Comments

1
This was an interesting read. Thank you for gathering the interviews and posting them.
3
They don't do anything deserving of their treatment, regardless of what they espouse
4
Organ harvesting sounds sensational, but a little research seems to support that the practice of executing political foes and harvesting organs is at least sort of true? Yikes. I love your rich cultural history, China, but this is bananas. I wonder if you put enough Falun Gong kidneys in communists, will the communist recipients eventually become Falun Gong supporters? We need more data.
5
thank you Sydney for this piece. easily the most compelling coverage i've seen of the visit thus far. i especially appreciate that interviews from "both sides" are included.
6
"Do you live in Seattle?
-Yes.

There was news that President Obama was considering sanctions against China because of cyberhacking. What do you make of that?
-I personally think that's a different level of concern. As the president, he needs to take care of different perspectives. But as an individual, I think there is definitely room to work on a joint effort for cyber crimes. Instead of against each other—I don't think that is the right approach. Sanctions never work well. But working together, joint effort, will.

What do you do for a living?
-[Laughs.] My major is in cybersecurity."

Found the spy!
8
Jinping is like a 2-fer for Seattle's oligarchs: a sweatshop commie overlord AND and an Asian driver. Rumor has it the motorcade is only allowed to take left turns and they're leaving their blinkers on at all times.
9
Those with red flags were volunteers?

10
Those with red flags were volunteers?

The link below is a U Washington Chinese student's posting. He was reporting the event.

The 3rd photo's caption reads, "People formed a single line. Five buses prepared by the Chinese consulate were there waiting already."

The 4th photo, showing some food, has the caption reading, "Finally I found the coordinator and got the simple breakfast that the Chinese consulate prepared for us -- crackers, water, and nuts."

The 11th photo's caption reads, "Falun Gong's banners were high and had eye-catching colors. Teacher Yang (from U Wash.'s College of Biology) assigned a tough task to the male students holding the national flags -- when Pres. Xi's motorcade makes turn, throw the national flags high to block Falun Gong's banner."
http://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzA5NzIw…
11
Li Hongzhi, the absolute authoritarian leader of Falun Gong, has said that gays are “disgusting” and somehow a “black substance” accumulates within the bodies of gay men. “Disgusting homosexuality shows the dirty abnormal psychology of the gay who has lost his ability of reasoning at the present time,” says Master Li. And one day Li claims gays will be ’eliminated’’ by ’the gods.’’ Falun Gong is profitable for its prophet Li who moved to the United States in 1995. In 1998 he reportedly bought a house in New York for $293,500. Li Hongzhi purchased his second residence in New Jersey for $580,000 the following year. The value of the two residences today may easily exceed a million dollars. Meanwhile most of Li's followers live in relative poverty. Li claims to have singular cosmic importance and exclusive healing powers, which has often led to medical neglect amongst his devotee. The sensational claims of "organ harvesting" have never been proven and instead rely upon anecdotal stories like urban myths..
12
> In 1998 he reportedly bought a house in New York for $293,500.

Who reported that? Evidence? Chinese government's propaganda even said he owned several luxury houses in China, which turned out to be other people's houses.

> The value of the two residences today may easily exceed a million dollars.

Is a million-dollar house a big deal in NJ/NY area? Come on. So many people got their terminal diseases (cancers, diabetics, heart diseases, etc) cured by practicing Falun Gong. They'd love to see Mr. Li live in a decent house, but unfortunately he does not.

About organ harvesting, check this 8-minute video and draw your conclusion:
https://youtu.be/bvAOOwvJMZs
http://stoporganharvesting.org/
13
The homes were reported to be owned by Li Hongzhi by The Independent in London. Li bought the homes shortly after abandoning his followers in China and coming to the US. Apparently "Master Li" had plenty of cash.

See http://www.cultnews.com/2006/04/chinese-…

Li's followers in China, who Li says he is concerned about, live very modestly by compared to their master, who lives in relative luxury in the US.

But I guess Falun Gong practitioners can rationalize seemingly anything when it comes to Master Li.

The claims of "organ harvesting" are supported by anecdotal stories. No conclusive proof has ever been offered and though the propaganda put out through Falun Gong controlled media like the Epoch Times, New Tang Dynasty Television and other fronts for the group can be slick, there is no substance to these sensational claims. Chinese human rights activists living in exile outside of China have voiced concern that these stories are fictional and baseless.

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