> -----Original Message----- > From: Jane Nicol > Sent: Monday, February 26, 2001 8:35 AM > To: Suzanne Baldon > Subject: FW: > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Supporters of Falun Gong Practitioners > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] > Sent: Saturday, February 24, 2001 11:28 AM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: > > > Dear Friend, > > The Chinese government has illegally prohibited its citizens from > practicing > a peaceful cultivation system known as Falun Gong. Falun Gong, based on a > tradition that is more than 5,000 years old, involves the cultivation of > mind, body, and spirit with the goal of becoming a better person and > reach > enlightenment, a cultivation status that has been achieved by many other > Buddhist and Taoist monks in the history. It involves the practice of four > standing exercises, a seated meditation, and the study and application of > the three fundamental principles of truthfulness, compassion, and > forbearance to every facet of one's life. > > As a result of the Chinese government's ban of this practice and the > extremely violent means used to suppress it, 156 people have been killed > as > of February, 2001. Over 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners have been sent to > labor camps without any legal process where they are subjected to beatings > and torture. At least 50,000 people have been arrested, detained, beaten, > and tortured, and over 600 have been unlawfully committed to mental > hospitals where they are forcefully injected with psychotropic drugs as > well > as given electrical shock treatments. These practitioners are detained in > the hospital and threatened with continued treatments until they recant > and > refuse to practice this system of self-cultivation. > > Most countries allow their citizens the freedom to choose and practice > their > spiritual beliefs without fear of death or retribution. You can help > improve > the situation in China by expressing your support by "signing" a Worldwide > Petition. The response to this appeal for support will be included in > reports to the international media, human rights organizations and world > leaders. Every response makes a difference! > > Please follow the link below, best viewed with Internet Explorer. View the > background information from the links on that page if you like, then go to > the petition page and fill out the brief form. > > Also, please help us by forwarding this email to friends and colleagues if > you think it is appropriate. > > If you would like to forward this message, please copy the text and the > link > in- > to a new email. This helps minimize the errors that can accumulate. > > http://www.clearwisdomhouston.org/PeacefulJourney/petitions.html > > > Thank you for your consideration. > > Sincerely, > > Supporters of Falun Gong Practitioners > > > [Note: We sincerely hope you to finish reading this letter no matter what > you may think of us. Although it may seem like a SPAM, you won't get a > second letter from us. The only reason you are on our mailing list is > because you email address is publicly available from your departmental web > site. We are not taking this as a political campaign; we are calling for > conciseness from any sentient beings.] >