| Here is a small trivia challenge for you. Who said, | | | | when confronted with some of the extreme tortures |
| "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice | | | | thrust upon them is the stuff that only the greatest |
| everywhere"? If you guessed Dr. Martin Luther King, | | | | are made of. |
| Jr. you would be correct. | | | | It makes one shudder to contemplate being forced |
| However, you may not have heard this next quote. | | | | to live in a cage that is too small to stand up and too |
| Doctor King said, "He who passively accepts evil is as | | | | narrow to sit down. The enormous horror of living in |
| much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. | | | | that situation day after day strikes at the very depth |
| He who accepts evil without protesting against it is | | | | of the soul. Everyone should be fully aware of what |
| really cooperating with it." | | | | is happening in China today. |
| That is a powerful wake up call. Reading it brings to | | | | The plight of the Falun Gong practitioners is a noble |
| mind a human rights tragedy happening right now. | | | | one, deserving of support. Without freedom, quality |
| In China, many Falun Gong practitioners are struggling | | | | of life is diminished to a shadow of what it should be. |
| to obtain one of the most precious of all human | | | | In response to their enormous suffering and equally |
| rights. That is the freedom to believe what they | | | | enormous endurance, visit the Faluninfo website to |
| choose in the space between their ears. | | | | more fully understand the tragedy and learn what |
| Here is a not so trivial question. Who is withholding | | | | you can do to help eliminate the continued suffering |
| that right from them? | | | | of these brave hearted men and women. |
| If you answered, "the Chinese Communist Party", | | | | Here are two more Dr. King quotes. "In the End, we |
| right again! With their track record of killing those | | | | will remember not the words of our enemies, but the |
| who support democracy and those who support | | | | silence of our friends" and "The time is always right |
| other freedoms, it wouldn't have been hard for you | | | | to do what is right". |
| to guess. | | | | The power to make a difference is in your hands. To |
| What is amazing about the Falun Gong practitioners is | | | | support the just and good is a choice. And the choice |
| that much like Ghandi and Dr. King, they believe in the | | | | you make may be remembered throughout history. |
| way of peaceful non-violence. These noble men and | | | | A simple action to take is to call the Chinese |
| women are working towards that precious freedom | | | | Embassy in New York or Chicago and say three |
| without hate and without physical conflict. Many have | | | | simple words, "Stop the Persecution". They will |
| given up their lives to do so. | | | | understand exactly what you mean even if they |
| Between the torture and killings that are rarely | | | | pretend not to. |
| reported in the world's media, the price paid so far | | | | The New York Embassy phone number is: |
| has been extremely high. Your heart aches upon | | | | 212-868-7752 (US). |
| thinking of those who have endured so much torture | | | | The Chicago Chinese Embassy phone number is: |
| and for those who have paid the ultimate price to | | | | 312-803-0098 (US). |
| obtain freedom. Yet, the struggle is not won and | | | | When the horn of freedom is sounded in times of |
| continues right at this moment. | | | | need, men and women of the highest character heed |
| Admiration for those who remain firm in the face of | | | | the call. |
| such terror is boundless. The courage to endure | | | | |