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Written by Pasadena Coalition | |
Nov 05, 2007 at 12:00 AM | |
Statement of Pasadena Coalition in Support of Human Rights in China Nov 4, 2007 It is part of our duty and responsibility as caring members of the human rights community to participate today at Pasadena's City Hall as we begin our March for Human Rights. As we stand here in front of Pasadena City Hall and prepare to proceed to the Tournament of Roses Headquarters, we are reminded of our goal - to promote a solution to the Tournament of Roses Association's insistence on welcoming an Avery-Dennison sponsored Rose Parade float celebrating the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Sadly, this corporate-sponsored float will serve to merely entertain Americans. The Beijing float will divert attention from China's continued repression of religious freedom and basic human rights for the common people in China and Tibet, and ignore the role China plays in the atrocities in Sudan, Zimbabwe, North Korea and Burma.
We did not hear personal testimony from the Tournament of Roses - only parts of a letter read by the Mayor. Other letters which were sent to the Mayor and Council Members for consideration of this matter and were not read aloud at the meeting.
We applaud Council Member Chris Holden and Council Member Jacque Robinson for their integrity and political courage in supporting the H.R. Commission's report. We applaud the Pasadena Human Relations Commission and Commissioner Kenneth Hardy for their excellent work and their courage in submitting and defending their incisive report which the City Council called "extraordinary". We are honored that we have received some very important endorsements for our efforts from Pasadena's leaders. These include Joe Brown, President of the Pasadena NAACP Chapter; Bob McCloskey, long time labor activist; Father Gerard O'Brien, Pastor of Assumption Catholic Church; Pasadena Former Mayor Bill Paparian; China Ministries International; and many others. This March for Human Rights is only the beginning of our public efforts in Pasadena and beyond to bring this city's attention to the Pasadena Commission's recommendations and to put our acts of humanity before business and politics. |