(Clearwisdom.net) The New York State Assembly welcomed and recognized visiting Falun Gong practitioners with applause before the session on the morning of May 9, 2007. Assembly Member Michael Benjamin introduced Falun Gong practitioners and the May 13th Falun Dafa Day, reminding the Assembly of the Chinese Communist Party's persecution of this group of people that follow Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance.
New York State Assembly Members Michael Fiztzpatrick (first from left in second row) and Michael Benjamin (third from right in second row) took a group picture with Falun Gong practitioners.
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Assembly Member Michael Benjamin introduced Falun Gong's background and the persecution of Falun Gong in China during his three-minute speech. He said the advocation of Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance was very admirable and that it was very important to expose the violent persecution of Falun Gong by the Chinese regime. He believed every individual should have the inherit right to the freedom of religion, association and speech, and this is why he continues to call for attention to the violation of human rights, especially the organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners.
Speaker Pro Tempore Greene and the Assembly Members welcomed the thirteen Falun Gong practitioners with applause.
Assembly Member Benjamin is from the Bronx, New York. He is concerned with not only the people in his district, but also those persecuted in China and the Sudan. Regarding the view of attention to China's human rights as interference with Chinese internal affairs, Benjamin said the Chinese regime developed its economy to become part of the this world, so it should be open to external criticism. They cannot allow attention to economy only, but not human rights.
He said with the opening of economic opportunity to the world and the rise of the middle class, the people would want freedom and a change in this aspect. It was important that other countries be part of this change. The United States used force to bring changes in Communist countries in Europe. The same standard should be held to China.
Assembly Member Amy Paulin expressed enthusiastic support for Falun Gong's endeavor for human rights. She said human rights are universal and without boundary, and are not an internal affair. She said that we are in a country that upholds human rights and we stand up to support all whose human rights are violated by their own government.
Benjamin, who has a deep appreciation of traditional Chinese culture, called for the Chinese community in Chinatown to bravely expose what the CCP had done to American officials and businessmen. He said it should be that the CCP worries about the world opinion instead of innocent citizens worrying about the safety of their families in China.
Member of Assembly Michael Fiztzpatrick also expressed his support of Falun Gong practitioners and took a group picture with them.
About twenty officials of New York State have sent recognitions and congratulations to the May 13th World Falun Dafa Day and praised the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance.
