A gathering of over a hundred Orange County residents took place in downtown Goshen on July 13 to raise awareness about the quarter-century persecution of Falun Gong by the Chinese communist regime.
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual practice that combines meditative exercises with moral teachings centered on truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance.
The practice became popular in China in the early 1990s, with an estimated 1 in every 13 Chinese citizens practicing Falun Gong before the communist regime initiated a full-scale persecution on July 20, 1999.
Since then, many practitioners have sought refuge overseas for safety, with a significant number settling in Orange County west of the Hudson River.
Liam O’Neil, president of the Falun Gong Club in Orange County, described these practitioners as true Americans who have sought freedom of faith and belief, a principle foundational to the United States.
Shusen Guo, a former petroleum engineer, recently arrived in the United States with his family after enduring years of persecution in China, including solitary confinement, harassment, beatings, and detention.
Guo expressed gratitude for the freedom to practice Falun Gong in America and thanked the country for sheltering them during their most challenging times.
Other individuals, like Feng Yang and Guoxian Ren, shared similar stories of persecution and survival, highlighting the resilience and perseverance of Falun Gong practitioners.
The rally also emphasized the health benefits and positive transformations experienced by practitioners through the practice of Falun Gong.
Local resident Laurie Gorham spoke about how Falun Gong helped her become a better person, allowing her to care for her aging parents and deepen her connection to others and a higher power.
Gorham urged support for the Falun Gong Protection Act, a bill that aims to address the forced organ harvesting of practitioners in China by imposing sanctions on those involved.
She encouraged residents to sign a petition to ensure the bill’s passage in the Senate and help end the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
“We will continue to advocate for those who are silenced, and righteousness will prevail!”
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