United States: Falun Gong Welcomed in Lincoln's Hometown

Elizabethtown is a small city located in the centre of the State of Kentucky. Residents are proud that this small city is the hometown of the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. At this year's "Heartland" parade, the residents of Elizabethtown received a visit from a group of Falun Gong practitioners.

On August 30, Falun Gong practitioners from nearby areas gathered in Elizabethtown. Though it had been raining hard before the parade, the hospitable residents set up tents or held umbrellas, waiting on the sides of the street. As the sponsors were discussing if they should cancel this year's parade, the wind and rain suddenly stopped.

In processions of bands and floats, Falun Gong practitioners brought a fresh and beautiful oriental scene. Four female practitioners in bright and colourful oriental costumes performed a Fan Dance. A young girl sitting on a big handmade lotus flower on the float did the sitting meditation. Two male practitioners demonstrated the Falun Dafa exercises.

It was perhaps the first time for the residents of this small city to see Chinese people in their traditional parade. They were amazed. The practitioners' good demeanour won applause and appreciation from time to time. When the practitioners passed by the presiding judges, the host of the parade saw the banner reading "Falun Dafa" and "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" in both Chinese and English. He said humorously, "I don't know these Chinese Characters, Falun Dafa ... These words must be 'Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.'... This should be the belief of the world."