United States: A Journey to New York

On0the 26th of August, 2004, a group of Falun Dafa practitioners from Toronto arrived in Manhattan at noon. Manhattan is the world's financial centre, and the pedestrians rarely stop in their busy lives. The ups and downs in the stock market fill their thoughts, but they don't know of the wide spread of Falun Dafa, and don't know of Chinese dictator and former President Jiang Zemin and his regime's persecution of Falun Gong. Falun Gong came to awaken their hearts.

It started on a weekend near the end of July. It was the first time Toronto practitioners joined practitioners from Taiwan and New York City to hold anti-torture exhibits, exercise demonstrations, and distributed truth-clarifying materials to passersby. Falun Gong practitioners from Toronto re-arranged their work and families, and began to travel between these two big cities.

As the Republican National Convention approached, nearly one hundred Toronto practitioners travelled to Manhattan again.

"Great Wall of Courage" and Candle light vigil in front of the Waldorf Hotel.

As soon as they arrived, the practitioners immediately formed the "Great Wall of Courage" along the street. They held the pictures illustrating the beauty of Falun Dafa, the Jiang regime's policemen torturing Falun Dafa practitioners, and introductions to the practice. They unfurled banners, asking the kind-hearted people of the world to help end the persecution. Under the hot sun, their solemn expressions and the pure energy field of Dafa shook many New Yorkers and tourists. Passersby and taxi drivers accepted the leaflets, tour bus drivers took batches of materials and distributed them to passengers, and passengers in cars lowered their windows and accepted literature. People watching the anti-torture exhibit were moved to tears, and security guards and policemen accepted our leaflets. Falun Gong practitioners were highly praised for their peaceful activities.

During the night, practitioners from Toronto and New York held a candle light vigil at several famous sites and across the street from the Waldorf hotel, commemorating the fellow practitioners who lost their lives during the persecution because they persisted in their beliefs. Lotus lights flickered. A few practitioners started singing "Falun Dafa is good." Gradually, more and more practitioners joined the chorus, "Falun Dafa is good. Falun Dafa is good. Falun Dafa is the righteous Fa..." The song penetrated the darkness and expressed the practitioners' unswerving belief and respect for practitioners in China, who devoted their lives to Dafa.

Mr. L was working busily and quietly among the group. He is a businessman in Toronto and wanted to know more about Falun Gong practitioners, so he joined the group to form the "Great Wall of Courage" and distribute leaflets. After two days, he was moved by the unselfishness, courage, and tireless spirit of Falun Gong practitioners. He said that these practitioners saved their money to travel to New York. Many practitioners, regardless of nationality, both men and women, not seeking fame nor for profit, only wanted to clarify the truth. They were amazing. One practitioner said to him that we were all Falun Dafa practitioners. We want to save all lives with our compassionate hearts. Mr. L said that a party may change the government of China, but only Falun Gong can change the Chinese's soul.

"Why yellow t-shirts were everywhere in Manhattan"

Sunday, the 29th of August was a hot day. There were some well-dressed Republican representatives seen on the New York streets. From Monday through Thursday, there would be 30,000 people attending the Republican National Convention.

During the morning, some of the Toronto practitioners demonstrated the exercises and performed Tang Dynasty dances and a waist drum performance in Central Park. Beautiful dances and upbeat drum rhythms attracted many passersby, as well as reporters from the New York Times and NBC TV. They filmed the performances.

At Times Square, a practitioner calmly asked a reporter, "Why haven't you reported on the persecution of Falun Gong in China?" The reporter had an expression of shame, lowered his head, and took a truth-clarifying leaflet. One very wealthy person took a leaflet and talked to a practitioner. When he heard that the foreign investment was used to suppress Falun Gong practitioners, he began to hesitate and said he had a lot of business in China... The practitioner tried his best to help this person see the downside of what he was doing.

On Broadway, the Republican delegates flooded the streets, and they had all kinds of activities. A team of Toronto practitioners began to pass truth-clarifying materials to them. They accepted the leaflets and asked, "Why are there yellow t-shirts everywhere in Manhattan? Why did you come here?" The practitioners told them about the persecution and torture in China. The delegates were surprised, and some said they would support us. One person who does Cancer research talked to the practitioners for about an hour, and then he turned to the Republican delegates and said loudly, "Please help stop the persecution of Falun Gong in China."

In the afternoon, one practitioner distributing leaflets on the sidewalk saw two gentlemen surrounded by a group of bodyguards that were followed by a large crowd of reporters walking in her direction. When they passed her, she handed them two leaflets and asked them to be aware of the persecution of Falun Gong in China. They took the leaflets. The cameras in reporters hands flashed and a lot of photos were taken. Later she learnt that these two gentlemen were the Mayor of New York City, Mr. Bloomberg, and the Governor of New York State, Mr. George E. Pataki.

Two police officers were sitting in their patrol car. One short, elderly lady practitioner approached them to hand them the truth materials. They waved their hands, indicating they weren't interested. The lady then spoke the only English sentence she knew, "It's good for you." The police officers smiled and lowered the window to take the truth materials.

Yes, the people of Manhattan, it is good for you. The Falun Gong practitioners of the world came to Manhattan for your future.