The Honorable Mr. Gary A. Slagal
Mayor of Richardson, Texas
Richardson City Hall
411 W. Arapaho
Richardson, TX 75080

Re: Your Proclamation on October 16, 2000, about Falungong

I am writing to register my strongest protest to your office about the above
proclamation. I consider this public act contrary to the principle of your
government and the norms of the community.

As a concerned resident living in the DFW Metroplex area, an active member of
this community, and a researcher of new religious movements, I would like to
point out contradictions to your proclamation from only one of the teachings of
Li Hongzhi, the Master-Father of Falungong. I request your prudent evaluation
of the information provided below and act according to the best interest of the
community, and the dignity of your office. Here are few translated passages
from the “scripture” compiled from Li’s 1998 Lectures in Geneva, Switzerland.

In answering “why homosexuals are bad people and homosexuality is immoral,”
Li says: “They do not deserve to be humans. … I must tell you all, without me
passing this Fa, the gods will first destroy the homosexuals. Not by me, but
by gods.” (我告诉大家，我今 天要不传这个法，神首先消灭的对象就是同性恋者。不是
我来消灭他，是神。) In responding to the question of human’s inability to
control its destiny, he insists that “people want democracy, but they never
ever have had any control. Gods manipulate everything in the world.” (关于人自
己想说了算的问题，人想要搞民主, 其实人从 来都没有真正说了算过。因为神在操纵着世
界。) In the same breath, Li also derogatorily claims that “science is a
religion, … [it] destroys morality,” that the ozone hole above the Antarctic
is a windows for gods to release poisoned gasses from earth, and computer users
are numbered by Aliens. (http://www.falundafa.org/book/chigb/swiss.htm)

Since I have extensive networks in the Richardson community, and understand
your records in office, I could not imagine that a democratically elected mayor
representing such generous peoples of such a beautiful city with the best
scientific technological establishments would ever support Li’s hateful and
anti-democratic messages. Neither should there be any ground for me to suspect
that members of the city council share the same values Li expresses. It is
regrettable that it seems to me your proclamation is made under misleading
statements provided by Li’s followers.

However, my benign conjectures cannot be substantiated unless a different
action is taken after you realize the existence of such messages delivered by
Li. Until then, I must hereby register my strongest protect to your office.


Sincerely,


Zixian Deng

cc: WFAA—Channel 8 (email)
KERA—Channel 13 (email)
Dallas Morning Post, Community Section (email)