(Clearwisdom.net) The third Monday in January was Martin Luther King Jr. Day, honoring civil rights leader Martin Luther King. Every year on this day, there is a grand parade to commemorate him in Houston. According to the organizing committee, the spectators have increased from 5,000 in 1998 to 10,000 in 2005. The Martin Luther King Grande Parade has become one of the main parades in Houston. Groups that want to participate in the parade can register freely. Falun Gong practitioners participated in the parade for the third time.
  Falun Dafa "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" banner |
  Falun Gong exercise demonstration |
  Falun Gong practitioners dance in Tang Dynasty attire |
  A practitioner hands out truth clarification leaflets |
  Truth-clarifying banner |
 Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Gao Rongrong had her face disfigured by CCP police electric baton shocks and was tortured to death on June 16, 2005 |
On January 16, 2006, the Martin Luther King Grand Parade was held in downtown Houston. There were about 180 parade entries, of which the majority were middle-school students. There were performance groups and bands, and about a dozen floats. There were also big companies that citizens are familiar with, such as HEB and McDonalds. Some groups were from media outlets such as the Channel 11 TV station, NTD TV, and a radio station. The government officials also participated, including Congressmen Sheila Jackson Lee, Al Green of Houston, and also seven city councilors. The grand parade is usually a good opportunity for them to get in contact with citizens and their constituencies.
Falun Gong practitioners' contingent was led by a banner reading "Falun Dafa Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" in English. It was followed by a waist drum group, Tang Drum group, Tang Dynasty-style Dance Group, young practitioners from Minghui School, and a float on which practitioners demonstrated the Falun Gong exercises. There was also a display of banners with photos and explanations that illustrated the torture methods used to persecute Falun Gong practitioners in China.
Along the way, the spectators showed respect to the Falun Gong contingent; they nodded when seeing the banner bearing the words "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance." Some people made a Heshi gesture to practitioners, some others waved to practitioners and applauded constantly. The practitioners handed out truth clarification leaflets to the spectators along the way. The Falun Gong contingent looked extraordinary and brilliant in the grand parade, and was well-received by the spectators.
In China however, Falun Gong practitioners do not have the right to freedom of belief. Neither do they have the right to freely practice the exercises, not to mention having the opportunity to participate in parades. The malevolent CCP's brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners who believe in "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" has lasted for over six years. The earth-covering lies have confused many Chinese people. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has used brainwashing, torture and other means to devastate Falun Gong practitioners physically and mentally. Many practitioners have even lost their lives due to the severe persecution. Falun Gong practitioners outside China have been rationally and peacefully using various means to clarify the truth, expose the lies and the persecution to the world's people, and display the truth to them.
