A month ago I addressed the Human Rights Torch Relay in Santa Monica along with members of Congress Dana Rohrabacher and Maxine Waters.  The Human Rights Torch Relay's purpose was to draw attention to the widespread human rights abuses visited upon the people of China by the unelected communist regime in Beijing - while the Olympic torch was nearby.

About the same time, Assemblyman Sam Blakeslee (R-San Luis Obispo) introduced Assembly Concurrent Resolution 119 on Tibet Day (more info here).  This resolution specifically called out human rights abuses in both Tibet and China, so it was shelved by the Democrats in charge in Sacramento as being too controversial.  Last Thursday, May 15, however, a compromise Tibet Day resolution was allowed onto the floor of the Assembly.  Authored by Assemblyman Gene Mullin (D-San Mateo), House Resolution 20 was a mainly positive mention of Tibet and the Dalai Lama (click here).

I received a letter from the Chinese Communist government a day after voting in favor of the Tibet Day resolution (one can argue the merits of even discussing such things while we have a $17 billion deficit, but, when comparing a resolution supporting human rights to some of the other bills we vote out, at least you can say it was neither harmful nor frivolous).  The letter, dated May 1, was quite remarkable for both its blatant lies and its tone to an American elected official.



The first Big Lie occurs in the letter's second paragraph, "Like the US, China attaches great importance to protect the human rights of our citizens."  Really?  Tell that to the millions of women forced to have abortions in service of China's one-child policy, not to mention widespread forced infanticide.  Tell that to the hundreds of thousands of people brutally imprisoned in the Laogai gulag system, including Catholic and Protestant house church members, Falun Gong practitioners, and political prisoners.  Tell that to the families of those executed by the government without due process so as to harvest their valuable organs for profit in People's Liberation Army hospitals.

The next paragraph is dedicated to attacking the Falun Gong "cult."  Originally encouraged by the government in Beijing as an activity beneficial to mental and physical health, Falun Gong grew too big and too organized, eventually outnumbering the membership of the Chinese Communist Party.  At that point, the Communists cracked down, outlawing Falun Gong and imprisoning its practitioners who refused to recant.  That the letter states, "...1,700 Falun Gong addicts have either committed suicide or died as a result of refusing medicines or medical treatment," is a remarkable admission.  Certainly at least 1,700 Falun Gong practitioners have died in Chinese Communist Party custody while refusing to take mind-altering psychotropic drugs, refusing to recant their faith, or refusing to inform on their co-practitioners.  To blame the victim prisoners for their deaths in custody is morally repugnant.

The letter closes with strong admonitions, "We also wish the assemblyman could refrain from any participation or support to 'Falun Gong'.  Because as an important public figure, his presence at and his congratulations letter to those forces suggests open indulgence to those forces, which will surely hurt the feelings of the Chinese people."  Here is fascinating to note Beijing's reference to Falun Gong as a "force" not once, but twice.  It is precisely because the unelected Chinese Communist Party dictatorship has lost its moral standing with its own people that it views Falun Gong, or any other free association of Chinese people, as a dangerous and rival force to be feared.

And finally, "We hope you could bring our letter and concern into full attention of the Assemblyman in a timely manner.  Your understanding and cooperation on this issue will be highly appreciated."  My "cooperation" indeed - as in "cooperate" and no one gets hurt...

I am truly looking forward to drafting my reply to the representatives of the unelected Chinese Communist dictatorship.    

All the best,

Chuck DeVore
California State Assemblyman, 70th District
www.ChuckDeVore.com