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The first time I heard of this organization was at the first (and last) Amnesty International meeting I attended. One of the reasons I never went back again was because of the way the Falun Gong issue was handled at the meeting. There was a Chinese guest speaker who insisted it was just an exercise/meditating organization that grew too fast for the Communist party and is now facing government recriminations.
What bothered me the most was how the Amnesty people were ready to sign a letter of support for the guest speaker & the Falun Gong without asking critical questions. I asked why the Communist Party would feel threatened by an exercise organization? Was there any religious indoctrination going on that might later turn political? I didn't get clear answers, but I also didn't get the impression that the speaker was holding out on anything. When the paper came to me, I signed it to be polite, but pointed out that there was no date on the letter of support. The Amnesty person's response gave me the feeling that this wasn't by accident. I looked the paper over again after I signed it and realized that the form was a general statement of support. It could be used for anyone coming to that particular branch, looking for a letter of support.
Anyway, I know Amnesty International has done wonderful work, but, the way things were handled at that meeting gave me reason to never come back again. I was, however, always left wondering if the Falun Gong were innocuous or insidious?
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