Meeting Green Party Presidential Candidate Ralph Nader

A Western Practitioner in Minnesota

On the night of October 31, 2000 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, presidential candidate Ralph Nader had a television interview in an auditorium seating over 500 people. Dafa practitioners in the area did not hear of this assembly until about an hour before it began. Though our time was limited, we called around and several practitioners were willing to participate and hand out flyers about the situation in China.

We arrived late, and stood outside waiting for everyone to come out of the auditorium. After over an hour, the interview was over and people flooded out the doors and swept up our flyers; we had people and posters at both the front and rear entrances. Many expressed their concern and support of Falun Gong, and some even inquired about how they could help.

The majority of the people left, but there were about 50 supporters of Nader standing outside the back door waiting to see Ralph Nader exit. There were a couple of practitioners standing inside the back doors handing out flyers. A half hour after most people had left, Ralph Nader came up the stairs and was heading for the door where I was standing. No one else was around and I thought, "This is great, I can give Mr. Nader a flyer." I ran over to give him a flyer, but he ducked around the other side of his bodyguard. I then turned and in a rather awkward position shook his hand and said, "Please support Falun Gong." But I don't think he heard me. I followed and held up a large sign with many pictures showing the suppression of Falun Gong in China behind Mr. Nader as he was talking to the crowd of people. He then went into a van and drove away, not even noticing the sign I held.

A few minutes later a practitioner from the front of the building said Ralph Nader was now in the front being interviewed. I went to the front and saw only Mr. Nader with some security guards and a reporter, no crowds. I figured I already had my chance to talk to him, so I just stood there holding up the sign. After finishing the interview, he went back into the van and I stood 10 feet away still holding the sign. Mr. Nader was sitting in the passenger's seat and I noticed he was finally looking at the sign. I calmly walked closer so he could get a better look. He looked up at me and in Chinese said, "Ni hui shuo zhong guo hua ma (Can you speak Chinese)?" I responded, "Wo hui shuo zhong guo hua (I can speak Chinese)." He laughed and said, "How many presidential candidates can say that? I used to know 3,200 Chinese characters, but that was 45 years ago." I then said, "I hope you can support us, there are millions of people being suppressed and I hope you can do everything in your power to help us." He said, "I know all about it and I support you." His van then drove off.

Looking back on what happened, I realize that this was a test for me. When I met Mr. Nader for the first time, my human attachment side was too strong; this formed a wall between us. I tried to force flyers on him and make him hear what I had to say. Not only did he ignore me, he tried to get away. The more I tried to make him see me, the further away he looked. In the front of the building though, I was able to give up my attachments and stand there peacefully holding a sign; then the wall began to crumble. Without this wall he opened up and gave me the chance to tell him about Falun Gong and the persecution. Only with a pure and righteous heart and a mind rid of attachments was I able to let my cultivated side shine brightly letting the world know the truth of Falun Dafa.

October 31, 2000