falun Gong Web site, write to the Chinese ambassador or say a prayer for the people who are standing up to the Chinese Government armed only with their courage and refusing to give up their beliefs at any price.

http://www.chicoer.com/Stories/0,1413,135%257E27922%257E2287211,00.html?search=filter