Atlanta Falun Gong Practitioners held an open house on October 1 (the National Day of the People's Republic of China) to expose Jiang Zemin's dark, ruthless policy against Falun Gong and to voice their sincere concern about the future of China.
The news release for the open house was first published in the Atlanta News, World Journal, the Epoch Web Times, and posted on bulletin boards in Chinese communities and stores. The announcement posted included the following statement:
"In order to satisfy their desire for dictatorship and to protect their personal power, Jiang Zemin et al. are reusing the disgusting tactics that harmed the country and its people during the Cultural Revolution to suppress Falun Gong, all other ancient religions, and non-government organizations, without regard for China's national interests. Enraged, they have invented and carried out in person, one after another, villainous policies based on the idea that: my follower thrives, my opposition dies.' Longing for truth and benevolence, and opposing evil, Falun Gong practitioners will hold this conference to disclose Jiang Zemin et al.'s true evil nature in their brutal and mad persecution of Falun Gong, and all other righteous forces. All insightful persons who are concerned about China's future and treasured freedom are welcome to attend."
This conference caused quite a stir in the local Chinese community. Many people expressed admiration for Falun Gong practitioners' courage and said that such a conference was being held at the right time. They had long been outraged by these wrongdoings but had dared not say anything. Some were concerned about the safety of the practitioners in China and sincerely warned practitioners of the back-stabbing against them and their relatives in China by the Chinese communists. The practitioners said that they had disregarded these things for the sake of the welfare and future of the country. There were also a few people who claimed to be backed up by powerful forces who threatened the practitioners directly, saying: they "won't let you [Falun Gong practitioners] look good in the future."
The conference took place in the Hilton Hotel. Many posters were set up in the meeting room displaying photographs and reports on Jiang's brutal suppression of Falun Gong. The attendees first watched the documentary film "Falun Gong: The Real Story." produced by an award-winning professional journalist. Then they exchanged opinions on the current issues of Falun Gong. The host of the conference read a statement written by practitioners in Mainland China regarding October 1 as well as the article titled: "Jiang Zemin Cannot Shirk the Responsibility for the Persecution of Falun Gong." A movie ranked high on the most popular list in China these days, "Fatal Decision," was played at the end of the conference. Two local Chinese papers conducted interviews at the conference.
Practitioners in Mainland China said in their statement: "It is hard to believe that out of his personal jealousy and strange fear of the Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance principles of Falun Gong, Jiang has used his own small-minded mentality to judge the people who have generous hearts. He has deemed a group of practitioners who were peaceful and little known, who seek no competition with the world, and who adhere to the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance, as the biggest threat to his power. Despite objections from other leaders of the central government and against the will of hundreds of millions of citizens, he has placed his personal power above national interests and the Constitution. He has single handedly devoted a huge amount of capital, human and material resources, and used all the national machinery to carry out "the most evil, most vicious, and most indecent persecution in human history." The wickedness, brutality, and the scope and intensity of this persecution are unprecedented. It is the most shameful page in human history."
At the same moment when these Atlanta practitioners were reading their statements, Jiang's government was again arresting over a thousand practitioners in Tiananmen Square. An Associated Press photo clearly demonstrates to the world the inhumane acts of Chinese policemen who are under the instigation and protection of Jiang. A plainclothes policeman steps on the face of a Falun Gong practitioner who is empty-handed, while the other policeman steps on the practitioner's leg, holding a knife against the protester's neck, under the gaze of the public in Beijing's Tiananmen Square.
