Rev. Dr. Kenneth Brooks is a fine artist whose artwork is in the Vatican and
the Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida. He is an accomplished political
cartoonist, social activist, professional writer and editor. He sits on the
advisory board of Friends of Falun Gong, USA (FoFG USA), a U.S.-based nonprofit
organization whose mission is to support the freedom of belief of persons who
practice Falun Gong. FoFG USA's members don't practice Falun Gong,
but rather, they support the human rights of those who do.
Reporter [R]: First of all, Dr. Brooks, thank you for taking the time and talking
to our readers.
Dr. Brooks [B]: Thank you.
R: Dr. Brooks, could you tell our readers how you became involved with the
Friends of Falun Gong?
B: My wife and I attended a Falun Gong presentation by a practitioner. We were
very impressed with the practice and the benefits it brings people. After these
experiences, it was impossible to understand the Communist's policy against
it. It seemed that the regime in China was just as terrible as Hussein's
Iraqi regime. Many facts, testimonies and even photographs supported this astounding
conclusion. Here in this new century was a crime against humanity by every known
religious and democratic standard.
I realized that something should be done, must be done. If not now, when? If
not me or you, who? Therefore I pledged my talents and time, for whatever use
they could be, to help those millions of persecuted people following this gentle
way.
R: I have seen some of your artwork in your studio. Your pieces are quite striking
and inspiring. You did a painting, Dark Circus II (http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2001/12/2/16445.html),
that you dedicated to the first US-government sponsored photo exhibit about
Falun Gong, which was held at the Greater Rochester (NY) International Airport
two years ago. Could you tell our readers why you chose that title and what
you were expressing in that piece?
B: I was surprised to learn this painting has been seen by over four million
travelers and thousands of others through several web sites. A few hundred have
been mailed as postcards. To answer your question; the work was large, approximately
6 by 9 feet, and done in oils. Titled “Dark Circus II,” it was in stark contrast
to a normal circus with its laughter and bright lights. The Roman numeral II
pointed out the continuation of terror, persecution, imprisonment, and torture
as official policy. A Policeman dominates the right border as the instrument
of this policy. The viewer will have their own interpretation of the figures,
but make no mistake, it is not a happy painting. I do intend to paint another
when the persecution is stopped. That will be a happy painting.
R: I understand that you wrote a letter to the Norwegian Nobel Committee in
September of 2001 to nominate Mr. Li Hongzhi, founder of Falun Gong, for the
Nobel Peace Prize. Could you share with our readers what prompted you towrite
that?
B: The evidence of persecution, cited by many organizations as well as other
countries, is overwhelming. The facts presented are credible and certain. The
Communist Regime has no moral justification for it's continuing persecution
of these people who follow the teachings of this kind, gentle compassionate
and tolerant man. World recognition could do much to change the situation.
R: It seems to me that paint, canvas, brush, and pen are all ways that you
have used to express your feelings and convictions. I've read your essays,
such as the Shoemaker's Neighbor, and A Worm's Life. By reading your
writings, it's clear that you have a lot of knowledge about Communism and
Communist societies.
B: At age 20, President John Kennedy asked what I could do for my country.
Two months later I was in the Air Force. My direct enlistment for navigator
school was changed to Air Evacuation Medic because I wanted to save lives rather
than take them. This was at the beginning of the Viet Nam war. I used to faint
at the sight of blood as a teenager, but now was sometimes up to my elbows in
it. For the next few years, myself, my peers, our Doctors and Nurses fought
daily, sometimes hourly battles with pain and destruction. Many times we won,
other times we lost. That experience has never left me. I do know about pain
and suffering caused by the hand of our fellow man.
As I listened to him once, Lech Walensa told us that when the Communist Regime
fell in China, the bodies would surface. There would be multiple millions of
them. They were killed for their dissent or the appearance of dissent or because
they were educated, or because their neighbors falsely accused them. They would
be tortured because they practiced Falun Dafa. Their families were also charged
for their association with them. I believed Walensa then because he was in a
position to know. I believe him still.
R: The Wall Street Journal said on March 31 that the world should cut all travel
links to China for the “grossly negligent” way it has handled the SARS. Calling
it the “price of China's initial cover up”, the Journal expressed that
a global quarantine may be the only way to get the Chinese government to act
responsibly. What's your thought on this?
B: The Chinese government often mis-states situations within its borders. Under
the guise of “protecting social stability” they undermine it. Totalitarianism
is the reality there and humans within it have never counted for much. This
SARS situation has shown the world how little the Chinese regime values human
life. Many of us already knew that, and it's clear in how they are handling
Falun Gong. But now, everyone knows it and the world can't turn a blind
eye to that fact anymore.
R: We saw that FoFG has done an extensive campaign for Dr. Charles Li, an American
citizen and a Falun Gong practitioner, who was arrested and later sentenced
to three years in prison by the Chinese regime. As a board member of FoFG, what
do you think about this case, and what do you think the American people and
government should do for Dr. Li?
B: Several of my advisors have said any protest should not be made personal,
that emotionalism should be avoided, and that culture and sophistication of
argument should prevail. Words need redefining and made clinical in their descriptions,
they say. Thus, killing innocents are, “Collateral damage numbers.” Imprisonment
is “restricted movement.” Torture and rape are “re-education.”
Belief demands my voice be as loud as the screams from the torture cells. As
torture, rape, death, destruction, and imprisonment can only be personal, let
me say without apology, this communist regime is evil, lying, criminal, and
genocidal, unfit for any form of rule.
Mr. Li is an American Citizen. His being held is a slap in the face to our
government, our Dept. of State and the citizens of this country.
R: A lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court in Illinois, which name the
Chinese regime's leader Jiang Zemin as a defendant for crimes of genocide
as well as conspiracy between him and officials from the “610 Office,” who planned
and schemed to deprive scores of U.S. citizens and permanent residents of their
civil rights. What can you see as significances of this lawsuit and its impact
on the regime?
B: Whether he is convicted or not, this lawsuit is sure to scare him. It's
obvious that he fears for his future, as he should, because of all that he has
done. I hope this lawsuit not only scares him, but everyone else that is committing
these sinister acts.
R: Dr. Brooks, thank you very much for your insightful views and candid sharing.
B: It's truly my pleasure.
Posting date: 25/Apr/2003
Original article date: 24/Apr/2003
Category: World News
